THE Golden State Warriors clinched the best record in the Western Conference for the 2014-15 season following Saturday night’s 108-95 road victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, improving to 60-13 and securing the best record in the conference for the first time since 1975-76.

    In doing so, Golden State established a new single-season franchise wins record, earning 60 wins in a single campaign for the first time in the team’s 69-year history, besting the previous wins record of 59 set in 1975-76.

    The Warriors are the 70th team in NBA history to amass 60 wins in a season, becoming just the 13th team ever to reach the 60-win plateau through 73 games. By virtue of clinching the best record in the conference, Golden State will be the No. 1 seed in the West in the upcoming NBA Playoffs, granting the Warriors home-court advantage through the Western Conference Finals.

    The Warriors are slated to make their third consecutive postseason appearance after finishing sixth in the conference in both 2012-13 (47-35) and 2013-14 (51-31).

    Stephen Curry scored 25 points, Klay Thompson added 21 for Golden State, which hold a 10-game lead over second-place Memphis in the West with nine games left in the regular season.

    Khris Middleton had 14 points for Milwaukee, which fell back under .500 at 36-37 after winning two straight.

    The smooth-shooting Thompson scored 17 in the third quarter to help the Warriors pull away after the Bucks got within 57-50 on Middleton’s jumper with 8:25 left in the period.

    Thompson followed with a 3 from the left wing. The guard turned with a stoic face as he walked slowly back to the bench after the Bucks called timeout.

    The Warriors won their ninth straight with another impressive performance on defense and from behind the arc. They finished 12-of-25 from 3-point range, including 6-of-9 from Curry.

    Milwaukee did manage to slice a 19-point deficit to 11 a few times in the fourth quarter. John Henson’s bucket with 8:06 left got Milwaukee within 84-73.

    (SD-Agencies)