Warriors Rally Past Clippers 126–121 Behind Curry, Horford in Play-In Thriller.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Golden State Warriors delivered a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 126–121 in the NBA play-in tournament on Wednesday night, fueled by standout performances from Stephen Curry and Al Horford.

Curry led the charge with 35 points, scoring 27 in the second half, including a clutch three-pointer with 50.4 seconds remaining to break a late tie. Horford added a crucial spark in the fourth quarter, knocking down four three-pointers to help Golden State erase a 13-point deficit. The 10th-seeded Warriors closed the game on a 16–6 run, showcasing their postseason experience. Draymond Green anchored the defense, while the team held Kawhi Leonard scoreless for most of the fourth quarter until the final seconds. Despite finishing the regular season 37–45 and losing Jimmy Butler earlier in the year, Golden State now sits one win away from securing a playoff berth. They will face Phoenix in their next play-in matchup, with the winner advancing to take on defending champion Oklahoma City in the first round.

For Los Angeles, Bennedict Mathurin led the team with 23 points, while Darius Garland contributed 21 points and eight assists despite foul trouble. Leonard finished with 21 points as well, but the Clippers were unable to maintain their late-game lead after going up 98–85 with under 10 minutes remaining. Golden State also received key contributions from Kristaps Porzingis, who scored 20 points, and Gui Santos, whose late layup helped shift momentum. Curry, recently returned from a 27-game absence due to a knee injury, ignited the comeback with a dominant third quarter, scoring 16 points in a six-minute stretch.

The loss marks the first time since 2022 that the Clippers will miss the playoffs, ending one of the NBA’s most consistent runs of success.