Warriors match Bulls on 72, one game away from new record

The Golden State Warriors have equalled the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ record for most NBA wins in a season and they’ve got their sights firmly set on beating it.

Sunday’s 92-86 victory at San Antonio Spurs gives the Warriors their shot at history on Wednesday at home to Memphis Grizzlies.

Star man Steph Curry led the way once again with 37 points as Warriors ended a 33-game losing streak in San Antonio that dated to 1997.

“Obviously, we’re in the moment, enjoying the ride,” said Curry.

“The goal is to win a championship. That’s the goal. But we put ourselves in a great position to end the season with a win and do something no team has done in history.”

“That’s an amazing accomplishment.”

The win gave Warriors a 34-7 road record while handing Spurs their first home defeat in 13 months.

Warriors guard Klay Thompson said: “It’s definitely sweet because we broke the streak. That’s all the media would talk about for the last few years. It’s tough to win here. It definitely was huge for us.”

The Warriors are also the first team in NBA history to go a full season without losing to the same team more than once or lose back-to-back games.

Despite tying the best-ever season record, the Warriors’ achievement isn’t meeting with the full approval of everyone who played on the Bulls’ team.

Scottie Pippen’s recent declaration that his 1995/96 teammates would sweep the Warriors in a hypothetical series between the teams might appear dismissive, but Draymond Green says it’s not a problem to the joint-record holders.

He also confirmed he’d received some support from former Bulls legend Michael Jordan.

“With Pip coming out and saying what he said, that’s cool – at the end of the day, we respect those guys,” he said.

“Mike told me, at All-Star Weekend, ‘Go win the record. Go get the record. If y’all don’t win this record, I’m ‘a be hot and I’m blaming you.’ We’re almost there. We got one more game or he gonna blame me.”

Warriors’ date with destiny on Wednesday sees them face a Grizzlies team they’ve beaten in seven of their previous eight meetings.

The teams met in Memphis on 9 April, where the Warriors came from 10 behind midway through the fourth quarter to record a 100-99 win.