NBA: Clippers win to earn No. 5 seed, relegate Warriors to play-in round

James Harden had 12 of his game-high 39 points in overtime Sunday afternoon, delivering the Los Angeles Clippers a 124-119 win over the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco that will send the Clippers directly into the NBA playoffs while relegating the Warriors to the play-in bracket. Kawhi Leonard contributed 33 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals and Ivica Zubac logged a double-double with 22 points and a game-high 17 rebounds, helping the Clippers (50-32) secure the fifth seed in the Western playoffs and an opening-round matchup with the No. 4 Denver Nuggets.

Stephen Curry bombed in 36 points, 21 coming on 3-pointers, for the Warriors (48-34), who dropped to seventh place in the West, where they will face the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies in a play-in game Tuesday night in San Francisco. The winner will advance as the 7-seed to meet the No.



2 Houston Rockets in the playoffs. Harden gave the Clippers the lead for good in the five-minute overtime with a 3-pointer 69 seconds into the session. He later added another 3-pointer, two free throws, a floater in the lane and two more clinching foul shots with 3.

0 seconds left to secure LA's eighth consecutive win. The Warriors had two chances to tie late in the overtime, but Draymond Green missed a layup with 26.1 seconds remaining when Golden State was down just two, and Buddy Hield misfired on a 3-point attempt with 5.

1 seconds left that also could have drawn the hosts even. The extra session followed a tight finish to regulation during which Curry had 18 of his 36 in the final 7:52. But the final shot belonged to Leonard, who was harassed by Warriors defensive ace Green into an off-line 20-footer.

Harden also found time for a game-high 10 assists for the Clippers, who swept the four-game season series from Golden State. Norman Powell aided the cause with 11 points apiece. Jimmy Butler III backed Curry with 30 points and a team-high nine assists for the Warriors, who lost two of their last three, with both defeats coming at home.

Brandin Podziemski had 19 points to go with a team-high seven rebounds, while Green finished with 14 points and two blocks. — Field Level Media/Reuters.