Warriors vs. Spurs: Score, Highlights and Reaction from 2015-16 Regular Season

Move over, Michael Jordan. You have company.

The Golden State Warriors handled the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, 92-86, winning their 72nd game of the 2015-16 campaign to tie the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' all-time record for victories in a season. All that stands in the way of Golden State and an astounding 73 wins is a Wednesday home matchup with an injury-plagued Memphis Grizzlies squad.

ESPN Stats & Info noted that the Warriors made more history Sunday:

The game, broadcasted on NBA TV, ended up being the network's most-viewed telecast ever, according to Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press.

The Spurs were undefeated at home this season coming into Sunday's clash but couldn't overcome a strong defensive effort by the defending champions and another dazzling display by Stephen Curry. Curry finished with 37 points, five assists and five rebounds and helped the Warriors overcome a deficit with a strong third quarter (16 points).

The reigning MVP carried Golden State, as none of his teammates mustered more than 14 points (Klay Thompson tallied 14; Draymond Green finished with 11).

However, the Spurs received only two double-digit scoring efforts from the entire team. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Kawhi Leonard posted a double-double as well with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Although they lost, the Spurs didn't seem to care about Golden State's quest for 72 wins out of the gate and set the tone early with their defense. San Antonio took a 19-14 lead into the second quarter and held Golden State to 4-of-19 shooting from the field in the first 12 minutes.

Nate Duncan of The Cauldron summarized the strategy:

Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle pointed out that everyone on the Warriors but Curry and Green was stifled by the San Antonio defense:

ESPN Stats & Info put the offensive struggles into context:

It wasn't just the defense that helped the Spurs grab the lead, as NBA TV captured:

San Antonio's defense continued to lock up the Warriors as the second quarter unfolded, and it took a 29-26 lead into a timeout with less than five minutes until halftime. However, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News had a prophetic warning for the home team:

Golden State did battle back and tied the game at 35-35 by halftime. Mike Prada of SB Nation noted the Warriors were "making a concerted effort to score quickly before the Spurs defense gets set."

But even that wasn't working against the league's No. 1-ranked team in defensive efficiency, per ESPN.com.

The underwhelming halftime score inspired some humorous reactions from Jordan Brenner of ESPN The Magazine and Myron Medcalf of ESPN.com:

The Spurs seized some momentum early in the second half and rode Leonard's ability to slice through the defense and finish with authority on the way to a 45-37 lead:

However, Curry stopped the bleeding with a couple of three-pointers, and Golden State quickly regained the lead. SB Nation's Pounding the Rock weighed in on the reigning MVP's propensity to fill the stat sheet even when his teammates are struggling to score:

The Warriors extended their run and built a 51-47 advantage with less than six minutes remaining in the third quarter. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report recognized the defending champions' tendency to thrive even when there's not much flow to the game:

Curry continued his third-quarter dominance, and it wasn't just from beyond the three-point line, as the NBA shared:

Pounding the Rock was not amused as the Warriors took a 62-61 lead into the final quarter:

Just for good measure, Curry drilled a shot from well beyond half court at the third-quarter buzzer:

The officials ruled that he didn't get it off in time, but Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com had an epiphany:

Curry got some deserved rest early in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors still built a 73-69 lead with less than eight minutes left. Two unexpected big men were battling off the bench, as SB Nation highlighted:

Even with the reigning MVP sitting, the Warriors offense was starting to find its rhythm. Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News praised Golden State's ability to adapt:

Curry returned and pushed the lead to 84-73 with less than five minutes left thanks to some of his usual magic:

Howard Bryant of ESPN The Magazine offered a playoff prediction: "I really don't see any team getting two games [in] a series off these guys, never mind four."

Quixem Ramirez of the San Marcos Daily Record pointed out the game seemed to be over by that point:

While it may have appeared to be over, the Spurs trimmed the deficit to 90-86 with 20 seconds left following three free throws and a dunk by Leonard. However, a desperation three-point attempt by Danny Green was deflected after Curry hit two free throws, and the Warriors held on for the 92-86 record-tying victory. 

What's Next?

While Spurs fans will turn their attention to the playoffs with their team guaranteed the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, the rest of the NBA world will be squarely focused on Wednesday's showdown between the Warriors and Grizzlies. 

On paper, it should be an easy win for the Warriors, especially since Mike Conley (Achilles) and Marc Gasol (foot) are both out. However, Memphis just lost a heartbreaker to Golden State on Saturday, 100-99, and will put up another fight with history on the line. Sean Highkin of Bleacher Report doesn't think the Grizzlies will back down:

Still, the Warriors beat Memphis by 50 the last time they met at Oracle Arena on Nov. 2.

The Grizzlies may be confident because they lost by a single point in Memphis on Saturday, but they probably won't atone for that 50-point embarrassment the second time around in Oakland, especially with a chance at basketball immortality hanging in the balance.

Postgame Reaction

The Warriors and Spurs weren’t the only ones talking after Sunday’s game. Ron Harper and Scottie Pippen were both on the 1995-96 Bulls team that set the original 72-win record and took to Twitter to congratulate Golden State for its accomplishment:

Golden State coach Steve Kerr was also on that Bulls squad, but he was more focused on his team’s performance Sunday. He praised two of his stars after the win, per Simmons: "[Curry] was just amazing, and so was [Green]. Those guys are amazing pretty much every night, but particularly tonight."

Kerr was also told Sunday was the first time the Warriors won in San Antonio in 34 tries and responded by saying, "Nobody, and I mean nobody, beats the Golden State Warriors 34 straight times," per Ethan Strauss of ESPN.com.

Curry was already looking ahead to the next step on the journey, per Simmons: "We’re in the moment and enjoying the ride, but obviously, our goal is to win a championship."

However, he did take home a keepsake from Sunday’s win, via the NBA:

As for the Spurs, Young passed along coach Gregg Popovich’s assessment of the loss:

Young also shared David West’s postgame quotes:

West noted the Spurs have to continue improving before they see the Warriors again in a potential Western Conference Finals showdown. The Spurs are probably Golden State’s biggest obstacle standing in the way of a second consecutive title, but this Warriors team is now in the discussion of the best team in NBA history.

It may take more than just improvement from San Antonio.