After winning the NBA championship last season, the Golden State Warriors still had some detractors that said they were fortunate to have played teams with injured stars during the playoffs. After becoming the fastest team in NBA history to 50 wins, it is impossible to deny just how great the team is. Golden State’s success has not only been good for the NBA; it has been great for people who do a lot of online betting because the Warriors have been the second best team against the spread this season.
On Monday night, Steph Curry scored 36 points to lead the Warriors past a scrappy Atlanta Hawks team and helped his team move a game ahead of the pace set by the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls who own the record for most wins in the regular season after finishing the 1995-1996 season with a 72-10 record.
When asked about the possibility of the Warriors breaking the regular season wins record, Klay Thompson, the other half of the “Splash Brothers,” said it was humbling and surreal to be mentioned in the same breath as the 1995-1996 Bulls team.
The Warriors, who are currently 50-5, jumped out to a big lead against the Hawks and were up by 23 points in the third quarter before the Hawks rallied and took the lead in the fourth quarter. After blowing the lead, the Warriors were able to tie up the game and take the lead for good thanks to some timely buckets from Thompson and Curry, and improved defense by the team.
After the game, Curry was also asked about what it meant to be chasing the Bulls. He answered the question by saying the Warriors were trying to stay in the moment and not get too far ahead of themselves. He also stressed that the team’s ultimate goal was to win another NBA championship in June.
After suffering their worst defeat of the season at the hands of the Portland Trailblazers on Friday, the Warriors bounced back with solid victories against the Los Angeles Clippers and Atlanta Hawks, who had the best record in the Eastern Conference last season.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said his team seems to respond well after a loss because the players are very competitive and get angry when they lose, motivating them to do better against their next opponents.
Kerr said he considers the way his players respond to defeat as a very good thing because he doesn’t have to find a way to motivate them.
Golden State still has three games left on its longest road trip of the year; they will play the Miami Heat on Wednesday, Orlando Magic on Thursday, and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.
If the Warriors go undefeated in their next three road games, they will play 17 of their final 24 games at the Oracle Arena, where they haven’t lost all year.
Despite the favorable schedule, the Warriors still have to play two games at San Antonio, where the Spurs are also undefeated.
According to Kerr and Curry, the Warriors aren’t looking too far ahead. Kerr also said that the team doesn’t talk about breaking Chicago’s record in the locker room.
Hall of Famer and former Atlanta Hawk Dikembe Mutombo was in attendance and was asked to compare the 1995-1996 Bulls to the Warriors. Mutombo told reporters that it was difficult to compare both teams because they played in different eras. Mutombo admitted that the Warriors are fun to watch and added that he was proud of them and what they have accomplished.
Featured image via Engadget
