The Los Angeles Clippers' season is over after suffering a fourth-quarter melt down against the Golden State Warriors in the Play-In.
The Los Angeles Clippers' season has come to an end. It was a wild ride from start to finish: from a 6-21 start to the regular season to an outstanding comeback that took one of the best records in the middle of the season to get there, the Clippers certainly made things interesting in 2025-26.
Interesting was another way to describe the Clippers' loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday in the Play-In. The Clippers had won three of the four games they played against the Warriors in the regular season and had an even better record against them at home.
The Odds Were in Clippers' Favor
The Warriors had lost nine straight games against the Clippers in Los Angeles, and with the way that the game on Wednesday was going, it looked like it was going to be 10 straight.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives past Los Angeles Clippers guard Darius Garland (10) for a basket in the second half during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesThe Clippers led throughout the game and even if it was a back-and-forth struggle through much of the first half, the Clippers were breaking away in the third quarter, leading by as much as 12 at one point,
But a vintage performance from both Steph Curry and Al Horford turned the tide for Golden State.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Darius Garland (10) is defended by Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) in the first half during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesCurry finished with 34 points while Horford nailed three straight three pointers early in the fourth quarter to slash the Los Angeles lead.
The Warriors went on a 14-2 run with just a few minutes left in the game, not only erasing the Clippers' lead but overtaking it.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) steals the ball from Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) in the final minutes of the game of the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesKawhi Leonard was held scoreless in the fourth quarter against the combined defense of Draymond Green and Brandin Podziemski while Curry continued to rise.
As hot as Curry and Horford got, the Clippers did a lot wrong to enable those runs. They didn't have an answer for the way that Green stepped up the defense and they allowed one of Horford or Curry to get open to let those crucial shots fall.
Lue's Reaction
All in all, the Warriors put up 43 points in the fourth quarter to steal the game away and keep their season going, while the Clippers were left with the sting of defeat.
After a few moments left to sit with his thoughts after watching the game crumble in front of him, Clippers head coach Ty Lue had two simple words to describe how he was feeling.
"Pissed off. We had the game in our hands," Lue said. "Some silly plays. Not doing the right thing execution-wise. To be up 13 with 10 minutes to go into the game, we've got to finish that game. So, I'm disappointed about that."