Harden Outshines Curry as Clippers Edge Warriors in Overtime Thriller
What a night of basketball it was between the Golden State Warriors and the LA Clippers. I mean, it really felt like the playoffs came early. You could feel the stakes pulsing through every possession, every bucket, every whistle. This wasn’t just another regular season game — it was a battle for playoff positioning, for pride, and for momentum heading into the postseason. And unfortunately for the Warriors, it ended in heartbreak.
The Dubs hosted the Clippers in what was the final game of the regular season, and both teams had a ton riding on it. With a win, Golden State would’ve locked up the No. 6 seed and a juicy first-round showdown with the Lakers. Instead, after a 121-119 overtime loss, they’re headed to the play-in tournament and will now face the Memphis Grizzlies for a shot at the No. 7 seed.
From the opening tip, this one had all the drama you could ask for. Golden State came out swinging, especially after falling behind early. They found their rhythm, their energy was up, the ball movement was crisp, and even with Ivica Zubac owning the paint, they ended the first quarter up 33-25. Steph Curry, playing through a thumb injury, was lights out. He dropped 36 points and buried seven threes. Jimmy Butler III added 30 points and 9 assists, keeping the Dubs afloat whenever Curry was on the bench.
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But James Harden… man, he was in vintage form. Harden finished with 39 points, 10 dimes, and a calm, commanding presence. Every time the Warriors made a run, Harden had an answer. Kawhi Leonard added 33 of his own in his usual efficient way. The Clippers clawed back from a double-digit deficit in the second quarter and hit a trio of threes to steal the lead going into halftime, including a deep buzzer-beater from Norman Powell.
The second half? Pure chaos. Draymond Green hit a rare three to kickstart a Warriors run, but the back-and-forth just wouldn’t stop. There were highlight-reel plays from both sides — a monster dunk by Derrick Jones Jr. over Curry, Harden slicing and dicing, Curry raining threes. With less than four minutes left, Curry tied it up with a three and then kept trading buckets and free throws with Kawhi and Powell.
Regulation ended 111-111, and it truly felt like no one deserved to lose. But overtime exposed some cracks. The Warriors missed shots early, and Harden hit a pair of cold-blooded threes to put LA ahead. Even then, Golden State kept fighting — Curry hit another three, Green responded with a clutch shot, and Butler nearly pulled off a huge and-one… but the foul was overturned.
And when Buddy Hield missed a clean look out of a beautifully drawn-up Steve Kerr play with just seconds left, Harden grabbed the rebound, made his free throws, and sealed it. That was it.
Golden State now finds themselves in the top play-in spot — not the worst place to be, but still a bitter pill to swallow after being so close. They’ll face Memphis next, a team they’ve beaten three times this year. Win that, and they’ll face the Rockets in round one. Lose, and they’ll need to survive another do-or-die.
Bottom line? The Warriors gave us a show. But in a game where one mistake could tip the scales, they made just a few too many. And James Harden reminded everyone he’s still got plenty left in the tank.
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