Warriors embrace chase of wins record

If anyone still doubted whether the Golden State WarriorsTroy Brouwer Jersey were truly going to push for a record 73 wins instead of saving energy for the playoffs, that thought should now be put to rest for good.

Playing on the back end of a back-to-back on the road against a hungry team fighting for the playoffs, Stephen Curry played his most minutes since before Christmas, Draymond Green crashed hard to the floor in overtime and the Warriors (68-7) conceded nothing in a 103-96 win at Utah on Wednesday night that left them five wins away from breaking Chicago's record of 72 wins with seven games left to play.

''It is something we wanthttp://www.officialbluesteamshop.com/Womens_Youth_Vince_Dunn_Jersey to do,'' Green said. ''We've spoken on this. It is no secret.''

After spending much of the season deflecting talk of breaking the mark set by the Bulls in 1995-96, the Warriors are now embracing it.

Never was that more apparent than in Utah, when Curry played more than 42 minutes for his most playing http://www.officialbluesteamshop.com/Womens_Youth_Vladimir_Tarasenko_Jerseytime since a double-overtime win in Boston on Dec. 11, Green played nearly 43 minutes and Klay Thompson played nearly 39. The combined 124 minutes for Golden State's three biggest stars were their most in any game this season.

Coach Steve Kerr, a member on the Bulls team that set the record, was a latecomer to the cause. After stressing the importance of rest for much of the season, he recently changed his tune and said if the players wanted the record, he'd play them as long as they were healthy.

''Our team wants it,'' Kerr said. ''They've made itConnor McDavid Jersey pretty clear, so what we're doing is listening to them and trusting them that if they're injured, they're going to let us know. And if that's the case, we'll give them a rest. And if they feel like they're perfectly capable of getting out there and playing and that's what they want to do, then that's what we'll do.''

What once was a hypothetical question about whether the record was in reach has become reality in recent weeks as the players have sensed how close 73 wins really are.

''We realize we can make history and that helps because it keeps you focused every game,'' Thompson said. http://www.officialoilersteamshop.com/Womens_Youth_Grant_Fuhr_Jersey''You don't want to lose and get this far and not go for it. We have a young youthful team and a great mix of vets that know how to pace themselves. We put a lot on the young guys' shoulders and go out there and perform every night and that's great. We are 26 and younger so we can do it right now and give our vets a rest.''

For much of the season, the Warriors were fighting for their top regular-season goal of earning home-court advantage in the playoffs more than a record. With San Antonio nipping close behind, the Warriors could afford few slipups to remain the top seed.

But with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich resting many of his key players of late, the Warriors have a five-game lead with seven games to play, all but assuring them of home-court advantage. Kerr has not given his top players the same type of time off that his former coach Popovich has done with the Spurs.