Stephen Curry scored 27 of his 35 factors within the second half, Al Horford hit 4 3-pointers throughout Golden State’s electrifying fourth-quarter comeback, and the Warriors superior within the NBA’s play-in match with a 126-121 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday evening.
Curry’s seventh 3-pointer broke a tie with 50.4 seconds to play for the Tenth-seeded Warriors, who erased a 13-point deficit within the fourth quarter.
Golden State completed on a 16-6 run and held Kawhi Leonard scoreless within the fourth till the ultimate 16 seconds.
After this time-defying rally, Curry, Draymond Inexperienced and the postseason-tested Warriors are one sport from one other playoff berth regardless of going 37-45 within the common season and shedding Jimmy Butler for the season in January.
The Warriors will journey to face Phoenix on Friday, with the winner shifting on to face defending champion Oklahoma Metropolis within the first spherical.
Leonard scored 21 factors for the Clippers, who missed the playoffs for the primary time since 2022 and solely the third time throughout their streak of 15 consecutive profitable seasons. Bennedict Mathurin led Los Angeles with 23 factors and Darius Garland had 21 factors and eight assists whereas battling foul hassle.
The Clippers led 98-85 with 9:53 to play, however the 38-year-old Curry led Golden State’s livid comeback alongside Kristaps Porzingis, who scored 20 factors, and the 39-year-old Horford.
Golden State bought a basic second-half barrage from Curry, who returned solely 5 video games in the past from a 27-game absence with a knee harm. He scored 16 factors in a six-minute span of the third quarter to maintain the Warriors in it whereas the Clippers practically pulled away.
After Horford hit three 3-pointers down the stretch within the fourth quarter, Gui Santos’ layup with 2:45 to play trimmed the Clips’ result in 115-114. Horford’s fourth 3-pointer put the Warriors up 117-115 with 2:12 left.
Maxey leads Sixers previous Magic
Tyrese Maxey scored 31 factors, V.J. Edgecombe added 19 factors and 11 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers weathered the absence of Joel Embiid to beat the Orlando Magic 109-97 and safe the No. 7 seed within the Jap Convention playoffs.
The Sixers moved on to a first-round collection that begins Sunday at Boston.
Desmond Bane and the Magic aren’t accomplished but. They may host Charlotte on Friday evening, with the winner incomes the No. 8 seed within the East and a first-round matchup with Detroit.
Embiid had an emergency appendectomy final week in Houston. Whereas the 76ers have not given a timetable for his return, the two-time scoring champion returned to the workforce on Wednesday, shocking teammates within the locker room and watching the sport from the bench.
Maxey, named an Jap Convention All-Star starter for the primary time in his profession, scored seven straight factors late within the fourth to offer the Sixers some respiration room towards a Magic workforce that wasted an opportunity to play this sport at residence with a late collapse in a loss to the Celtics within the season finale.
Bane, who averaged 20.1 factors and performed all 82 video games, carried Orlando’s offense with 34 factors. He hit a three-pointer that moved Orlando inside two and Anthony Black hit a triple that pulled the Magic to 87-86.
How and when to look at the NBA playoffs on Sky Sports activities
The 2026 NBA playoffs begins on Sky Sports activities this Sunday, April 19, with 4 reside video games on Sky Sports activities Motion from 6pm onwards.
All timings listed in British Summer time Time:
6pm – East No 7 seed @ Boston Celtics (2)
8.30pm – West No 8 seed @ Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (1)
11pm – East No 8 seed @ Detroit Pistons (1)
2am – Portland Path Blazers (7) @ San Antonio Spurs (2)
Sky Sports activities can even be displaying all the Western Convention Finals reside from Could 20.
Western Convention first-round playoffs:
*First groups denotes residence court docket benefit
Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (1) vs eighth seed (TBC)
San Antonio Spurs (2) vs Portland Path Blazers (7)
Denver Nuggets (3) vs Minnesota Timberwolves (6)
Los Angeles Lakers (4) vs Houston Rockets (5)
Play-in match:
1. Phoenix Suns (7) 110-114 Portland Path Blazers (8)
2. Los Angeles Clippers (9) vs Golden State Warriors (10)
3. Phoenix Suns vs Winner Sport 2
Jap Convention first-round playoffs:
Detroit Pistons (1) vs eighth seed (TBC)
Boston Celtics (2) vs seventh seed (TBC)
New York Knicks (3) vs Atlanta Hawks (6)
Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs Toronto Raptors (5)
Play-in match:
1. Philadelphia 76ers (7) vs Orlando Magic (8)
2. Charlotte Hornets (9) 127-126 Miami Warmth (10)
3. Loser Sport 1 vs Charlotte Hornets
Watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs reside on Sky Sports activities. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.
