Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr shouts to his team during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz Wednesday, March 30, 2016, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr shouts to his team during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz Wednesday, March 30, 2016, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Photo: Rick Bowmer, APGolden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, right, signs autographs before the start of their game with the Utah Jazz during an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 30, 2016, in Salt Lake City.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, right, signs autographs before the start of their game with the Utah Jazz during an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 30, 2016, in Salt Lake City.
Photo: Rick BowmerSALT LAKE CITY — Midway through the fourth quarter Wednesday night, Stephen Curry[9] spent most of a timeout staring quizzically at a scoreboard on the back wall of the Vivint Smart Home Arena[10].
His puzzlement came from the score, which indicated that the Warriors were losing.
Curry decided to make the numbers add up in a more customary fashion, scoring six straight points in overtime to lead the Warriors to a 103-96 victory over Utah on a drama-filled night in Salt Lake City.
Curry's reverse layup with 3:10 remaining in overtime gave the Warriors a 95-93 lead, and his free throws with 2:19 on the clock put the Warriors ahead by four. After Rodney Hood[11] missed a desperation three-pointer to beat shot clock, Curry powered in a layup, drew a charge and then found Draymond Green[12] for a game-clinching dunk.
The Warriors (68-7) set the franchise record for single-season victories and turned their full attention to the league's record. They're one game ahead of the pace set by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls[13], who won 72 games.
The Warriors have to win five of their final seven regular-season games to break the mark, which will be cause for some drama. But it'll tough to live up to Wednesday's theater.
Before the game, four people fell a short distance from the bleachers while trying to get Curry's autograph. After a railing leading to the visiting team's tunnel came dislodged, the fans landed near Curry's feat.
One went to the first-aid clinic on his own, and the other three received treatment and returned to their seats. Curry signed items for the three who didn't leave the scene.
Nearly everyone in the arena was standing in the fourth quarter, when Utah (37-38) appeared on the verge of an upset that would maintain its No. 7 spot in the Western Conference playoff race.
Instead, the rallied to tie it on a Green layup with 2:18 left. Gordon Hayward[14]'s three-pointer put Utah on top 88-85 with less than 90 seconds to play, and Curry's free throw trimmed the Warriors' deficit to 88-86 with 1:21 on the clock.
After the teams exchanged turnovers, Shelvin Mack[15] was fouled on an offensive rebound. Utah went 13-of-29 from the foul line, including Mack's 1-of-2 trip that put the Jazz ahead 89-86 with 24.3 seconds remaining. Klay Thompson[16], getting a second chance at a three-pointer off a Shaun Livingston[17] offensive rebounds, tied it 89-89 with 15 seconds left.
Green blocked Mack's fadeaway jumper, and Hayward's follow-up prayer went awry, forcing overtime. The Warriors are 6-0 this season in overtime games, getting the most recent one on the shoulders of Curry.
He finished with 31 points and seven rebounds, Thompson added 18 points, and Green had 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Harrison Barnes[18] had his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 boards and has scored in double figures in five straight times.
Thompson had five points during an 8-0, first-quarter run, including a dunk that gave the Warriors a 17-12 lead with 7:35 remaining. After Curry's three-pointer extended the Warriors' advantage to 22-14, the Jazz responded with a 7-0 spurt.
Derrick Favors turned his ankle and went straight to the locker room at the 11:33 mark of the second quarter. The Warriors extended their lead to 10 in Favors' absence, but he returned midway through the quarter to get the Jazz within single digits for the rest of the half. Barnes' three-pointer gave the Warriors a 42-40 lead heading into the break.
Utah scored the first nine points of the third quarter, taking a 49-42 lead on a Favors jumpers with 8:11 remaining. Curry halted the Warriors' 0-for-7 shooting skid with a jumper at the 7:57 mark, but the Jazz extended their lead to 57-47 on a Shelvin Mack layup with 5:22 left.
Trailing by six points, the Warriors opened the fourth quarter with this lineup: Ian Clark[19], Leandro Barbosa[20], Shaun Livingston, Barnes and Marreese Speights. The Warriors were down 79-71 when Curry and Green returned to the court and started the comeback with 7:19 on the clock.
Rusty Simmons is a San Francisco Chronicle[21] staff writer. E-mail: rsimmons@sfchronicle.com[22] Twitter: @Rusty_SFChron
Most wins,
NBA season
The Warriors picked up their 68th win of the season when they prevailed 103-96 in overtime in Utah on Wednesday night. Only five other teams in NBA history had at least 68 wins in the regular season:
| Team | Wins | Losses |
| 1995-96 Bulls | 72 | 10 |
| 1996-97 Bulls | 69 | 13 |
| 1971-72 Lakers | 69 | 13 |
| 2015-16 Warriors | 68 | 7 |
| 1966-67 76ers | 68 | 13 |
| 1972-73 Celtics | 68 | 14 |
Note: Of the previous teams to get 68 or more victories, only the 1972-73 Celtics failed to win the NBA title.
References
- ^ less (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ ... more (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ less (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ ... more (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ less (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ ... more (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ less (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ ... more (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ Stephen Curry (ww w.sfgate.com)
- ^ Vivint Smart Home Arena (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ Rodney Hood (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ Draymond Green (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ Chicago Bulls (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ Gordon Hayward (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ Shelvin Mack (www.sfgate .com)
- ^ Klay Thompson (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ Shaun Livingston (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ Harrison Barnes (www.sfgate.co m)
- ^ Ian Clark (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ Leandro Barbosa (www.sfgate.com)
- ^ San Francisco Chronicle (www.sfgate .com)
- ^ rsimmons@sfchronicle.com (www.sfgate.com)
