Warriors 108, Lakers 105
Klay Thompson led the way with 26 points and Stephen Curry added 19 and nine assists as Golden State held off visiting Los Angeles.
Draymond Green collected 16 points, eight rebounds and five steals as the Warriors improved to 30-2 at home. Harrison Barnes scored 11 points for Golden State, which officially clinched a playoff spot earlier in the night when the Oklahoma City Thunder lost.
Jordan Clarkson and Wayne Ellington scored 17 points apiece to lead the Lakers, who lost their last two games to conference-leading Atlanta and Golden State by a total of eight points. Wesley Johnson scored 16 points, Jordan Hill recorded 15 points and 12 rebounds and Jeremy Lin had 15 points off the bench as Los Angeles fell for the eighth time in nine games.
Hill’s hook shot in the lane knotted it at 95 with 4:41 left before Thompson buried a 3-pointer and Andre Iguodala dunked in transition off a behind-the-back feed from Curry. The lead reached 104-97 on Andrew Bogut’s tip with 1:57 left before Clarkson’s free throws cut it to a one-point game with 6.3 seconds left, but Curry countered with four free throws in the final five seconds to put it away.
Curry was held to two points in the first half and the Warriors settled for a 58-54 lead at the break despite forcing 14 first-half turnovers by the Lakers. Los Angeles was within 75-74 before Curry found his shooting stroke and buried back-to-back 3-pointers, including a four-point play, to make it an eight-point cushion before his free throws gave Golden State an 82-78 lead beginning the fourth.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Thompson knocked down three 3-pointers to bring his season total to 199. … Warriors coach Steve Kerr became the first coach to lead the franchise to the playoffs in his first full season since Alvin Attles in 1970-71. … The Lakers went 8-of-15 from 3-point range while Golden State struggled to 7-of-27.