NBA Referee Injured, Replaced During Warriors-Clippers Play-In Game

Veteran official Ben Taylor left the court with an injury, prompting the league's alternate referee to take over.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 4:36am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented basketball game, with overlapping planes of navy, red, and yellow conveying the disruption and adaptability required when a referee is injured.An alternate referee steps in to officiate a high-stakes NBA playoff game after an injury to the veteran official, highlighting the league's contingency planning.Inglewood Today

Referee Ben Taylor was forced to leave the NBA play-in tournament game between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night due to an injury. Taylor walked stiffly off the court and was replaced by alternate referee Sean Corbin after a brief delay.

Why it matters

Referee injuries during high-stakes playoff games are uncommon but can significantly impact the flow and officiating of the game. The NBA has an alternate referee on hand for such situations to ensure the game can continue without major disruption.

The details

Taylor, an 11-year NBA veteran referee, left the game with 8:51 remaining in the third quarter. Corbin, a 31-year NBA officiating veteran, took over for the remainder of the contest. The ninth-seeded Clippers were leading the 10th-seeded Warriors 61-53 at halftime of the elimination game.

  • The incident occurred with 8:51 left in the third quarter on Wednesday, April 16, 2026.

The players

Ben Taylor

An 11-year veteran NBA referee who was forced to leave the game due to an injury.

Sean Corbin

A 31-year NBA officiating veteran who replaced Taylor as the alternate referee.

Golden State Warriors

The 10th-seeded team playing in the NBA play-in tournament game.

Los Angeles Clippers

The ninth-seeded team playing in the NBA play-in tournament game, leading at halftime.

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The takeaway

The NBA's policy of having an alternate referee available proved crucial in this situation, allowing the game to continue without major disruption after the veteran official Ben Taylor was forced to leave due to injury.