Don't Take Golden State Warriors' 73-9 Record Too Seriously

You and I both know that the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls are the best team when compared to this new-age Golden State Warriors squad. Records might say otherwise by one measly win (73-9 compared to 72-10), but unfortunately the odds were easily on the Warriors’ side throughout this entire 82-game span. I hate to put a damper on a very impressive regular season onslaught, but let me explain.

First off, and possibly most importantly, the Bulls made a total of 544 three-point shots that year, yet Stephen Curry, by himself, made an astounding 402. Curry might be the best shooter we’ve ever seen, but anybody who can make that many shots from beyond the arc only embarrasses everyone affiliated with the NBA. That should not happen.

The game is soft now. You’ve heard multiple greats say that with different sets of wisely chosen words, but they are all correct.

Gary “The Glove” Payton, one of the greatest point guards in the history of this league, made a living getting into peoples’ faces on the court.

“There’s no defense. Just Run n’ gun [now],” he said in an Oregon State press conference interview earlier this year.

That might be a difficult pill to swallow, especially for this new generation of basketball fans, but he’s absolutely right.

“That’s no way to watch basketball.”

Tom Thibodeau, the former Chicago Bulls head coach, might have been one of the few who actually coached grit and determination on the defense side of the court, but look where that got him. A one-way ticket out of Chicago. Who was the replacement? A much younger coach who did nothing but shoot the ball his entire NBA career. How did that move turn out? Sorry, Fred Hoiberg.

This isn’t necessarily saying that when Golden State gets on a roll, their ball movement isn’t a thing of beauty. I honestly get goosebumps sometimes when watching. But, defense and touch fouls honestly do ruin the game now. The fast-paced spurts are fun to watch, but when you really think about it, it’s not good for basketball.

If you like things that go fast, check out Nascar, or even track and field. When it comes to basketball, it’s best to stay with the great minds of Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich.

Coach Jackson and Michael Jordan could run laps around Steve Kerr and Chef Curry. No comparison needed.

When it comes to the supporting cast, the contest isn’t much closer. If they played against each other, Dennis Rodman would eat Draymond Green for lunch. The Warriors would shoot terrible from beyond the arc thanks in large part to MJ and Scottie Pippen, and the triangle scheme in Chicago would truly show the Splash Brothers what it really means to shoot the rock with the likes of Toni Kukoc and, yes, you guessed it, Steve Kerr.

The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors went on a cute little run during the regular season, posting a still impressive 73-9 record, but when comparing the historic 1995-96 Chicago Bulls … there is no comparison.

Share On FacebookShare StumbleUpon