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Golden State Warriors break Chicago Bulls' wins record, drink in the meaning

The Golden State Warriors toppled one of the greatest records in sports history. As the players recount and savor in the moment of a lifetime, I try to encapsulate in so many words what we just experienced.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

There was no boring monotonic wording from the Golden State Warriors after their 125-104 victory to cap off the greatest winning season in NBA history.

These aren't the San Antonio Spurs.

Draymond Green noted that they wanted the record after the 15th win in a row to start the season. They went for it, needed it, and now have an achievement nobody can ever take away from them. It's not a title, not even close to as significant as that, but in itself, a number impossible to duplicate for a long time. The players understood this and they came up to the stage after the game reinforcing that notion.

Draymond started first, pounding the basketball he stole with 4 seconds still left on the game clock. He reflected on the season now and threw out perhaps the most Warriors-y line of all time in how he felt about 73, "That means I'm part of the best team ever."

Andrew Bogut came up next and gave plenty of praise to the coaching staff, noting that they didn't burn their players to the ground for the chase, instead earning this organically. Then in a moment of the Warriors' comeback to all their skeptics, he even mocked how past players talk now when asked how he would feel when he was retired, "If anybody asks me anything in 20 years, I'm going to say everyone sucks."

Klay Thompson, after sitting with the media during Bogut's interview, in typical Klay fashion explained that none of this was explainable through words. But offered this, "'I'm going to look back on this and think about it as the best time of my life."

To bring up the rear, Stephen Curry provided the most applicable quote for all fans throughout this entire ride, "I remember my rookie year here and just the difference in the last game of the season, the different feel it was. I had times I really did take a moment, I wasn't watching the game for about two minutes, thinking about how far we've become. The energy in the building was unbelievable. I wanted to appreciate that.

"I had snapshots of moments in Oracle arena most notably playoff series against Spurs where I was addressing the crowd after Game 6 loss thanking the fans for loyal support and great journey but we were headed home after that. I was thinking of that moment and the difference of what tonight meant from a regular season record standpoint and the outlook of what we are trying to do in the playoffs. Unbelievably special night."

There will be time to look forward to the Houston Rockets, and the rest of the postseason. But on Wednesday night, and the rest of eternity, these Golden State Warriors will live on as the winningest team in NBA -- perhaps even sports -- history. What can or cannot be argued is now set in stone. What they have achieved isn't the respect from anyone they were looking for, but the absolute of success.

Even in the moments where the Warriors have satiated us with the never-ending supply of broken records, this lorded above everything else. Yes, Stephen Curry eclipsed 400 threes in a single season, equivalent to a 70+ home run season. Total threes, defensive rating, net rating, and the entire shelf of accolades the Warriors have piled up this season have rightfully led to the a number that still pierces through the numbness of success and allows us, and even the players themselves, to finally open up. Allows us a glimpse into how much this actually matters to their own respective basketball careers.

73 is a number that these players aren't celebrating and relishing in the moment for today. It's a memory worth treasuring for a lifetime and a number that might outlast us all. One title, two, even a dynasty, all that is possible but has been done by teams before and after these Golden State Warriors. 73-9? Never before seen and done.

Except by the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors. They're all alone in the record books now. They always wanted this moment. They're living it. And there doesn't appear to be a single thing in their way for a long time in getting whatever they want next.

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