Warriors at Grizzlies
The Golden State Warriors are the second team in NBA history to record
70 wins in a season and need to post three more to set the all-time
victories mark. Golden State attempts to move closer to the 72-win
record held by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls when it visits the slumping
Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.
The Warriors play two of their final three games against the Grizzlies with a trip to San Antonio in between the two contests. Golden State picked up win No. 70 by registering a 112-101 home win over the Spurs on Thursday. "Two teams in the history of this game have reached where we are right now," point guard Stephen Curry told reporters. "It's a proud moment and something that should be recognized." Memphis suffered a 103-93 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday for its seventh defeat in eight games to drop it into sixth place in the Western Conference playoff race.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), FSN Southeast (Memphis)
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (70-9): Golden State wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the West with the win over the Spurs and coach Steve Kerr would like to rest some of his key players during the final three games but knows he is going to face resistance. "Now that we have that, I'm inclined to give some guys some rest if they need it," Kerr told reporters, "but I've sort of made a pact with the guys that if they are not banged up and they are not tired and if they want to go for this record or whatever." Forward Draymond Green said most of the players are more interested in the victory mark than rest because this is likely the only opportunity to break the Bulls' mark.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (42-37): Memphis is a shell of the team it was earlier this campaign before losing center Marc Gasol (foot) for the season and playing the last 17 games without standout point guard Mike Conley (Achilles). The deep slide has allowed the Portland Trail Blazers to pass the Grizzlies, and guard Tony Allen said the seeding isn't the most important thing. "We ain't ducking nothing," Allen told reporters after scoring 25 points against Dallas. "We knew we're in the playoffs. I think it's going into the playoffs healthy. We shot ourselves in the foot in that aspect, staying in the fifth seed, so we can't cry."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Warriors have routed the Grizzlies twice this season, including a 119-69 decision that rates as the worst loss in Memphis history.
2. The defensive-minded Allen has scored 20 or more points in four of the past 17 games after failing to do in any of his previous 275 games.
3. Golden State SF Harrison Barnes is averaging 20.5 points on 16-of-24 shooting during the last two games.