LeBron pulling for Warriors to get record
Consider LeBron James strongly in favor of Proposition 73. In other words, he'd like to see Golden State break the NBA's all-time win record, set by the 1995-96 Bulls.
"Records are meant to be broken," James told reporters at shootaround Saturday morning. "You have rushing records that are broken. You have home run records that are broken. You have 100-yard dash (times) that are broken. You have all types of records that are broken, but no one ever looks down upon the record that is broken."
So for the record, James praised the 72-win Bulls, even while wishing their mark is surpassed by the Warriors.
"You actually praise it even more. You look back at it like, 'Wow, they really did that?' " James said. "So having Golden State in a position where if they win three in a row they can break that record, I think it's pretty cool."
To get the record, the Warriors need to win their final two games after Saturday night's 100-99 victory in Memphis. Golden State's final two games are at San Antonio on Sunday, followed by Memphis at home Wednesday.
Gasol talks future:
Pau Gasol touched briefly on his future with the Bulls following Thursday's loss in Miami. Gasol is under contract for another season, but he has the ability to opt out and become a free agent, which is widely expected.
"Nothing is set right now," Gasol said, according to espn.com. "Definitely, I will evaluate what I need to when the time comes. But the way the team has responded to adversity and the way we finished up the season has not been so far great, and it's been disappointing."
With his career in its later stages, Gasol, 35, wants to contend for a championship. So it's possible he will be looking to move on this summer. The Bulls probably will decide between keeping Gasol and fellow free agent Joakim Noah.
"I'm not thinking that it could be my last game (with the Bulls)," Gasol said. "I mean, it could. It could be your last game any night, any given night. So from that standpoint, I don't think too much ahead about it."
Sad send off:
This season has been a huge disappointment for the Bulls any way you look at it. Pau Gasol reflected on the experience at Saturday's shootaround.
"The way I approach it, if you give it your best and you try as hard as you can and things at the end collectively don't work out, I would never consider it a wasted season," he said. "If I was slacking all year and not doing what I'm supposed to do and my mind and heart weren't in it, then I'd say I wasted a year.
"I feel bad about (the record), but I feel like I've done what I could, and I still feel proud of the effort and the work that I put in, that we put in. So disappointment? For sure."
Bulls horns:
Jimmy Butler played his 10,000th career minute during Saturday's game. … Pau Gasol is on pace to become the first NBA player to average 16 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks in a season since Kevin Garnett in 2003-04, according to the Bulls. … Taj Gibson (fractured rib) and E'Twaun Moore (hamstring) sat out again Saturday, and it's possible neither will play again this season.