Spurs don’t plan to rest stars for 2 games vs. Warriors

AP

OAKLAND, California—If the Golden State Warriors are going to set the NBA single-season wins record, they will have to go through a full-strength San Antonio squad to do it.

Coach Gregg Popovich said he plans to play all his healthy players Thursday at Golden State and then again when the teams meet Sunday in San Antonio. The only injured player currently for San Antonio is key reserve Boris Diaw, who has a sore right abductor.

The Spurs frequently give their older players time off in the regular season to make sure they are healthy come playoff time. But Popovich also said it’s important for them to play consecutive games, which is why he did not rest anyone Tuesday night in Utah or for the first game against the Warriors.

“You need to play a couple of games in a row,” Popovich said. “You can’t just sit them, play, sit them, play, sit them, play. That’s too disjointed. That’s why we played everybody at Utah and everybody tonight to get everyone into a rhythm.”

Popovich said he will rest several players for the back-to-back Friday at Denver but expects to play his stars again Sunday.

“We don’t want to sit them two games in a row going into the playoffs,” he said. “It doesn’t make much sense.”

Golden State (69-9) needs to win its final four games to break Chicago’s single-season wins record of 72 set in 1995-96. The Warriors also have games Saturday at Memphis and then again at home next Wednesday against the Grizzlies.