- James Harden scored 12 of his team’s 13 points in overtime to send the Clippers directly to the NBA Playoffs
- Harden finished with 38 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds in the 124–119 win over Golden State
- LA Clippers secured 5th place and will face Denver, while Golden State enters the Play-In
Key Takeaways:
James Harden exploded in overtime to send the LA Clippers straight into the NBA Playoffs at the expense of Golden State. “The Beard” scored 12 of his team’s 13 points in the additional five minutes and finished with 38, as his team defeated the Warriors in a thrilling 124–119 battle on the final day of the season. Harden also added 10 assists and 7 rebounds to his stat line.
🌟 STARS SHINE WHEN IT MATTERS MOST 🌟
In today's epic Clippers/Warriors battle, ALL FOUR of Harden (39), Steph (36), Kawhi (33), & Jimmy (30) scored 30+ PTS!
It's the FIRST time in NBA history that 4 players scored 30+ in the same game on the last day of the regular season 🤯 pic.twitter.com/81xiQY2QMk
— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2025
The clash was truly intense, with Steph Curry going off in the fourth quarter, scoring 18 of his 36 points, but it wasn’t enough. The visitors showed character, while Kawhi Leonard added 33 points. Jimmy Butler contributed 30 points for the losing side. Harden hit two crucial three-pointers at the beginning of overtime, and from there, the Clippers maintained their lead. Buddy Hield had a shot to tie the game at the end, but he missed.
With the win, the LA Clippers finished 5th with a 50–32 record and will face 4th-placed Denver Nuggets in the first playoff round. This also means the LA Lakers, as the third seed, will take on 6th-placed Minnesota Timberwolves.
Golden State will host Memphis in a battle for the 7th seed, and the loser of that matchup will host the winner between Sacramento and Dallas for the final 8th spot.