Harden shines, and the Clippers send the Warriors to Play-in; Lakers to debut against the Timberwolves in playoffs

In a great game defined in overtime, the Clippers won 124-119 over Golden State, which will now have to play in a play-in against the Memphis Grizzlies next Tuesday.

James Harden (l) scored by Moses Moody (r) in the final regular season gameAP / Cordon Press

Published by

Víctor Mendoza

April 14, 2025

3 minutes read

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With 39 points from James Harden, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Golden State Warriors 124-119 in overtime on Sunday to clinch a playoff series in a thrilling final day of the NBA.

The Clippers finished fifth in the Western Conference and will continue the first round of the postseason with Nikola Jokic's Denver Nuggets, who finished fourth.

Harden, 35, scored two consecutive three-pointers in overtime that proved decisive in a game with as many as 23 lead changes on the scoreboard.

With the loss, Stephen Curry's Warriors will have to earn their playoff spot in a play-in tournament against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.

Harden was supported by Kawhi Leonard, who scored 33 points, while Stephen Curry led Golden State with another 36.

Play-in pairings

With the pod already assigned to Thunder, Rockets and Lakers, the Western Conference settled the remaining playoff positions Sunday.

The Lakers, without LeBron James and Luka Doncic, lost 109-81 to the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. They were paired in the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who finished sixth by beating the Utah Jazz 116-105.

The Nuggets clinched the fourth spot that dates them with the Clippers, thanks to a 126-111 win over the Houston Rockets.

The Thunder and Rockets, first and second in the West, will meet their opponents next week in the play-in between the Warriors and Grizzlies and the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks.

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Apr 11, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (7) defends on Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the second half at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images/Sipa USA *** Local Caption *** 60728164

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Jáquez Jr. set a scoring record

With the East's standings already locked, most teams rested their usual starters, generating some exceptional situations.

The New York Knicks, who beat their neighbors, the Brooklyn Nets, 113-105, allowed Mikal Bridges to preserve his streak of 556 consecutive games on the court while avoiding injury risks.

In an agreed-upon plan, the forward fouled out six seconds into the game and went to the bench, where he spent the rest of the game.

Although starless, the Hawks-Magic duel served as an appetizer for their playoff clash on Tuesday.

Keaton Wallace was one of the subs who took advantage of Sunday's opportunities and recorded a triple-double of 15 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists for the Hawks.

The winner of Tuesday's matchup will face the reigning champion Boston Celtics, who beat the Charlotte Hornets 93-86 with 34 points from another reserve, Payton Pritchard, in the first round.

In Miami, Mexican-American Jaime Jáquez Jr. closed a disappointing second NBA season on a high note by breaking his scoring record with 41 points.

The forward's recital, who also grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 7 assists, proved insufficient against the Washington Wizards, who took the win in Florida 119-118 on an acrobatic last-second basket by rookie Bub Carrington (15 points).