Golden State (64-7) are a game ahead of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls'
pace in their 72-10 campaign and, after weeks of evasion, Warriors
coach Steve Kerr has declared his team's plan for the final 11 games
of the regular season.
"It's really the players' record. I know they want to get it. So
we'll act accordingly," Kerr said before Golden State won their 51st
consecutive regular-season home game on Wednesday and improved to
33-0 this season at Oracle Arena.
Despite rolling through the season the Warriors have work to do to
hold off the San Antonio Spurs (60-11) and secure the top seed in
the Western Conference and home court advantage through the NBA
Finals should they make it that far.
While there are risks to chasing a record that guarantees nothing
for the playoffs, Kerr called the opportunity "enticing" and said he
has no intention of having the Warriors take their proverbial foot
off the gas pedal.
Golden State are led by reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen
Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green and while Kerr admitted that
some players could use some mental rest he will not get in the way
of their shot at history.
"If the players want to go and they're fine physically, we'll
probably play them," said Kerr who was a reserve player on the
1995-96 Bulls team that went on to win the NBA championship.
"Fortunately right now that goal of going for the one seed goes hand
in hand with the record that everyone wants to talk about so we are
able to just keep trying to win."
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Players on the team are eager to enter the playoffs at the top of
their game with a winning mentality rather than risk getting out of
sync.
Curry, who is averaging a league-high 30.1 points per game this
season, said sitting out and watching games is "boring" and that he
has no plans of taking a break.
"We don't want to limp into the playoffs," said Curry, who has
started all but three of Golden State's games this season. "We want
to continue to establish winning habits and a winning mentality as
you go into the playoffs."
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Steve Keating)
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