The Golden State Warriors achieved a stunning comeback win over the Los Angeles Clippers, with Stephen Curry scoring 27 of his 35 points in the second half. Al Horford made four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, helping the Warriors overcome a 13-point deficit and secure a 126-121 victory. Curry's seventh 3-pointer broke a tie with 50.4 seconds remaining, capping off an electrifying fourth-quarter rally for the 10th-seeded Warriors.
The Warriors will now face Phoenix on Friday, with the winner advancing to the first round of the playoffs. Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points for the Clippers, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
The Clippers were led by Bennedict Mathurin with 23 points, while Darius Garland added 21 points and eight assists despite struggling with foul trouble. The Warriors' victory was fueled by a classic second-half performance from Curry, who returned from a 27-game absence due to a knee injury just five games ago. He scored 16 points in a six-minute span of the third quarter, keeping the Warriors in contention. The Clippers had taken a 98-85 lead with 9:53 to play, but the Warriors staged a furious comeback, with Curry and 39-year-old Al Horford leading the charge alongside Kristaps Porzingis, who scored 20 points.
In another game, the Philadelphia 76ers secured the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs with a 109-97 win over the Orlando Magic, despite the absence of Joel Embiid. Tyrese Maxey scored 31 points, and V.J.
Edgecombe added 19 points and 11 rebounds for the 76ers, who will face Boston in the first round of the playoffs on Sunday. Desmond Bane scored 34 points for the Magic, who will host Charlotte on Friday night, with the winner earning the No. 8 seed in the East.