Warriors stun Clippers

Golden State came back from 13 down in the fourth quarter and beat the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121 on April 15, keeping its season alive for one more play-in game. (nba.com) (espn.com) Stephen Curry scored 35 points, including 27 in the second half, and hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 50.4 seconds left at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Al Horford added four 3-pointers in the final 5:37 as Golden State closed on a 27-13 run. (apnews.com) (gmanetwork.com) The Clippers led 98-85 with 9:53 remaining after controlling most of the night. Golden State then scored 43 points in the fourth quarter after putting up 22 in the first. (cbssports.com) (espn.com) This was the 9-versus-10 game in the Western Conference play-in, so the loss ended the Clippers’ season and the win sent the Warriors to a final elimination game for the No. 8 seed. Golden State’s next game is at Phoenix on Friday, April 17. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) The play-in sits between the regular season and the playoffs: seeds 7 through 10 in each conference fight for the last two postseason spots. In the West this year, Phoenix entered as No. 7, the Clippers as No. 9, and Golden State as No. 10 after a 37-45 regular season. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) (espn.com) For the Clippers, the defeat capped a season that ended below.500’s usual playoff comfort zone despite a 42-40 record and home court in this game. Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points, while Bennedict Mathurin led Los Angeles with 23 and Darius Garland had 21 points and eight assists. (espn.com) (apnews.com) For Golden State, the comeback leaned on veterans. Curry, 38, made seven 3-pointers, and Horford, 39, supplied 12 fourth-quarter points in a game the Warriors had to win to reach Phoenix. (apnews.com) (nbcsportsbayarea.com) The reward is one more road game with a playoff berth on the line. The winner of Warriors-Suns takes the West’s No. 8 seed and opens the first round against Oklahoma City when the playoffs begin April 18. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2)