Clippers Clinch No. 2 Seed in 2020 NBA Playoffs with Win over Nuggets

The Los Angeles Clippers secured the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference after defeating the Denver Nuggets 124-111 on Wednesday.

They will play the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the NBA playoffs beginning either Monday or Tuesday.

The 2019-20 season hasn't gone fully according to plan for the Clippers, who became a title favorite overnight when they landed Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the offseason.

Working two All-Stars into what was already a cohesive roster was always going to be tricky. The situation has been more difficult because of Leonard's load management and George's injury problems that have limited the latter to 48 games.

In January, The Athletic's Jovan Buha and Sam Amick shed some light on what was happening behind the scenes:

"As more than a dozen sources shared in The Athletic's reporting on the matter, the transition from the team's overachieving past to its promising present has not been seamless. From the frustrations relating to Leonard's injury management and his quiet ways, to the different views regarding regular-season competition, to the reality that their chosen style of play isn't always conducive to collective joy, there are issues tugging at this talented team that will need to be resolved by the time the playoffs come around."

The report didn't necessarily provide anything revelatory, but it highlighted how a team is bound to experience bumps in the road when it changes not only the top of its roster but also its general aims for the regular season.

There's a reason Caesars Palace gives the Clippers the second-best odds of winning the Western Conference (+170) and second-best title odds (+300) along with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Los Angeles ranked second in offensive rating (113.4) and fifth in defensive rating (107.1) entering Wednesday, per NBA.com. Even though they're not quite meeting expectations, the Clippers are one of the NBA's best teams, and they probably have another level they can reach in the postseason.

The Cleveland Cavaliers flipped the proverbial switch in the playoffs during their run of four straight Finals appearances with LeBron James. The Toronto Raptors did something similar last year en route to toppling the Golden State Warriors.

Leonard missed too many games to be a serious contender for MVP, but he has delivered plenty of reminders he's the same player who averaged 30.5 points and 9.1 rebounds in the 2019 playoffs.

His performance against the Los Angeles Lakers (35 points, 12 rebounds, five assists) on Christmas Day is one of his best showings to date with the Clippers.

With any luck, fans will be treated to a Clippers-Lakers matchup in the conference finals. They split their season series, the Clippers taking the first two and the Lakers evening the score over the next two.

In general, the Clippers' front office didn't acquire George and sign Leonard for the sole purpose of ending its championship drought this season. The length of the franchise's ambitions stretch well beyond 2019-20.

Having said that, this is a roster built for the playoffs and will thus be judged as to how it performs on the biggest stage this summer. Failing to lift the Larry O'Brien trophy won't be an utter failure, but it would qualify as a disappointment.