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Warriors comeback to eliminate Clippers in play-in tournament thriller
TL;DR
The Golden State Warriors staged a thrilling comeback to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121 in the play-in tournament. Steph Curry scored 16 points in the third quarter, while Al Horford added four 3-pointers in the fourth to secure the win.
Through the first three games of the 2026 play-in tournament, each game was a hit, packed with action and drama from start to finish. On Friday night in Los Angeles, the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers followed suit, battling down to the wire in another thriller.
Despite their furious finish, the Golden State Warriors started ice cold. In the opening minutes of the win-or-go-home game, the Warriors found themselves trailing by double figures with the score 12-2. Despite the score, the Warriors continued to find a way to hang around. The Clippers were able to take another nine-point lead in the second quarter. In the third quarter, the Clippers again took a 10-point lead. Yet, they could never completely pull away from the Warriors. In the third quarter, Steph Curry took advantage.
After only scoring eight points in the first half, the All-Star point guard came alive in the third quarter. Curry caught fire, scoring 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field with a trio of triples in the third quarter. One of Curry's 3-pointers came with a foul and a four-point play.
Behind Curry, the Warriors were able to shave the Clippers' lead down to six points and completely swing momentum before the start of the fourth quarter. After Curry's signature flurry in the third quarter, it was Al Horford's turn. The veteran big man was unconscious from beyond the arc in the fourth frame, drilling four 3-pointers to close out the game. Curry added 11 points with two more 3-pointers of his own as the Warriors stunned the Clippers in comeback fashion on the road with a 126-121 win in the No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in game.
Along with leading the team in assists with nine, Draymond Green brought out a signature defensive performance down the stretch against Kawhi Leonard. After the Warriors took the lead with two minutes on the clock, Green forced back-to-back turnovers, sealing the game for the Warriors and ending the Clippers' season.
Curry finished with a game-high 35 points on 12-of-23 shooting from field with seven made 3-pointers to go along with four assists.
Outside of Curry, Horford and Green, Kristaps Porzingis and Gui Santos played key roles in the Warriors' upset win on Wednesday night. Both Porzingis and Santos each added 20 points against the Clippers. Porzingis finished with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting with three made triples, five rebounds, five assists and two blocks in 28 minutes. Santos notched 20 points, six rebounds and five assists in 32 minutes.
The Warriors will now advance to the second leg of the play-in tournament against the No. 7 seed Phoenix Suns. The Suns are coming off a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. The winner of Friday's game will punch a ticket to the playoffs and face the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder in round one of the postseason.
This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Warriors comeback to eliminate Clippers in play-in tournament thriller
Q&A
What was the final score of the Warriors vs. Clippers play-in tournament game?
The final score was 126-121 in favor of the Golden State Warriors.
How did Steph Curry perform in the game against the Clippers?
Steph Curry scored 16 points in the third quarter and finished with a total of 35 points in the game.
What role did Al Horford play in the Warriors' comeback victory?
Al Horford contributed significantly by hitting four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, helping to seal the win for the Warriors.
