SAN FRANCISCO — Step by step, the Clippers have inched toward their goal of making the NBA playoffs.
The final step came Sunday and it was against the Golden State Warriors, who were also seeking an automatic postseason spot in the final regular-season game for both.
The teams went toe-to-toe all game, so much so they battled into an extra five minutes of overtime to determine their fates, the outcome finally decided by James Harden’s clutch play and two blown opportunities by the Warriors that allowed the Clippers to escape with a 124-119 win at Chase Center.
The Clippers advance to the playoffs as the No. 5 seed and will face the Nuggets in Denver this weekend.
“On nights like this, this is really when it means something,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “Like I said, you make it to the playoffs, all the hard work you put in throughout the course of the season, it’s huge when it comes down to this point. I’m just proud of our guys, being counted out and staying the course and playing with that chip on your shoulder all year long.”
But it wasn’t until Buddy Hield missed a three-pointer with the Clippers ahead by three with 5.1 seconds left in overtime did the Clippers clinch a playoff spot for the 12th time in the last 14 seasons.
Harden finished with 39 points (12 in overtime), 10 assists and seven rebounds, and a long embrace from Stephen Curry, who had 36 points for the Warriors.
Kawhi Leonard made one of two free throws with 6.1 seconds left that let the Clippers ahead by just three, but he still had 33 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
Curry turned up the heat on the Clippers late in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 straight points to put the Warriors up 111-107 with 1 minute, 55 seconds left. But the Clippers held strong, scoring twice and then getting Curry to turn the ball over with 32 seconds left.
But the Clippers couldn’t close out the game in the fourth after Leonard missed a shot while being closely guarded by Draymond Green, sending the game into overtime tied at 111.
Ivica Zubac had 22 points and 17 rebounds and he kept making history as a Clipper, his 1,010 rebounds on the season making him the fifth player in franchise history to reach that milestone.
He secured his 59th double-double of the season, tied for the second-most in the NBA and tied for the fifth-most in a season in franchise history.
The Clippers started strong in the first quarter, making their first four shots, opening a 22-17 lead in the process.
But they didn’t finish the quarter strong, turning the ball over, missing shots, giving up a 16-3 run to fall down by eight entering the second quarter.
But these Clippers don’t quit and they didn’t in the second quarter, playing it out until the buzzer sounded.
After Curry drilled a three-pointer late in the second, Norman Powell drilled a 36-foot three-pointer as the buzzer sounded to give the Clippers a two-point lead at the half.
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