Are Golden State Warriors eliminated from 2025 NBA playoffs? Looking at aftermath of OT meltdown against Clippers

In the season's final game on Sunday, the Golden State Warriors surrendered a 12-point lead and lost 124-119 in overtime to the LA Clippers. However, the loss did not eliminate the Warriors from postseason contention, as Steph Curry and Co. can still secure a playoff berth through the play-in tournament.

The Warriors' seeding was also affected by the results of other games. Heading into Sunday, the Western Conference’s No. 4 through No. 8 seeds were still up for grabs. The Denver Nuggets’ 126-111 victory over Houston secured them the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.

With the Warriors' loss, the Clippers locked in the No. 5 seed and a first-round matchup with Denver. Had Golden State won, they would have earned the No. 6 seed and a showdown with the L.A. Lakers. Instead, the Minnesota Timberwolves claimed the sixth seed with a 116-105 win over the Utah Jazz.

Without an outright playoff berth, the Warriors must now navigate the play-in tournament. They will have two chances to advance. On Tuesday, they will host the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies. The winner will get the No. 7 seed and open the 2024–25 playoffs against the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets.

If the Warriors lose Tuesday, they will host the winner of the other play-in game between the No. 9 Sacramento Kings and the No. 10 Dallas Mavericks on Friday. That game will determine the No. 8 seed and a first-round matchup with the top-seeded OKC Thunder.

How did the Golden State Warriors fare against the Memphis Grizzlies this season?

The Golden State Warriors won this season's regular-season series against the Memphis Grizzlies 3-1. However, Memphis dominated Golden State 144-93 in their lone win on Dec. 19. It was the season's largest margin of victory at that time as the Grizzlies set a franchise record for 3-pointers made (27).

In their most recent game against the Grizzlies on April 1, the Warriors won 134-125 on the road behind Steph Curry's 52-point explosion. He shot 16-for-31 and hit 12 of his 20 on attempts from deep. The other Golden State wins were in San Francisco: a 123-118 win on Nov. 15 and a 121-113 win on Jan. 5.

The two teams also met in the 2021 play-in tournament when the Grizzlies ended the Warriors’ season. Golden State got its revenge in the 2022 playoffs, defeating Memphis 4-2 in the Western Conference semifinals en route to an NBA title.

Golden State vs. Memphis has consistently delivered thrilling matchups, and Tuesday's play-in showdown promises to be no different.