The LA Clippers earned their first-ever second seed after their win versus Denver.
With their 124-111 win over the Denver Nuggets, the LA Clippers have officially clinched the 2nd seed in the Western Conference, and it marks their first 2nd seed finish in franchise history.
Perhaps just short of what most LA Clippers fans expected, the team that has never truly been fully together has managed to claw their way up to the 2nd spot in the Western Conference, as well as the 2nd spot in the Pacific Division. With this, they will be facing the 7th seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs.
Despite their last game being this Friday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the LA Clippers have also officially recorded their best loss-total in franchise history with only 23 losses. Even with a potential loss on Friday, they will beat out 2013-2014’s previous record of 25 losses.
2019-2020 will also mark the LA Clippers’ 4th best win-loss percentage in franchise history with .671 percent. Their franchise-best still remains as the 2013-2014 campaign with .695 percent. Still, for the Clippers-side of the franchise that never cracked a better season than .573 up until 2005-2006, this percentage is a nice sight.
Another franchise first is having to face the Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs. Never before have the LA Clippers, nor San Diego when they resided there, had to face off against the Mavs. The Clippers have had mixed results against their other Texas foes in San Antonio and Houston, but now, they will have played all three of the Texas franchises in the playoffs.
With three separate firsts for the LA Clippers clinched, the franchise will have accomplished most everything outside of a 60+ win season and a playoff-run past the second round. If they want to make that latter accomplishment possible, they will have to move through the Mavericks to get to the second round. Still, having the least losses in franchise history and clinching the 2nd seed for the first time are great events to be proud of, but the ultimate first is still the ring that the Clippers/Braves franchise has yet to earn. Maybe this is the year?