Warriors 103, Jazz 96 (OT)
SALT LAKE CITY -- Stephen Curry scored 31 points and the Golden State Warriors overcame a double-digit, second-half deficit for a 103-96 overtime victory over the Utah Jazz.
Klay Thompson forced overtime with a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left in regulation. He scored 18 points as the Warriors (68-7) inched closer to the all-time-record win total of 72.
Golden State won its sixth consecutive game -- and second in as many nights. They set a single-season franchise record for victories, topping the 67 they won last year en route to the NBA championship.
The Warriors need five wins in their final seven games to surpass the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, who went 72-10, for the most victories in a single season.
Gordon Hayward scored 21 points and Rodney Hood added 20 points for the Jazz, who had won eight of 10 games.
Utah (37-38) is now tied with the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks in the battle for the last two Western Conference playoff berths.
This was a disappointing result for the Jazz, especially considering they had a three-point lead with 24 seconds left.
Even more frustrating for Utah, though, was its performance from the free-throw line. The Jazz only made 13 of 29 free throws, a measly 44.8 percent, to blow a golden opportunity to put the Warriors away before crunch time.
Hayward shot 7-for-20 from the field and only made four of eight foul shots. Rudy Gobert, who had 11 points and 18 rebounds, and Derrick Favors, who finished with 15 points and seven rebounds, both went 1-for-4 from the line for Utah.
Hayward gave the Jazz an early lead in overtime, but Utah's offense wilted under the pressure after that.
Curry scored six straight points and Draymond Green (13 points) put the exclamation mark on the Warriors' win with a strong slam dunk for a 101-93 lead.
Shelvin Mack gave the Jazz a three-point lead after splitting a pair of free throws with 24.3 seconds remaining in regulation.
After a timeout, Thompson missed an open 3-pointer, but Shaun Livingston snatched the offensive rebound and fed it back to Thompson. He didn't miss his second chance, tying the game with 15 seconds remaining.
The Jazz's final possession of regulation was awful, with Mack getting a hurried shot blocked and then Hayward missing a desperation heave at the buzzer.
The Warriors, who trailed by 10 in the second half, knotted the score up at 85 after using the hack-a strategy to send Gobert to the free-throw line. The Jazz center missed both foul shots, and Green followed with an easy bucket.
Utah played most of the game without Favors. He sustained an ankle injury in the first half and then left for good with right knee soreness after being fouled hard by Andrew Bogut in the third quarter.
The Warriors took an early double-digit lead after a Leandro Barbosa bucket put them ahead 31-21 early in the second quarter.
Utah chipped away and momentarily overtook Golden State after a Hood 3-pointer. Harrison Barnes (15 points, 11 rebounds) responded with a 3-pointer, giving the Warriors a 42-40 halftime lead.
NOTES: Four fans received minor injuries when a safety rail collapsed as spectators tried to get autographs from reigning MVP Steph Curry after his pregame warmup session at Vivint Arena. Three of the fans were treated and released on the spot, while another visited an arena First Aid station but did not require medical assistance. Three of the fans received autographed items from Curry, including a shoe, a jersey and a basketball. ... Warriors coach Steve Kerr on his team's chances of breaking his 1996 Chicago Bulls' record of 72 wins in a season: "I've said many times over the years that I didn't think that record would be broken, and it still may not be. We have a tough finish still to go in the last games. To be part of both situations is unreal." ... The Warriors finish the season with home games against Boston, Portland, Minnesota, San Antonio and Memphis along with road games at Memphis and San Antonio.