Clippers Secure Win Against Warriors, Knock Golden State into Play-In

The Los Angeles Clippers battled their way to a playoff berth in overtime, simultaneously condemning the Golden State Warriors to the NBA’s play-in tournament. This pivotal final regular-season game in the Western Conference saw the Clippers triumph over the Warriors 124-119 on Sunday, securing the No. 5 seed in the process. The loss dropped the Warriors to the No. 7 seed, forcing them to host the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday for a chance to claim the coveted No. 7 playoff spot.

A Warriors victory would have relegated the Clippers to the seventh seed. However, James Harden delivered a stellar performance for Los Angeles, scoring 39 points, dishing out 10 assists, and grabbing seven rebounds. This performance capped off an All-Star caliber season for the former MVP and extended the Clippers’ winning streak to eight games, culminating in a 50-32 regular-season record.

“We’re a good team and we’re excited to show the world, but we’re a good team,” Harden confidently stated in a postgame interview.

The Western Conference playoff picture remained fluid until the final day, with numerous teams vying for seeding positions behind the already locked-in top three of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, and Los Angeles Lakers.

The Denver Nuggets recovered from a tumultuous final week, which included the reported firing of coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth (note: this seems to be an error in the original text as Michael Malone is still the Nuggets’ coach and Calvin Booth is their GM), to clinch the No. 4 seed. They secured home-court advantage in the first round against the Clippers with a 126-111 victory over the Rockets. The Lakers, Nuggets, and Clippers all finished with identical 50-32 records, with the Lakers holding the tiebreaker to secure the No. 3 seed and their first home-court advantage in a playoff series since 2012.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, who faced the possibility of dropping as low as eighth, secured the No. 6 seed with a 116-105 win against the Utah Jazz. Anthony Edwards led the charge with 43 points, emphasizing the urgency to avoid the play-in tournament.

“Like, we don’t want to play in the play-in, because I’ve been in both situations,” Edwards explained. “We want to be fully prepared going into the playoffs. We want that whole week.”

The Warriors shared this sentiment, having never won a game in the play-in tournament. A win against the Clippers would have placed them in the No. 6 seed, setting up a highly anticipated postseason rematch between Stephen Curry and LeBron James. Now, they face a quick turnaround to overcome their disappointment.

“We’re right where we want to be,” Warriors forward Jimmy Butler (note: this is likely an error in the original text as Jimmy Butler plays for the Miami Heat) optimistically stated. “We’ve still got an opportunity and we control our own fate. We’re going to be just fine.”

The Sacramento Kings secured the No. 9 seed, and the Dallas Mavericks finished at No. 10 in the West. They will face off in Sacramento on Wednesday, with the winner advancing to play the loser of the Golden State-Memphis matchup for the chance to face the top-seeded Thunder in the first round.

In contrast, the Eastern Conference playoff seedings were finalized before the final day of the regular season, eliminating any last-minute drama.

The Cleveland Cavaliers claimed the No. 1 seed, followed by the Boston Celtics at No. 2. Both teams will await the outcomes of the play-in tournament to determine their first-round opponents. The No. 3 New York Knicks will face the No. 6 Detroit Pistons, and the No. 4 Indiana Pacers will meet the No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.

The Orlando Magic secured the No. 7 seed and will host the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, with the winner advancing to face the Celtics. The loser will have another opportunity to advance against the winner of the game between the No. 9 Chicago Bulls and the No. 10 Miami Heat.