Ruined by Clippers, James Vs Curry's Ideal Scenario

SAN FRANCISCO, MONDAY - The Golden State Warriors lost their chance to qualify directly for the playoffs after being defeated by the Los Angeles Clippers at home. The scenario of a meeting between two megastars, Warriors guard Stephen Curry and LA Lakers forward LeBron James, was also postponed.

The Warriors lost 119-124 in the final playoff match for the Western Conference at Chase Center Stadium on Monday (4/14/2025) morning WIB. As a result, Curry and his teammates dropped to seventh place (48 wins-34 losses) and had to struggle through the play-in path.

The Clippers managed to finish in fifth place (50-32) and qualified directly for the playoffs. They are already waiting for the fourth-placed Denver Nuggets in the first round. If they win, the Warriors can finish in sixth place and face the third-placed Lakers.

"That was a big game. They are one of the best teams, and so are we. The stars truly shone as stars. A high-level game was displayed. We failed to execute well at the end, but it was not due to a lack of effort," said Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr.

The Clippers were well-deserving of their playoff ticket. Their star duo, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, put on a great performance in a very tight match. Both teams chased each other, until the match had to be decided through five minutes of extra time.

Harden led the team with 39 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds. Leonard followed with 33 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds. Harden was the visiting team's hero in overtime. He scored 12 points, stole the ball from Curry and blocked guard Brandin Podziemski.

"We know the (stadium) environment will not be friendly. Our goal in coming here is to win. Therefore, I will do whatever is necessary, whether it's scoring points or managing the game. We are a good team, and we want to show that to the world," said Harden.

The distinguishing figure was absent in the Warriors, who only scored eight points during the overtime period. Curry contributed 18 points in the fourth quarter, out of a total of 36 points. However, he did not make much of an impact in the final five minutes due to being heavily guarded. The same was true for Jimmy Butler (30 points and 9 assists).

The Clippers' winning momentum came with 26.1 seconds left, when they led 121-119. The Warriors had a chance to tie the game through forward Draymond Green, but his layup missed. The hosts struggled to catch up after that as time ran out.

Meanwhile, the Warriors' momentum was lost late in the fourth quarter. They had a four-point lead with 1:18 left on a Curry three-pointer. However, that lead was quickly eroded by two consecutive turnovers from Podziemski and Curry.

Kerr said the defeat occurred because they lost in the rebounding department (25-42). Clippers center Ivica Zubac was very dominant under the basket with a record of 17 rebounds. "That's the only thing that bothers me," said the coach with four championship rings with the Warriors.

The Warriors could have had an easier path to the playoffs. However, Kerr's team has made a mess of themselves. They have lost three of their last five games, including to a team that is already out of the competition this season, the San Antonio Spurs.

Curry and James' meeting could still happen, only the path will be more complicated. The Warriors will face the Memphis Grizzlies first in the play-in on Wednesday for seventh place. If they win, the Warriors will face the second-place Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs.

The Warriors and Lakers will face off in the regional semifinals if they advance from the first round. Another scenario is that they could meet in the regional finals. The requirement is that the Warriors lose to the Grizzlies and win all the remaining rounds. Starting from the last play-in (versus the 9th or 10th seed), the first round (versus the Oklahoma City Thunder), and the semifinals.

The next edition of the Curry versus James duel is highly anticipated as it is always "lively" when they meet. The rivalry between these two NBA icons began during their four consecutive appearances in the finals from 2015 to 2018. Curry was with the Warriors, while James represented the Cleveland Cavaliers.

After James migrated to the Western Conference, with the Lakers, they faced each other once in the 2023 playoffs. James won the semifinals. Curry still has the upper hand in playoff wins, with a 3-2 advantage.

The complexity of the relationship between Curry and James is also eagerly anticipated. In addition to being rivals, they are also friends. Together, they won the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics for the United States last summer. As for Curry (37) and James (40), they are already at retirement age, making it likely that meeting again in the future will be difficult. (AP)