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abr 16 2026INGLEWOOD — The Golden State Warriors defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121 in the NBA play-in, led by a spectacular Stephen Curry, who scored 35 points (27 in the second half), to complete a crucial comeback and keep their playoff hopes alive.
The game began with alternating control, though the Los Angeles Clippers managed to take command after an irregular start. With Bennedict Mathurin (23 points) and Darius Garland (21 points and 8 assists) leading the offensive production, and the contribution of Kawhi Leonard (21 points), the home team gradually settled in to build a significant lead. In fact, midway through the fourth quarter, the scoreboard showed 98-85, which seemed to put the Clippers on track for victory.
However, everything changed with Stephen Curry's eruption. The Golden State Warriors point guard, still regaining his rhythm after his recent return from injury, began to shift the game in the third quarter, when he scored 16 points in just six minutes to prevent the contest from getting completely out of hand.
The turning point came in the final stretch. While the Clippers saw their offense stall—with Kawhi Leonard unable to score in the fourth quarter until the final seconds—the Warriors found success from beyond the arc through Al Horford, who punished the Clippers with three-pointers in the decisive moments. The veteran big man connected on four crucial three-pointers in the final period, including the one that made it 117-115 with just over two minutes remaining.
From there, the Golden State Warriors completed a final 16-6 run that completely turned the game around. A layup by Gui Santos brought the visitors closer, and Curry's seventh three-pointer, with 50.4 seconds to play, broke the tie and left the Los Angeles Clippers without an answer.
Beyond Curry's 35 points, the Warriors received support from Kristaps Porzingis, who added 20 points, and the veteran impact of Horford in the game's crucial moments.
Competitively speaking, the Golden State Warriors keep their season alive in the NBA play-in despite finishing the regular season with a losing record (37-45) and losing Jimmy Butler to injury during the season.
With this victory, Golden State advances and will face the Phoenix Suns for a spot in the NBA playoffs, with the added prize of facing the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers are eliminated and miss the playoffs for the first time since 2022, ending their usual postseason presence in recent years.
