NBA Play-In Tournament: Warriors and 76ers Advance
- The Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers secured victories on April 15, 2026, during the second night of the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament.
- The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Orlando Magic 109-97 on April 15, 2026, to claim the No.
- Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 31 points, including 11 points in the fourth quarter.
The Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers secured victories on April 15, 2026, during the second night of the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament. The 76ers earned the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference, while the Warriors kept their postseason hopes alive by defeating the Los Angeles Clippers.
Philadelphia 76ers Secure Seventh Seed
The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Orlando Magic 109-97 on April 15, 2026, to claim the No. 7 spot in the conference bracket. With this victory, the 76ers have advanced to a first-round playoff series against the second-seeded Boston Celtics, scheduled to begin on April 19, 2026.
Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 31 points, including 11 points in the fourth quarter. Rookie VJ Edgecombe contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Kelly Oubre Jr. Also scored 19 points. The team achieved this result despite the absence of Joel Embiid, who underwent emergency surgery following a diagnosis of appendicitis.
For the Orlando Magic, Desmond Bane was the primary offensive producer, scoring 34 points on 10-of-16 shooting. Following the loss, the Magic are scheduled to face the Charlotte Hornets on April 17, 2026, to compete for the No. 8 seed in the East. The Hornets previously advanced after defeating the Miami Heat 127-126 in overtime on April 14, 2026.
Warriors Rally to Eliminate Clippers
The Golden State Warriors defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121 on April 15, 2026, in a comeback victory that ended the Clippers’ season. The Warriors trailed for much of the contest and were down by as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter before a late surge secured the win.
Stephen Curry scored 35 points on 12-of-23 shooting, with 27 of those points coming in the second half and 10 in the fourth quarter. Curry’s performance included a stepback three-pointer with 50.4 seconds remaining that gave the Warriors a 120-117 lead. This appearance follows a period where Curry missed nearly all of Golden State’s games since February 2026 due to a knee injury.
Supporting Curry’s effort were Kristaps Porziņģis and Gui Santos, who both scored 20 points, and Al Horford, who added 14 points. On the defensive end, Draymond Green recorded 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists, while providing critical defense against Kawhi Leonard in the closing minutes.
The Clippers were led by Bennedict Mathurin with 23 points, followed by Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland with 21 points each. Garland fouled out of the game with 46 seconds remaining.
Stephen Curry
I’m thankful that we had an opportunity to come out and win one game. Now, we have to win one more.
Remaining Play-In Schedule and Bracket Implications
The Warriors will face the Phoenix Suns on April 17, 2026, to determine the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. The Suns advanced to this game after a 114-110 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on April 14, 2026.
The upcoming schedule for the remainder of the Play-In Tournament and the start of the first round includes:
- April 17, 2026: Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns (West No. 8 seed)
- April 17, 2026: Orlando Magic vs. Charlotte Hornets (East No. 8 seed)
- April 19, 2026: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics (First Round)
- April 19, 2026: Portland Trail Blazers vs. San Antonio Spurs (First Round)