In their 2024-25 regular-season finale, the Golden State Warriors were taken down by the LA Clippers at home in an overtime thriller. With the loss, the Warriors dropped to seventh place in the Western Conference with a 48-34 record, securing their spot in the play-in tournament this week.
In a losing effort, Warriors superstar Steph Curry led the team with 36 points and six assists on 10-20 shooting from the field, 7-12 from three-point range, and 9-9 from the free-throw line. Co-star forward Jimmy Butler dropped 30 points and nine assists on 12-20 shooting, ending his first regular season as a Warrior with a strong performance.
Butler had an incredible game, but was involved in a controversial play down the stretch. With under 20 seconds left in overtime and the Warriors down by two points, Butler should have been called for a defensive three-second violation, but the officials missed the call.
The NBA released its Last Two Minute Report, admitting the officiating mistake.
"Butler III (GSW) is in the paint for longer than three seconds without imminently actively guarding an opponent," the NBA comments.
If the officials correctly called the violation on Butler, it would have resulted in a technical foul, giving the Clippers a free-throw and possession. This would have been even more detrimental for the Warriors, and even though they ultimately lost the game regardless, it would have been a heartbreaker to lose in this fashion.
The Warriors ended up getting the ball back only down by three points, but a missed game-tying three-pointer attempt by Buddy Hield sealed the win for the Clippers.
Now, the Warriors move on to face the Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in tournament on Tuesday.
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