History has been made! The Golden State Warriors have capped off their unbelievable regular season with a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, bringing their record to a remarkable 73-9. The Warriors have surpassed the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls regular season record of 72-10, taking sole possession of the record for most wins in the regular season. Go ahead and add the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors to the history books.
Golden State began the season 24-0 under the guidance of interim coach Luke Walton, shattering the previous record of 15-0 set by the 1948 Washington Capitols and 1993 Houston Rockets. Head coach Steve Kerr missed the first 43 games of the season while recovering from back surgery, but the Warriors didn’t miss a beat without him; they went 39-4 under Walton, while going 34-5 with Kerr on the sidelines.
The Warriors cruised through their schedule this season, with their only nine losses coming against the Bucks, Mavericks, Nuggets, Pistons, Blazers, Lakers, Spurs, Celtics, and Timberwolves. Golden State became the first team in NBA history to go an entire season without losing back to back games, and they set an NBA record with 54 consecutive home victories (dating back to last season) before falling at home to the Celtics earlier this month. Don’t forget their 28 game winning streak either, the second longest winning streak in NBA history (which also dated back to last season).
Golden State has dominated the game of basketball like we’ve never seen before, playing an up-tempo style of basketball with a high volume of three pointers. Steph Curry is a no-brainer choice for NBA MVP, and his backcourt mate Klay Thompson would be the best shooter in the league if it weren’t for Curry. The Splash Brothers shoot a combined 18 threes per game, with Curry connecting on 45% of his threes and Thompson on 43% of his threes. Curry finished the season with 402 threes, completely demolishing his own previous record of 286 threes, and Thompson finished 2015-16 with 276 threes. As great as Curry and Thompson were in their championship season last year, they both took their games to new heights, especially Curry, in their record-setting season this year.
In the frontcourt, Andrew Bogut is one of the best passing centers, and Harrison Barnes has proven himself as an excellent shooter and scorer. Rounding out their starting five is forward Draymond Green, the engine that makes the Warriors run. Green has enjoyed the best season of his career, averaging 14.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game. Green’s 13 triple doubles, along with his playmaking ability, fiery passion, and elite defense, suggest that the NBA has never seen a player quite like him before. Off the bench, Mo Speights, Shaun Livingston, and Andre Iguodala fit in perfectly with each other and the starters, providing Golden State with the best second unit in the league. Whether Livingston subbed in for Curry or Speights came in for Green, the Warriors rarely missed a beat. Iguodala, the reigning NBA Finals MVP, struggled with injuries towards the end of the season, but his value to this team is undeniable; he should be a candidate for NBA Sixth Man of the Year. The Warriors small ball rotation with Iguodala in for Bogut proved to be the most dangerous lineup for the rest of the league to handle. From top to bottom on the roster, the Warriors have an excellent blend of passing, defense, shooting, and versatility, which has been a huge part of their success. The Warriors depth is just as important as their All-Stars are.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the Warriors dominance is that they’ve been so consistent while playing in an offensive system that relies on shooting, shooting, and more shooting. By no means are the Warriors one-dimensional, but it’s no secret that their elite shooting is the driving force behind the offense’s ball movement and spacing. It’s incredible how rarely they’ve had poor shooting nights as a team, consistently taking and making the most difficult shots in basketball with such accuracy and consistency. Also, the Dubs took the league by storm right off the bat in 2015-16. In the history of sports we have never seen a defending champion come out of the gates as hungry and determined to repeat as the Warriors did, proving truly how special this team is. Maybe the frequent claim by the media and players around the league that the Warriors got lucky with an easy path to the Finals last year served as the ultimate motivation.
The question everyone wants to ask is: would the 2015-16 Warriors be able to beat the 1995-96 Bulls? The answer to that will never be known, so it’s better off that NBA fans sit back and enjoy the greatness of the Golden State Warriors instead of comparing them to Michael Jordan’s Bulls. Much of the criticism directed at Steph Curry and the Warriors by former NBA players is unnecessary and most likely inaccurate. Curry is so dominant that he would excel during any era.
As we approach the playoffs, a basketball fan would be crazy to say that a team other than the Warriors, Spurs, or maybe the Cavaliers will win the NBA Finals. The Western Conference Finals figures to be an epic showdown between two of the best teams of all-time. Will the season be a bust if the Warriors don’t win the championship? What are the odds that they don’t? They’ve been ridiculously dominant all season long to the point where it’s tough to see them losing a seven game series. However if they do, the season shouldn’t be considered a bust – a 73 win regular season is certainly an accomplishment on its own.
The Warriors have officially broken the record that many thought was unbreakable, overtaking Michael Jordan and his famous 1995-96 Chicago Bulls team. 24 straight wins to start the season, 73 overall – what a special season for the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors.
