The Golden State Warriors are no longer chasing history -  they now stand alone after notching an NBA-record 73rd win of the season.
A 125-104 rout of the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on the final matchday of the regular season gave them a final 73-9 record to beat the 72-10 record of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls.
Reigning league MVP Stephen Curry led the way as he hit 10 triples en route to 46 points.
“We have a great group of guys and everybody is trying to get better every single day, that’s what pushes us,” said Curry, who won the league scoring title. “It’s been a great journey and I’m proud of everybody in this group.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr was a member of that Bulls squad and thought the record would never be broken.
“I’m shocked, I thought that record would stand forever,” he said.  “It’s amazing what they did. I said it 20 years ago but I don’t think this one will ever be broken.
“The Bulls were an amazing group like this group is. The great thing is they won the title that year. That’s obviously what we want to do too.”   
Former Bulls great Michael Jordan said in a statement: “I want to congratulate the Warriors on an amazing season. The game of basketball is always evolving and records are made to be broken. The Warriors have been a lot of fun to watch, and I look forward to seeing what they do in the playoffs.”
Klay Thompson tossed in 16 points, Harrison Barnes added 15 for the Warriors, who will open the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets on Saturday at Oracle Arena.
“We’re talking best record ever and that doesn’t happen very often,” said Warriors Draymond Green after an 11-point, nine-rebound, seven-assist outing. “Now we got to get into these playoffs and do what we really set out to do from the beginning.”
Zach Randolph scored 24 points to lead Memphis (42-40) who ended the season as seven seeds and will face second seed San Antonio on the road in the first round.
Elsewhere: LA Lakers 103, Utah Jazz 96: In storybook ending, Kobe Bryant exploded for 60 points in the final NBA game of his storied 20-year career and the Lakers (17-65) beat the visiting Jazz (40-42).
*Houston Rockets 116, Sacramento Kings 81: James Harden had 38 points and the host Rockets (42-40)routed the Kings to secure the final Western Conference playoff spot. Sacramento’s George Karl is likely to have coached his last game amid reports he will be fired after the Kings (33-49)failed to make playoffs for the 10th consecutive season.
*Boston Celtics 98, Miami Heat 88: Isaiah Thomas had 21 points and the Celtics roared back from 26 down to beat the visiting Heat and sew up the fifth playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. Boston will open against fourth-seeded Atlanta, while third-seeded Miami (48-34) booked a weekend date with number six Charlotte in the first round of the playoffs.
*Charlotte Hornets 117, Orlando Magic 103: Al Jefferson scored 26 points and Hornets (48-34) beat the Magic (35-47) to set up a first- round playoff Eastern Conference matchup against Miami.
lWashington Wizards 109, Atlanta Hawks 98: Ramon Sessions scored 22 points and the playoff-eliminated Wizards (41-41) beat the Hawks (48-34), in what is being reported as Randy Whitman’s final game as Washington head coach.
*Toronto Raptors 103, Brooklyn Nets 96: Rookie Norman Powell scored a career-high 30 points, and the Raptors (56-26) beat the hosting Nets (21-61) while resting All-Star guards DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. The second-seeded Raptors will open the Eastern Conference playoffs against number seven Indiana this weekend.
*Indiana Pacers 97, Milwaukee Bucks 92: Solomon Hill scored a season-high 25 points with seven triples and the playoff-bound Pacers (45-37) beat the host Bucks (33-49) despite resting four starters.
*Detroit Pistons 112, Cleveland Cavaliers 110 (OT): Jodie Meeks scored 20 points and the visiting Pistons (44-38) edged the Cavaliers who rested starters LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. The game was a preview of this weekend’s matchup between eighth-seeded Detroit and top-seeded Cleveland.
*San Antonio Spurs 96, Dallas Mavericks 91: Serbian rookie Boban Marjanovic scored a career-high 22 points with 12 rebounds and the visiting Spurs -  despite resting four starters - stormed from 18 down at halftime to beat the Mavericks. The sixth seeded Mavericks (42-40) will face third-seeded Oklahoma City (55-27) in a Western Conference opening round matchup this weekend.
*Phoenix Suns 114, LA Clippers 105: Mirza Teletovic led seven players in double figures with 22 points and the host Suns (23-59) snapped the Clippers’ six-game success. The fourth-seeded Clippers (53-29) face fifth seeded Portland (44-38) in a first round Western Conference series.  
*Portland 107, Denver Nuggets 99: Damian Lillard scored 21 points and the Blazers tuned up for the Clippers by trimming the visiting Nuggets. In games without any playoff implications:  Minnesota pounded New Orleans 144-109 and promptly relieved T-Wolves interim head coach Sam Mitchell of his duties; and visiting Chicago dropped league-worst Philadelphia 115-105.