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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Green, Suns lock down Curry-led Warriors to secure 8th seed in NBA playoffs

Green, Suns lock down Curry-led Warriors to secure 8th seed in NBA playoffs

Published Apr 18, 2026 02:18 pm

At A Glance

  • PHOENIX (AP) — Jalen Green scored 36 points, Devin Booker added 20 and the Phoenix Suns locked down Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, winning 111-96 in the NBA's play-in tournament Friday night, April 17.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives towards the basket as Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) defends during the second half of their NBA play-in tournament game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., Friday, April 17, 2026. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives towards the basket as Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) defends during the second half of their NBA play-in tournament game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., Friday, April 17, 2026. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
PHOENIX (AP) — Jalen Green scored 36 points, Devin Booker added 20 and the Phoenix Suns locked down Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, winning 111-96 in the NBA's play-in tournament Friday night, April 17.
The Suns took the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and will face the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday in Game 1. The Warriors' season is over.
Green shot 14 of 20 from the field, including 8 of 14 on 3-pointers. Jordan Goodwin scored 19 points, had nine rebounds and was a menace on defense with six steals.
Booker and Golden State's Draymond Green were both assessed two technical fouls late in the fourth quarter after exchanging words multiple times and were ejected.
The 38-year-old Curry couldn't get many clean looks and finished with 17 points on 4-of-16 shooting. Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 23 points.
Phoenix led by five at the break and built a 69-53 advantage with 5:12 left in third after a fast-break layup by Royce O'Neale. It was 85-72 with 10:12 remaining.
There was reason to believe the lead wasn't safe. Phoenix blew an 11-point, fourth-quarter lead in a loss to Portland on Tuesday night, while Golden State clawed back from a 13-point fourth-quarter hole to beat the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, which led to the winner-take-all matchup Friday.
The Warriors looked as if they might have another comeback brewing — Curry hit a 3-pointer that cut the margin to 85-78 with 9:30 left — but the Suns responded with the next seven points.
The Suns avoided becoming the first team to lose both play-in tournament games on their home floor. The current format was established in 2021.
Golden State's Kristaps Porzingis played through right ankle soreness, the result of an injury Wednesday against the Clippers. The 7-foot-3 center played just 15 minutes and finished with 11 points.
The Suns built an early 13-2 lead after the Warriors turned the ball over four times. Phoenix pushed the advantage to 33-15 through one quarter after Golden State shot just 30%, including 1 of 9 from 3-point range. But the Warriors recovered, cutting it to 50-45 by halftime.
Meanwhile, Paolo Banchero scored 25 points and the Orlando Magic rolled to a 35-point first-half lead, taking full control on the way to a 121-90 rout of Charlotte Hornets in a play-in tournament elimination game.
The Magic earned the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Their reward is a matchup with top-seeded Detroit, a best-of-seven that begins Sunday on the Pistons' home floor.
The Magic were physical from the outset, and the Hornets were never in the game. Franz Wagner had 18 points for the Magic, along with seven rebounds and six assists.
Wendell Carter Jr. finished with 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting, while Desmond Bane scored 13 and Jalen Suggs added 12 for the Magic.
Orlando led by 31 at halftime, the biggest midpoint lead in the play-in tournament’s seven-year history. It has been utilized in this format — four teams qualifying from each conference, playing to decide the final two playoff spots on each half of the bracket — since 2021.
LaMelo Ball — who the NBA said should have been ejected from Tuesday’s season-extending win over Miami for an uncalled flagrant foul against Bam Adebayo -- led the Hornets with 23 points, 21 of them coming in the third quarter.

Related Tags

Phoenix Suns Orlando Magic Golden State Warriors Steph Curry Steve Kerr Draymond Green NBA Playoffs
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