Kerr, players remain split on rest
In any other year, clinching home court advantage in the playoffs would signify the high point in the regular season for a title contender, giving the coaching staff more than enough incentive to sit star players in an effort to enter the playoffs healthy.
However, with a shot at breaking the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' 72-win record, the Golden State Warriors remain in a conundrum as they continue to decide whether reaching 73 victories ultimately trumps entering the postseason rested.
"We are going to talk about it tomorrow," head coach Steve Kerr said Thursday to ESPN's Ethan Sherwood Strauss. "We've been putting it off for as long as we were able to, which was until we got the 1-seed. Now that we have that, I'm inclined to give some guys some rest if they need it, 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 then - so we got to talk."
Kerr stated last month his players had "earned the right" to chase the record - something he may regret consenting to after allowing a number of his starters to log 30-plus minutes a night during the season's final weeks.
"I'm a little uneasy about it. It's not that I'm worried about injury. You can get injured in practice. It's not so much that I want to rest guys to avoid injury, but we do have a back-to-back here. It will be our third game in four nights."
While Kerr appears hesitant, many of the Warriors players, including All-Star forward Draymond Green, remain focused on making history.
"To get this far and kind of just tank it and say, 'Aw, never mind.' ... Let's face it, we probably will never get to this point again. That's why it's only been done one time. I think most guys in the locker room are all-in, and we'll figure that out this weekend."
"I'm only 26. When I'm 36, I'll be looking to rest more."
The Warriors face the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies twice to finish up their slate of regular season games, three contests last year's MVP is set on winning.
"We wanted to take care of tonight and clinch home court for the playoffs, was a goal of ours," Steph Curry said. "With three games left and 73 still there, it's obviously a lot to play for."