Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr yells out instructions during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics Friday, April 1, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
The Golden State Warriors won 54 straight regular season games home games before they lost two of their last three games to the Boston Celtics and the Minnesota Timberwolves. These two major setbacks have brought the Warriors loss count to nine games this season. This means Golden State will have to win their last four games in order to break the 1996 Chicago Bulls’ 72-10 regular season record.
Four straight wins may appear to be an easy task for a team that has a (69-9) record, but in reality, it may be the greatest challenge the ‘Dubs’ have faced all season. Two of the last four games are against the San Antonio Spurs (65-12), the second best team in the league.
Neither fans nor players know what to expect from Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. Who does not care about stats, records, or preventing people from achieving stats or records. Popovich has made a name for himself when it comes to resting starters for crucial games. Hell, he has even been fined for it. However these last two games against the Warriors may be different.
If the Spurs defeat the Warriors both times and somehow the Grizzlies steal one game from the Warriors, Golden State would finish with a 70-12 record. If the Spurs then finish their regular season 5-0, San Antonio would also finish with a 70-12 record, while having a 3-1 head to head advantage over Golden State. San Antonio still has a chance to walk away with the number one overall seed.
“I think we’ll play,” San Antonio point guard Tony Parker said to Ananth Pandian of CBSSports. “Utah, I thought he was going to rest everybody. But we played Utah, so I don’t see any reason we’re not playing Golden State.”
If San Antonio plays all of its starters, buckle your seatbelts. Golden State will be battling not only for the number one overall seed, but the right to potentially be the greatest team of all time. Fans should not take what Draymond Green said Tuesday night to heart.
Draymond Green told ESPN’s Ethan Sherwood: “Talking 82 games, we get bored with that after a while. And that’s no excuse, just, I’m always give it to y’all real and that’s about as real as I can be. It’s kind of at a point now where you’re ready for the regular season to be over.”
The Warriors are nervous. They know 73 wins will be tough to achieve. However, they should not be so afraid of failure that they have to downplay its significance. Draymond is not fooling anyone.
In all senses of the phrase, San Antonio vs. Golden State, will be a battle for the ages.