This should surprise no one, but Klay Thompson says the Golden State Warriors are going to attempt to break the all-time single-season wins record. The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls have held the record for two decades after going 72-10 on their way to their first of three championships between 1996-98.
When asked about the team’s desire to go for history in an interview with ESPN Radio, Thompson was definitive, saying “Oh, we will,” per ESPN’s Marc Stein.
Heading into the All-Star break, Thompson’s Warriors are well on their way to taking their place with a record of 48-4. In order to come away with the all-time mark, Golden State needs to finish with a record of 25-5 down the stretch.
There are other factors at play as a team like the Warriors prepares for a postseason run, such as resting players. But that won’t stop this squad from continuing its historic run, at least that’s how Thompson sees it:
“We’ll probably rest guys down the stretch,” Thompson said. “But we’re so deep of a team that we should have a chance to win every night.
The dynamic shooting guard realizes how close he and his teammates are to hallowed ground, and he figures if they get close there’s no reason not to shoot for the moon:
“Just to be in the conversation of ‘You guys can do it’ is crazy. It’s great. I would have never imagined this. Growing up, I always thought that record was untouchable. Obviously we’re playing for more than just 73 wins — we’re playing for a championship — but if it’s right there for us, we might as well try and take it.”
The Warriors have made winning big something of a habit. They’re so much better than most teams they face on a night-to-night basis, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some serious motivation behind keeping the pedal to the metal.
As amazing as they’ve been, one team is still nipping at their heels. The San Antonio Spurs are still just 3.5 games back in the Western Conference with a record of 45-8, meaning the race for the top seed could come down to the wire.
Just to make things interesting on that front, the two top teams will face off three more times before the season ends.