The Golden State Warriors pulled off an extraordinary comeback, overcoming a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121. Stephen Curry was instrumental, scoring 27 of his 35 points in the second half.
Al Horford also played a crucial role, hitting four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. The Warriors' victory advances them in the NBA's play-in tournament, with their next game against Phoenix on Friday.
Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points for the Clippers, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022. The Warriors' win was fueled by Curry's seventh 3-pointer, which broke a tie with 50.4 seconds to play.
The team finished on a 16-6 run, holding Leonard scoreless in the fourth quarter until the final 16 seconds. Curry, Draymond Green, and the postseason-tested Warriors are now one game away from another playoff berth, despite a challenging regular season.
The Clippers, meanwhile, were led by Bennedict Mathurin with 23 points and Darius Garland with 21 points and eight assists, but ultimately fell short. The Warriors' comeback was sparked by Curry's classic second-half barrage, which included 16 points in a six-minute span of the third quarter.
Kristaps Porzingis also contributed 20 points to the effort. The win sets up a crucial matchup against Phoenix, with the winner moving on to face defending champion Oklahoma City in the first round.
In other NBA news, Tyrese Maxey scored 31 points to help the Philadelphia 76ers secure the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, despite the absence of Joel Embiid.
The 76ers will face the Boston Celtics in the first round, starting on Sunday. Desmond Bane and the Orlando Magic, meanwhile, will host Charlotte on Friday night, with the winner earning the No.
8 seed in the East and a first-round matchup with Detroit.