Stephen Curry ignited a spectacular second‑half surge, pouring in 27 of his 35 points after halftime and steering the Golden State Warriors to a 126‑121 comeback win over the Los Angeles Clippers in Wednesday night’s play‑in showdown. The veteran sharpshooter’s seventh three‑pointer, drilled with 50.4 seconds left on the clock, gave the 10th‑seeded Warriors the lead they needed after erasing a 13‑point fourth‑quarter hole.
Golden State capped the rally with a decisive 16‑6 run, while veteran forward Al Horford contributed four treys in the closing minutes, including the shot that pushed the lead to 117‑115 with just over two minutes remaining. The Clippers, who had been up 98‑85 with under ten minutes to play, were silenced as Kawhi Leonard was held scoreless in the final 16 seconds. The win propels the Warriors one step closer to a full‑season playoff berth, despite a 37‑45 regular‑season record and the loss of Jimmy Butler to a season‑ending injury back in January.
Coach Steve Kerr’s squad will head to Phoenix on Friday for the next play‑in clash; the victor will then face defending champion Oklahoma City in the opening round of the postseason. Leonard finished with 21 points for Los Angeles, which missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022, snapping a remarkable run of 15 straight winning seasons. Bennedict Mathurin led the Clippers with 23 points, while Darius Garland added 21 and eight assists despite battling foul trouble. Kristaps Porzingis also chipped in 20 points for the Warriors, complementing Curry’s heroics and Horford’s late‑game shooting.
Curry’s performance was especially notable given his recent return from a 27‑game layoff caused by a knee injury. After missing most of the season, he dropped 16 points in a six‑minute stretch of the third quarter, keeping Golden State within striking distance as the Clippers attempted to pull away. His relentless barrage of threes in the second half underscored why he remains one of the league’s most lethal offensive forces. The game also featured a flurry of ancillary NBA news.
In Philadelphia, Tyrese Maxey tallied 31 points as the 76ers overcame the Orlando Magic 109‑97, securing the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference despite the absence of Joel Embiid, who recently underwent an emergency appendectomy. Maxey, a first‑time Eastern Conference All‑Star starter, delivered a crucial seven‑point run late in the fourth quarter to give the Sixers breathing room after a late‑season collapse by the Magic. Orlando’s Desmond Bane, who played all 82 games and averaged 20.1 points per contest, led the Magic with 34 points in a valiant effort.
His three‑pointer narrowed the gap to two points, and teammate Anthony Black’s triple pushed the contest to a one‑point margin at 87‑86 before the Sixers ultimately prevailed. The 2026 NBA Playoffs kick off on Sky Sports this Sunday, April 19, with four live games airing on Sky Sports Action beginning at 6 p.m. British Summer Time. The schedule includes: - 6 p.m.: East No.
7 seed vs. Boston Celtics (Game 2) - 8:30 p.m.: West No.
8 seed vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Game 1) - 11 p.m.: East No.
8 seed vs. Detroit Pistons (Game 1) - 2 a.m.: Portland Trail Blazers (No. 7) @ San Antonio Spurs (No.
2) Sky Sports will also broadcast every Western Conference Finals game live from May 20 onward. The network’s comprehensive coverage will feature all first‑round matchups, including the Warriors‑Clippers play‑in duel, the Phoenix‑Portland winner’s bracket, and the Eastern Conference battles such as Philadelphia vs.
Orlando and Boston vs. the No.
7 seed. Looking ahead, the Warriors’ next opponent in Phoenix will be a critical test. The Suns, who fell 110‑114 to Portland in their play‑in game, will be eager to rebound, while Golden State hopes to ride Curry’s momentum into a series against Oklahoma City. If they can replicate the resilience shown in Wednesday’s comeback, the Warriors could prove that a sub‑.500 regular‑season record does not preclude a deep postseason run.
For fans seeking to follow the action, Sky Sports offers live streaming with a contract‑free option via NOW, ensuring that viewers can watch every pivotal moment of the 2026 NBA Playoffs from the comfort of their homes. Whether you’re tracking Curry’s late‑night heroics, Maxey’s breakout performance, or the broader playoff picture, the upcoming weeks promise high‑stakes basketball, dramatic narratives, and plenty of unforgettable moments on the court.