Warriors Edge Clippers In Overtime Thriller As Playoff Race Heats Up
Warriors Edge Clippers In Overtime Thriller As Playoff Race Heats Up...
The Golden State Warriors defeated the LA Clippers 121-117 in a dramatic overtime battle Tuesday night at Chase Center, tightening the Western Conference playoff race. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 34 points, including a clutch three-pointer in overtime, while Kawhi Leonard's 38-point effort fell short for the Clippers.
The game is trending nationally as it carried major postseason implications. With the win, the Warriors (44-35) moved within one game of the Clippers (45-34) for the 5th seed in the West. Both teams are fighting to avoid the play-in tournament with just three games remaining in the regular season.
Fans packed Chase Center for the primetime matchup broadcast on TNT, which saw 18 lead changes. Draymond Green's defensive stop against Paul George in the final seconds of regulation forced overtime. The Warriors then outscored the Clippers 14-10 in the extra period.
"This is what playoff basketball looks like in April," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters postgame. The victory extends Golden State's home winning streak to seven games, while the Clippers have now dropped three of their last five.
Social media erupted with highlights of Curry's step-back three over Leonard with 1:12 left in overtime. The shot gave Golden State a lead they wouldn't relinquish. NBA Twitter saw over 280,000 tweets about the game during the fourth quarter and overtime alone.
Both teams face critical matchups this week. The Warriors host the Pelicans on Thursday, while the Clippers travel to face the Suns on Wednesday. The results could determine whether these rivals meet again in the first round of the playoffs.
The physical game featured 12 technical fouls, including two ejections. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue criticized officials postgame, saying: "We didn't get the 50-50 calls when we needed them." The NBA Last Two Minute Report will be released Wednesday afternoon.
With the NBA playoffs beginning April 20, basketball fans nationwide are closely tracking the tight Western Conference standings. Tuesday's thriller only intensified the drama heading into the season's final days.
