James Harden and Kawhi Leonard delivered a combined 72-point performance to push the Los Angeles Clippers past the Golden State Warriors 124-119 in overtime Sunday, securing the fifth seed in the Western Conference.
Harden scored 39 points and handed out 10 assists, hitting back-to-back threes in overtime before converting two late free throws and a goaltending call on Jimmy Butler.
Leonard added 33 points on 13-of-20 shooting, including four threes, and made a crucial free throw with 6.1 seconds left after missing the first of two.
Golden State had a chance to force a second overtime, but Buddy Hield missed a contested three on the final possession.
Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 36 points and shot 7-of-12 from beyond the arc, but turned the ball over after being trapped on the next possession following his final three-pointer in OT.
Butler scored 30 and dished out nine assists for Golden State, which now faces a home play-in matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.
Ivica Zubac contributed 22 points and 17 rebounds for the Clippers, who extended their win streak to eight and have now won 18 of their last 21 games.
Los Angeles out-rebounded Golden State 42-25, with nine offensive boards helping create multiple second-chance opportunities.
The Clippers swept the regular-season series 4-0 and have now won seven straight games against the Warriors overall.
Leonard, who had missed all three previous meetings against Golden State this season, also tallied seven assists, six rebounds, and three steals in 47 minutes.
Harden finished 13-of-23 from the field and hit five of his eight attempts from deep while logging nearly 48 and a half minutes.
The teams traded blows in the final minute of regulation, with Leonard missing a potential game-winner as time expired after being defended tightly by Draymond Green.
Norman Powell’s buzzer-beating three gave Los Angeles a two-point edge at halftime, while Curry and Butler helped keep the Warriors close with timely buckets in the second half.
Kris Dunn went a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and hit all three of his three-point attempts, giving the Clippers a lift in the starting lineup.
The win locks in a first-round playoff series for the Clippers against the Denver Nuggets, who secured the No. 4 seed.
Golden State, meanwhile, will need to go through the play-in tournament to reach the first round, beginning with their home clash versus Memphis.
