Despite losing seven out of their last eight games in the regular season, the Golden State Warriors still have a chance to make the NBA playoffs as they dealt the knockout punches in a 126-121 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers to stay alive in the SoFi Play-In Tournament.
Despite supposedly playing on a minutes restriction after recently returning from injury, Stephen Curry once again went nuclear in enemy territory, notching 35 points and 4 assists, including the go-ahead stepback three from the left wing that ultimately sealed the victory for the Dubs.
“I just love to play basketball, when I’m out here able to do what I get to do, I’m blessed,” Curry said postgame.
Warriors Veterans Take Over Late
Aside from Curry’s second-half explosion, it was the veteran prowess of Draymond Green and Al Horford that willed Golden State to live another day.
With both teams trading blows in the final minutes of the game, Horford hit back-to-back threes to keep the Warriors afloat. On the other end, Draymond Green held down defensively by grabbing two crucial steals on Clippers star Kawhi Leonard.
Warrior role players Brandin Podziemski and Gui Santos combined for 37 points, while newly acquired big man Kristaps Porzingis hit three threes en route to 20 markers.
With the win, the Warriors are set to face the Phoenix Suns on Saturday in a winner-take-all bout to clinch the final spot in the West playoff bracket.
Clippers Outplayed in Final Minutes as Season Comes to an End
The Clippers were unable to extinguish Golden State’s red-hot momentum, as they were outscored 22-11 in the final five minutes of the game.
Leonard was nowhere to be found in crunch time, with his only points in the fourth quarter coming off a concession basket when the game was already out of reach. He finished with 21.
Newly acquired Clipper Darius Garland was forced to watch the final moments from the bench, as he notched his sixth foul in the dying minutes of the game, finishing with 21 points as well, on top of 5 rebounds and 8 assists.
To put more salt on the wound, the Clippers will not own their lottery pick this year, as they traded their 2026 pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder seven years ago as part of the infamous Paul George trade.
