Revealed On 16 Apr 2026
Al Horford linked on 4 3-pointers within the remaining 5:37 of a Western Convention play-in recreation, lifting the Tenth-place Golden State Warriors to a 126-121 win over the ninth-place Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday in Inglewood, California.
Golden State advances to a sudden-death matchup in opposition to the Suns in Phoenix on Friday to decide the West’s No 8 seed and the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder’s first-round playoff opponent. The loss ends the Clippers’ season.
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Horford’s late-game sizzling streak was a part of a game-ending, 27-13 Golden State run. Stephen Curry punctuated a 35-point night time by burying a deep 3-pointer with 50.4 seconds remaining, placing the Warriors forward to remain, 120-117. Curry’s seven makes on 12 makes an attempt from past the arc paced the Warriors to a 19-of-41 long-range barrage (46.3 p.c).
Regardless of Curry’s contributions, it was Horford who stole the present.
The 39-year-old veteran had simply two factors off the bench earlier than his late onslaught. He completed with 14 factors, arrange for his pivotal baskets off two assists from Gui Santos, sandwiched between a pair of assists from Curry.
Santos performed a key all-around position for the Warriors, ending with 20 factors, six rebounds and 5 assists. Golden State additionally bought 20 factors from Kristaps Porzingis, together with six straight factors over one stretch within the fourth quarter.
Porzingis adopted up changing a profitable and-one alternative with a 3-pointer, the sequence trimming a nine-point Clippers result in three with 8:17 to go.
Los Angeles answered when Darius Garland transformed his personal and-one, then Garland fed Brook Lopez for an inside bucket. Garland wrapped up his large stretch with a 3-pointer that pushed the Los Angeles’ lead again to 9 with 6:37 left.
That was the final level the Clippers appeared in management throughout a recreation that they led for many of the best way.
Garland and Kawhi Leonard, who every completed with 21 factors, helped Los Angeles construct a bonus of as many as 13 factors. The Clippers couldn’t shake the Warriors within the second half, nevertheless, notably as Leonard went chilly on offence.
Leonard dedicated a pair of turnovers within the fourth quarter and scored his solely factors of the interval on a dunk within the remaining seconds after Golden State had primarily wrapped up the win. Leonard scored 14 of his factors within the first half, together with going coast-to-coast for a slam simply earlier than halftime.
Bennedict Mathurin led Los Angeles with 23 factors off the bench.
Maxey sends 76ers into playoffs
Earlier, Tyrese Maxey scored 11 of his team-high 31 factors within the fourth quarter for the host Philadelphia 76ers, who superior to the Jap Convention playoffs by beating the Orlando Magic 109-97 in a play-in recreation.
The 76ers, who completed in seventh place in the Jap Convention with a 45-37 document, would be the seventh seed and can face the second-seeded Boston Celtics in a best-of-seven collection beginning on Sunday.
The Magic, who had been additionally 45-37 however misplaced the home-court tiebreaker to the 76ers through Philadelphia’s 2-1 document within the season collection, will face the ninth-place Charlotte Hornets in a play-in recreation to find out the eighth seed on Friday. The Hornets edged the Tenth-place Miami Warmth 127-126 in time beyond regulation on Tuesday.
Starter VJ Edgecombe (19 factors, 11 rebounds) and reserve Andre Drummond (14 factors, 10 rebounds) every had a double-double for the 76ers, who’re headed to the playoffs for the eighth time in 9 years.
Philadelphia’s Kelly Oubre Jr scored 19 factors whereas Paul George added 16 factors.
Desmond Bane put up 34 factors for the Magic, who’re aiming for his or her third straight playoff look. Paolo Banchero had 18 factors whereas Anthony Black collected 13 factors off the bench. Franz Wagner added 12 factors.
Neither workforce led by greater than six within the first half, which ended with the 76ers forward 59-55. Bane and Banchero mixed for the primary 5 factors of the third quarter earlier than Edgecombe hit a 3-pointer to place Philadelphia forward for good at 62-60 with 10:54 left, prompting a 14-2 run. The Magic ended the quarter on a 12-6 surge to shut inside 79-74.
Bane’s 3-pointer pulled the Magic inside 83-81 with 9:47 remaining, after which George missed a 3-point try. However Bane additionally missed a possible go-ahead 3-pointer with 9:16 left, and Maxey answered with a layup to increase the 76ers’ result in 85-81.
Orlando pulled inside one or two factors twice extra, however Edgecombe and Maxey responded with jumpers on these events. Maxey scored seven unanswered factors to provide the 76ers a 94-86 edge with 6:25 left. The hosts led by no less than 4 the remainder of the best way.
