Clippers' Season Comes To An End After Blowing 13-point Lead

It was do aliases dice Wednesday nighttime astatine Intuit Dome and the Clippers did not do capable to support their play alive, blowing a 13-point lead early successful nan 4th fourth and losing to nan Golden State Warriors, 126-121.

Having rebounded from a franchise-worst 6-21 commencement to gain nan next-to-last berth successful nan NBA play-in tournament, coach Ty Lue’s resilient bunch could not widen its historical comeback connected its location floor.

Stephen Curry led nan Warriors pinch 35 points, Kristaps Porzingis and and Gui Santos each had 20 and Brandin Podziemski added 17. The Warriors were 19-of-41 from 3-point range.

Bennedict Mathurin scored 23 points while Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland each added 21 points for nan Clippers, who won 3 of nan teams’ 4 regular play meetings, including a 115-110 triumph successful nan aforesaid arena 4 days earlier.

The Clippers sewage disconnected to a basking start, scoring 12 consecutive points to return a 10-point lead 3:19 into nan crippled but Golden State utilized a 12-2 tally of its ain to necktie it and took a 17-16 lead connected Curry’s three-pointer conscionable earlier nan seven-minute mark. A 15-5 tally put nan Clippers backmost up 31-22 astatine nan extremity of nan first quarter.

Steph Curry falls to nan tribunal to drawback a loose shot against Clippers Bennedict Mathurin and Kris Dunn successful nan 3rd quarter.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Porzingis’ three-pointer from nan apical of nan cardinal put nan Warriors successful beforehand early successful nan 2nd 4th but nan Clippers closed nan first half pinch a flourish. Draymond Green sewage assessed a method foul and Leonard made nan ensuing free propulsion to springiness his squad a 10-point lead and nan Clippers headed to nan locker room up 61-53.

Back-to-back buckets by Jones Jr. pushed nan Clippers’ lead to 10 points pinch 7:48 near successful nan 3rd quarter, but again nan proud Warriors responded connected a uncommon four-point play by Curry to propulsion wrong four. The Clippers pushed nan lead backmost to 11 earlier Golden State utilized a 5-0 tally to creep wrong 89-83 heading to nan 4th quarter.

Porzingis’ three-pointer whittled nan Warriors’ shortage down to 3 pinch 8:16 near but Garland’s three-pointer pushed nan separator backmost to 8 pinch 6:36 left. Al Horford’s three-pointer gave nan Warriors a 117-115 lead pinch 2:12 left, Lopez deed a brace of free throws to necktie it pinch 1:51 left, but Curry, arsenic he has done truthful galore times successful his career, sank a three-pointer to put his squad up 120-117 pinch 50 seconds remaining and nan visitors hung on.

IKawhi Leonard walks disconnected nan tribunal aft nan Clippers’ season-ending loss.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The Warriors’ reward is simply a formation to Phoenix wherever they will return connected nan Suns successful a Friday nighttime matchup to determine nan eighth and final playoff seed successful nan Western Conference. The Suns had a chance to clinch nan No. 7 seed Monday but mislaid astatine location to Portland, 114-110. Should nan Warriors prevail they will meet No. 1-seeded and defending champion Oklahoma City successful a best-of-seven bid opening Sunday connected nan road.