Warriors clinch playoff berth

The Golden State Warriors have clinched a berth in the 2017 NBA Playoffs by virtue of tonight’s 112-95 victory over the Brooklyn Nets at Oracle Arena, becoming the first team to secure a playoff spot this season.

Golden State, which owns an NBA-best 49-9 (.845) mark on the season, has earned a playoff appearance in the month of February for the second consecutive season. The 2017 NBA Playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 15.

The Warriors, who are slated to make their fifth-straight playoff appearance for the first time since qualifying for the postseason in each of the first six years of the league’s existence (1946-47 to 1951-52), won the 2015 NBA Championship and earned two Western Conference Championships since their return to the playoffs in 2013. Golden State owns a 40-24 (.625) postseason record in that span.