Ben Taylor exits injured during Warriors-Clippers game, replaced by alternate referee

An unusual moment took place during the play-in game between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers, as referee Ben Taylor was forced to leave the court because of an injury. The NBA official exited the floor with 8:51 left in the third quarter, walking stiffly toward the tunnel at Intuit Dome.

After a short delay, Taylor was replaced by alternate referee Sean Corbin. The NBA assigns a fourth alternate official to every postseason game precisely to deal with situations like this.

Taylor is in his 11th NBA season as a referee, while Corbin is in his 31st year on the job. At the time of the change, the Los Angeles Clippers were leading the Golden State Warriors 61-53 in the elimination game.

Referee Ben Taylor pulled a hammy and had to leave the game…

They brought out a ref from the stands to replace him 🙏 pic.twitter.com/f8wYWZnLjD

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 16, 2026