Stephen Curry & Warriors Eliminate Clippers While Getting Good News On Jimmy Butler Recovery

The Golden State Warriors eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers from playoff contention in the play-in tournament game.

The Warriors won 126-121. The Warriors scored 43 points in the fourth quarter to mount a double-digit comeback.

With fewer than a minute left, Stephen Curry hit a step-back three to give the Warriors a 120-117 lead. The Warriors held the lead the rest of the game.

Curry led the Warriors in scoring with 35 points. 27 of those points came in the second half. Gui Santos also had a strong game with 20 points and six rebounds.

The Clippers got good games from their trade deadline additions. Benedict Mathurin (23 points) and Darius Garland (21 points) kept the Clippers in the game. Mathurin was acquired in the Ivica Zubac trade, while Garland was acquired in the James Harden trade. 

Along with keeping their playoff hopes alive, the Warriors also got good news regarding Jimmy Butler’s injury. Butler is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. During pregame, he was seen on the court. Although he was moving slowly, he was off his crutches and was able to take a few shots. He also stayed and watched Curry do his warmups, where he showed visible amazement at Curry’s abilities. 

For the Clippers, even making the play-in tournament felt like an accomplishment. They started the season 6-21. They recovered well in January with a record of 11-4. However, Harden’s trade request stunted their momentum. Regardless, the Clippers went 12-6 in March and clinched the play-in spot. 

The Clippers 2026 first-round pick is owned by the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. This means the Thunder will draft in the lottery despite being a top team. 

The Warriors will play the Phoenix Suns on April 16. The winner of that game will get the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.