Phoenix Suns ended Golden State Warriors’ season and Orlando Magic thrashed Charlotte Hornets as the NBA playoffs’ final teams were decided Friday.

Jalen Green put in a dazzling performance with 36 points, including eight triples, to secure the Western Conference No. 8 seed for Phoenix with a 111-96 win over Stephen Curry’s Warriors.

The Suns got off to a bright start with a 33-15 lead in the first quarter, before the Warriors cut the deficit to five points at half-time.

But the Suns still managed to keep the wasteful Warriors at arms’ length, successfully limiting veteran superstar Curry to just 17 points.

With barely a minute left, Jordan Goodwin intercepted a pass intended for Curry, and scored a transition bucket, before adding a three on the Suns’ next possession to secure the win.

Victory set up a first-round playoff clash for the Suns against Oklahoma City Thunder, the defending NBA champion.

“Happy as hell. We came out fire, we knew this was a do-or-die game,” said Green, who added six rebounds and four assists.

For the injury-plagued and ageing Warriors, who won the NBA title in 2022, it was a disappointing end to a third consecutive season in the play-in tournament, crashing out before the playoffs as they did in 2024.

In fiery late scenes, two Warriors players — Draymond Green and Devin Booker — were ejected from the court, with Green continuing to taunt the home Suns’ fans as he departed.

Magic outmuscle Hornets

The Magic beat the Hornets 121-90 to keep their season alive and set up a daunting first-round playoff series against the Eastern Conference top-seeded Detroit Pistons.

Paolo Banchero top-scored with 25 points in the Magic’s last chance to qualify for the post-season via the play-in tournament, having failed at their first attempt against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.

A physical, tough Magic outfit outmuscled the youthful Hornets from the tip-off of the win-or-go-home game in front of a sell-out 19,000 home crowd at the Magic’s Kia Canter.

Banchero bulldozed Hornets’ defence, scoring 12 in the first quarter alone.

Having never trailed by more than a single point, the Magic soon stretched comfortably clear, establishing a giant 35-point lead shortly before half-time.

Recovering from a sluggish start, LaMelo Bell — the hero of the Hornets’ first play-in game against Miami on Tuesday —exploded after the break.

He poured in 21 points in the third quarter alone as he tried to single-handedly extend the Hornets’ season.

But the Magic’s lead never dipped below 20 points, as they eased to a win against a the Hornets who had finished the regular season in strong form.

Victory ensured the Magic have reached the playoffs for the third straight season, while the Hornets’ decade-long wait goes on.

The NBA playoffs begin Saturday.

Published on Apr 18, 2026