Stephen Curry’s final game of the 2025-26 NBA season ended in disappointment as the Golden State Warriors were eliminated from postseason contention by the Phoenix Suns in a 111-96 play-in tournament loss on Friday night.
The Warriors, who entered the game as the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference play-in, fell behind early and never recovered against a Suns team that advanced to face the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.
Curry struggled offensively, finishing with 17 points on 26.6% field goal shooting and 25% from three-point range while playing 36 minutes. Brandin Podziemski led Golden State with 23 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Phoenix’s balanced attack.
The Suns jumped out to a 33-15 lead after the Warriors scored the game’s first two points, capitalizing on Golden State’s 21 turnovers which Phoenix converted into 30 points. Jalen Green paced Phoenix with 36 points, while Devin Booker contributed significantly to the Suns’ early surge.
Kristaps Porzingis, who was questionable with right ankle soreness until an hour before tipoff, played 15 minutes and scored 11 points before retiring for the night. Draymond Green fouled out with just over a minute remaining after picking up his sixth foul, drawing a technical foul during a heated exchange with Booker that led to both players being assessed technicals.
Despite the loss, Curry signaled he is not ready to retire, telling reporters through ESPN’s Anthony Slater that he sees “multiple years remaining in his career” and would “for sure” be interested in a contract extension with the Warriors this summer.
“Steph Curry said he sees multiple years remaining in his career and ‘for sure’ would be interested in an extension with the Warriors this summer,” Slater reported on X/Twitter following the game.
The Warriors committed 21 turnovers overall and surrendered 36 points to Jalen Green alone. Golden State shot poorly from the field as a team, continuing a trend that plagued them throughout a injury-riddled season that saw Jimmy Butler tear his ACL in January and Curry deal with multiple setbacks limiting his availability.
In the other play-in game earlier Friday, the Orlando Magic secured the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot with a dominant 121-90 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
Orlando, entering as the No. 9 seed, defeated Charlotte, the No. 10 seed, to advance to the playoffs where they will face the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. The Magic led wire-to-wire, never allowing Charlotte to gain momentum after building an early advantage.
Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero combined for 45 points for Orlando, while Wendell Carter Jr. Anchored the defense with 12 rebounds and three blocks. Charlotte was led by LaMelo Ball with 22 points, but the Hornets shot just 38% from the field and committed 18 turnovers.
The Magic’s victory marked their return to the postseason after missing the playoffs last season. Orlando will now face the Cavaliers, who finished with the NBA’s best record at 64-18, in a best-of-seven series beginning Sunday.
Phoenix, meanwhile, will travel to Oklahoma City to open their first-round series against the Thunder on Sunday. The Suns earned the Western Conference’s eighth seed by winning Friday’s play-in game, setting up a matchup against the team that won the NBA championship last season.
Golden State’s offseason begins immediately with significant questions ahead. The Warriors must address their aging core, injury concerns, and roster construction after a season that fell far short of expectations despite possessing one of the league’s most talented backcourts when healthy.
Curry’s confirmation that he intends to continue playing provides a stabilizing factor for Golden State’s future planning. At nearly 40 years old, the four-time NBA champion remains motivated to compete, though the Warriors will need to develop strategic moves this summer to reopen their championship window.
The NBA playoffs continue Saturday with additional first-round matchups across both conferences. Fans can follow updates through the league’s official channels as the postseason progresses toward the NBA Finals in June.
What’s next: The Orlando Magic face the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET / 17:00 UTC.
Stay tuned to Archysport for continued coverage of the NBA playoffs and all major sports developments.
