Warriors edge Clippers in overtime to extend playoff streak

Golden State Warriors Advance to Playoffs with Win Over LA Clippers

The Golden State Warriors secured their spot in the NBA playoffs, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121 in a Western Conference play-in game on Wednesday at Inglewood, California. The win keeps the Warriors’ playoff hopes alive and sets up a sudden-death matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Friday to determine the West’s No. 8 seed.

Al Horford led the Warriors with four three-pointers in the final 5:37 of the game, contributing to a 27-13 scoring run that sealed the victory for Golden State. Stephen Curry added 35 points, including a deep three-pointer with 50.4 seconds remaining, which put the Warriors ahead and stayed so.

The Clippers’ loss ends their season, while the Warriors advance to face the Suns in a crucial matchup. The game saw a strong performance from Gui Santos, who finished with 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Kristaps Porzingis also contributed 20 points for Golden State, including six straight points in the fourth quarter.

The Clippers were led by Darius Garland’s 21 points, as well as Kawhi Leonard’s 21 points. However, they struggled to maintain their lead in the second half, particularly after Leonard went cold on offense. The game was marked by a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading leads throughout.

In other news, the Philadelphia 76ers advanced to the Eastern Conference playoffs by beating the Orlando Magic 109-97 in a play-in game. The 76ers will face the Boston Celtics in a best-of-seven series starting on Sunday, while the Magic will face the Charlotte Hornets in a play-in game to determine the eighth seed.

The Hornets edged the Miami Heat 127-126 in overtime on Tuesday, with starter VJ Edgecombe scoring 19 points and reserve Andre Drummond adding 14 points. The Magic’s Desmond Bane led the team with 34 points, while Anthony Black contributed 13 points off the bench.

Source: Al Jazeera