Stephen Curry ignited a spectacular fourth-quarter surge that propelled the Golden State Warriors to a 126-121 triumph over the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA play-in tournament on Wednesday night. The veteran guard poured in 35 points, with an astonishing 27 of those arriving after halftime, and his seventh three‑pointer—drilled with just 50.4 seconds left—broke a tie and sealed the win for the 10th‑seeded Warriors, who erased a 13‑point deficit in the final period. The comeback was a team effort.
Al Horford, the 39‑year‑old veteran, knocked down four treys, including two in the decisive stretch, while Kristaps Porzingis contributed 20 points to keep the offensive flow alive. Golden State closed the game on a 16‑6 run, and they held Kawhi Leonard scoreless for the last 16 seconds, preventing any late rally from the Clippers. Curry’s performance was particularly remarkable given his recent return from a 27‑game layoff caused by a knee injury.
In the third quarter, he erupted for 16 points in just six minutes, keeping the Warriors within striking distance as the Clippers tried to stretch their lead to double digits. The momentum shifted when Horford buried three consecutive three‑pointers in the fourth, and a layup by Gui Santos with 2:45 remaining trimmed the Clippers’ advantage to a single point, 115‑114.
Horford’s fourth triple, coming with 2:12 left on the clock, nudged Golden State ahead 117‑115, a lead they would never relinquish. Leonard finished with 21 points, but the Clippers were unable to respond when it mattered most. Bennedict Mathurin led Los Angeles with 23 points, and Darius Garland added 21 points and eight assists despite battling foul trouble. The Clippers had commanded a 98‑85 lead with just under ten minutes to play, but the veteran leadership of Curry—now 38—combined with the timely shooting of Horford and the inside presence of Porzingis, turned the tide.
The victory moves the Warriors one step closer to a full‑season playoff berth, despite a 37‑45 regular‑season record and the loss of Jimmy Butler for the year back in January. Golden State’s next challenge is an away game against the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
The winner of that matchup will earn the right to face defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the postseason. Beyond the Warriors‑Clippers drama, the article also touches on other NBA action that night. In Philadelphia, Tyrese Maxey poured in 31 points while V.J. Edgecombe recorded a double‑double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, guiding the 76ers past the Orlando Magic 109‑97.
The Sixers, despite missing Joel Embiid—who recently underwent an emergency appendectomy—secured the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference and will open their first‑round series against Boston on Sunday. Orlando’s Desmond Bane, who played all 82 games and averaged 20.1 points, kept the Magic alive with a 34‑point effort, including a clutch three‑pointer that brought the team within two points late in the contest. The Magic will host Charlotte on Friday, with the winner clinching the No.
8 seed in the East and a first‑round showdown with Detroit. The piece also provides a schedule for the 2026 NBA playoffs on Sky Sports, listing start times in British Summer Time for the opening day on April 19 and outlining the broadcast plan for the Western Conference Finals beginning May 20.
It includes a bracket preview, noting matchups such as Phoenix versus Portland, Los Angeles versus Golden State, and the various first‑round pairings across both conferences. Overall, Curry’s heroics underscore his status as one of the league’s most clutch performers, and his ability to rally a team that has faced injuries and a sub‑ .500 record highlights the resilience and experience that can turn a seemingly lost game into a memorable comeback. The Warriors’ next test in Phoenix will determine whether they can continue their surge and ultimately challenge the Thunder for a coveted spot in the postseason bracket.