All the odds were stacked against the Golden State Warriors last night. They’d somehow managed to lock their tenth seed to just be eligible for the play-in tournament. But with three key players on minutes restrictions, this eliminator game wasn’t going to be easy. And the tension was palpable on the bench while it also reflected on the scoreboard from the very first minute. In fact, the Dubs trailed for a major part of the game. At one point, they were down by 13. Stephen Curry was expected to be the architect of the win, and in case you thought so too, there emerged another silver lining.
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Al Horford had one of his best nights as a Warrior, and that was only possible with sheer willpower and a barrage of clean shots. His contribution may not seem the biggest numerically, but it all came in at the right time. Head coach Kerr decided that Horford would be on a minute restriction before tip-off. And before the final quarter began, the 39-year-old only had 2 points and 2 rebounds with a -21 rating. That’s exactly why he became the improbable hero, as he connected four perfect three-pointers in the final frame with 5:37 left. His late-game hot streak was part of a game-winning, 27-13 Golden State run.
It also included a go-ahead three (117-115) with less than 2:12 left, which gave Dub Nation its first lead since 8:11 in the second quarter. He finished with 14 points, but those clutch shots from beyond the arc made all the difference. After that, Golden State never trailed as Stephen Curry put the exclamation with a deep 3-pointer with 50.4 seconds remaining. While many celebrated Curry’s brilliance and his game-high 35 points, the Chef himself tipped his hat to Al Horford.
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“Al Horford. That man’s been hurt, in and out of the lineup all year, but when it’s winning time, that’s what champions do,” Curry said. A strained right calf injury had sidelined the veteran for 13 consecutive games from mid-March to early April 2026. In fact, before the season began, the 39-year-old had contemplated retirement. But he later signed a one-year deal in October 2025 (with a player option), with the Dubs seeing value in him providing floor spacing, elite defense, and high-IQ play. It was all on display against the Clippers, as the Warriors were the underdogs, however bizzare that sounds.
“You can’t teach that championship grip,” Curry said in his post-game chat with the Prime crew. “He’s (Horford) won everywhere he’s been. Two chips in college, got one in Boston. We’re fighting toe to toe in the ’22 finals, and he won game one by himself, doing exactly what he did tonight. So, it was kind of cool seeing it on our side. And to your point, there was a moment when he knew he wasn’t shooting the ball well. For him to take those shots with confidence, that means he’s put the work in. That means he has belief in himself. The fact that it went in is just a testament of him being ready. I don’t know what kind of positive self-talk he had going on in his head, but it definitely worked out.” This wasn’t the only praise Horford recieved after the game.
Curry was talking about Horford’s 26-point exploit as the then-Celtics star nailed six of eight 3-pointers in a Game 1 win over the Warriors. And this time, the 19-year NBA veteran drilled those shots when Curry and the Warriors needed them the most. Kerr, in fact, had the utmost praise for Horford and praised him for doing “one of the most difficult things to do in sports.”
AL HORFORD FOR THE LEAD 🔥
HIS 4th THREE OF THE QUARTER!
WARRIORS UP 2 WITH UNDER 2 TO PLAY 🍿 pic.twitter.com/TarSbwl58N
— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2026
“When you’re having a rough night through three quarters, to just flip it and all of a sudden start draining shots and making defensive plays,” Kerr said. After the game, Al admitted that he surprised himself and revealed which teammates actually helped him stay positive.
A Warriors veteran specifically helped Al Horford with his exploits
Battling injury and playoff pressure with his new team, the 39-year-old struggled to get off to a slow start. But even he was surprised as he drilled all four of his efforts from beyond the arc. “I definitely did if I’m being completely honest,” Horford said. “And Coach talked about it in the locker room, we’ve all won a lot of special games, but this game, for us, felt very special. It tested us as a team, and for us to be able to come [out] on top was really good.”
It was possible due to the experience of two Warriors veterans who have seen different stars joining and leaving the Dub Nation. “Steph was in my ear,” Horford said. “Draymond was in my ear the whole time, giving me that confidence and letting me know that I do that, that I’m capable of (that). For me, that was a special moment that I shared with them there, and with our season on the line, it was pretty fitting.”
So, Horford’s clutch delivery might have surprised him, but it didn’t stun Curry and his other teammates. Green also came in clutch with crucial blocks in the final quarter. Kawhi Leonard entered the last stretch with 19 points and he was stuck on that number until the final seconds. He was entirely shutdown by Green, who forced him into two turnovers in the very final minute when the game was still up in the air. So, where do we go from here?
Golden State had won the regular-season series 3-1 against the Suns. In one of their matchups, Horford scored 13 points, four rebounds, and four assists, demonstrating the balanced impact he brings when healthy. This is exactly what will be expected of him when they play Phoenix in another do-or-die game.
Written by
Edited by
Daniel D'Cruz