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Warriors match 1995-96 Bulls record with 72nd win, history in sight - Golden State Warriors Blog- ESPN
SAN ANTONIO -- History was made with the Golden State Warriors beating the San Antonio Spurs 92-86 on Sunday night. The Warriors joined the ranks of Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls, with a chance to surpass them with a historic 73rd win on Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies, while also exorcising what has haunted them in Texas.
Has a game with no playoff implications carried so much weight? Technically, the Warriors and Spurs met on Sunday night to play a game sans meaning. What transpired has as much tangible impact on playoff seeding as an exhibition game.
And yet, there was a desperation to the affair. Even if, as Spurs coach Gregg Popovich declared of his team's undefeated home record, "I don't think they give one damn," the Spurs were searching against the Warriors. They've yet to be able to score consistently in this matchup, which bodes poorly for their playoff chances.
For the Warriors, the motivation was clear and, increasingly, admitted. The majority of the players and most especially Draymond Green want 73 wins. Their coach, Steve Kerr, would be pleased to reach the benchmark, but he has other considerations in managing the team. The choice to chase comes from labor.
While the Spurs searched to end their offensive issues against the Warriors, Golden State had its own issues to work out. Simply put, they don't play well in San Antonio. More recently, Stephen Curry had been slumping by his standards, not quite conjuring the early-season magic. That looked to continue as the Warriors began the game on Sunday, struggling to get clean looks against San Antonio's top-ranked defense. After one quarter, Golden State had garnered a mere 14 points.
While this was another great team defensive effort from Golden State, sometimes Warriors success feels as simple as, "Steph Curry does stuff." When Curry isn't trending transcendent, they're beatable. When he's making the kinds of attempts he goaded in during the second half, they're impossible.
In a matchup where he has been run off the 3-point line so often, Curry has lately managed to find answers on the interior. He closed out the Spurs on an array of absurd floaters from physics-taunting angles as his team hit its stride.
History is replete with people feeling foolish for doubting the Spurs, but the Warriors have made such doubt logical, at the very least. San Antonio likely has to go though Golden State to get a sixth title. So far, they've yet to score. Compounding that issue, they're facing a player who can score from anywhere, at trajectories that shouldn't be feasible.
Has a game with no playoff implications carried so much weight? Technically, the Warriors and Spurs met on Sunday night to play a game sans meaning. What transpired has as much tangible impact on playoff seeding as an exhibition game.
And yet, there was a desperation to the affair. Even if, as Spurs coach Gregg Popovich declared of his team's undefeated home record, "I don't think they give one damn," the Spurs were searching against the Warriors. They've yet to be able to score consistently in this matchup, which bodes poorly for their playoff chances.
For the Warriors, the motivation was clear and, increasingly, admitted. The majority of the players and most especially Draymond Green want 73 wins. Their coach, Steve Kerr, would be pleased to reach the benchmark, but he has other considerations in managing the team. The choice to chase comes from labor.
While the Spurs searched to end their offensive issues against the Warriors, Golden State had its own issues to work out. Simply put, they don't play well in San Antonio. More recently, Stephen Curry had been slumping by his standards, not quite conjuring the early-season magic. That looked to continue as the Warriors began the game on Sunday, struggling to get clean looks against San Antonio's top-ranked defense. After one quarter, Golden State had garnered a mere 14 points.
While this was another great team defensive effort from Golden State, sometimes Warriors success feels as simple as, "Steph Curry does stuff." When Curry isn't trending transcendent, they're beatable. When he's making the kinds of attempts he goaded in during the second half, they're impossible.
In a matchup where he has been run off the 3-point line so often, Curry has lately managed to find answers on the interior. He closed out the Spurs on an array of absurd floaters from physics-taunting angles as his team hit its stride.
History is replete with people feeling foolish for doubting the Spurs, but the Warriors have made such doubt logical, at the very least. San Antonio likely has to go though Golden State to get a sixth title. So far, they've yet to score. Compounding that issue, they're facing a player who can score from anywhere, at trajectories that shouldn't be feasible.
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