Shai Gilgeous-Alexander says Thunder want NBA wins mark - ESPN

LAS VEGAS — If a record or a trophy is within the Oklahoma City Thunder's reach, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wants it.

That includes a potential pursuit of the NBA's record of 73 wins set by the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors.

«Absolutely,» Gilgeous-Alexander said at Friday's NBA Cup media availability when asked if that record meant anything to him and his teammates. «Winning matters. And no matter what form it looks like to me. So absolutely.»

The Warriors' record has become a topic of discussion around the Thunder recently because the defending champions are off to such a historic start. Oklahoma City is 24-1 entering Saturday's NBA Cup semifinals matchup with the San Antonio Spurs, matching that 2015-16 Golden State team for the best record ever through 25 games.

Spurs forward Harrison Barnes, a starter on the record-setting Warriors, said the Thunder are «probably on track» to break that record. He noted, however, that the pursuit of the previous record set of 72 wins set by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls took a toll on those Warriors, who lost in the NBA Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

«It's tiring. It's tiring,» Barnes told ESPN. «Obviously, you deal with all types of narratives going into the season and things like that. But everything's different. It was a lot.»

Gilgeous-Alexander has been clear that championships will always be his priority over chasing records. Several members of the Thunder, including Gilgeous-Alexander, have emphasized the importance of blocking out potential distractions such as focusing too much on future possibilities.

«We are trying to be a better version of ourselves every night we go out there, and we like to hunt in that form,» Gilgeous-Alexander. «If we didn't get better tonight, then we