NBA: Clippers turn back Warriors in play-in game preview

The Los Angeles Clippers ended their regular season on a high note, securing a 115-110 win over the Golden State Warriors in what was ultimately a meaningless game for both teams. Despite resting star player Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers were propelled by Bennedict Mathurin's 20-point performance and strong defense to clinch the victory.

The win helped the Clippers (42-40) tie the Portland Trail Blazers for eighth place in the Western Conference, but Portland secured the tie-breaker with a superior conference record after defeating the Sacramento Kings 122-110 in their season finale. As a result, the Clippers settled for ninth place, where they will host the Warriors (37-45) in a crucial play-in game on Wednesday. The loser of this game will be eliminated from playoff contention.

While the Warriors fielded all of their healthy players, except for Draymond Green, to prepare for the play-in tournament, the Clippers found a way to outlast them. The teams were tied at 81 heading into the fourth quarter, but Jordan Miller gave Los Angeles the lead with a buzzer-beating layup to end the third.

The Clippers built on that momentum early in the final period, with Nicolas Batum and Bogdan Bogdanovic hitting three 3-pointers in the first three minutes to push the lead to 96-85. Golden State could not close the gap and the Clippers held on for the win.

In addition to Mathurin's 20 points, John Collins contributed 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Both Mathurin and Collins also led the team with nine rebounds each, with Mathurin adding a game-high eight assists. Bogdanovic, who was exceptional from beyond the arc, finished with 17 points, hitting five of eight 3-pointers. Darius Garland added 15 points, Miller finished with 14, and Kobe Sanders chipped in 11.

Golden State, who has struggled in recent weeks, saw Stephen Curry lead the way with a game-high 24 points. The star guard connected on four of his nine 3-point attempts and played 29 minutes in his third game back after a 27-game absence due to a knee injury. However, the Warriors’ long-range shooting was off, as they shot just 11 of 39 (28.2%) from beyond the arc.

Charles Bassey added 16 points for the Warriors, while Kristaps Porzingis finished with 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Brandin Podziemski also contributed 10 points for Golden State, who closed out the regular season with a disappointing seven losses in their last eight games.

The Clippers will now focus on their play-in matchup against Golden State, with their playoff hopes on the line.

— Field Level Media/Reuters