Due to the Golden State Warriors’ hot start, the question everyone has been asking this NBA season is: Will they be able to surpass the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls’ 72-10 record?
The Warriors’ current record as of Sunday, Feb. 7 is 46 wins and only an amazing four losses, as we are more than halfway done the season and less than two weeks away from the All-Star weekend showcase.
The Warriors started off this season on a fantastic 28-game winning streak dating back from the 2014-2015 season and the first 24 games of this season.
Some of the games were complete blowouts and looked like the Warriors didn’t even need to try, and some games were close ones and two-point nail biters.
Sadly, their winning streak came to an end when they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks by a score of 108-95.
The Warriors are on pace to possibly tie or even overcome the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls record of 72-10. To do that, they would have to go the rest of the season with a total record of 28 wins and five losses.
The Warriors have been getting great contribution from all players, but none stand out more than Superstar Stephen Curry, All-Star Klay Thompson and new All-Star Draymond Green.
Green has increased production in his time since Michigan State from being a role player to now being a vital piece to the Warriors’ back-to-back title run.
Green is a point forward who is a triple double waiting to happen, as he manages to find ways to make his team better. He was finally awarded an All-Star spot selection this season, and his current statistics are 14.5 points per game, 9.5 rebounds per game and 7.4 assists per game.
We cannot forget about the talented Curry. He is on pace for another MVP season as he is averaging 29.8 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game and 6.3 assists per game. Curry is on pace already through 49 games this season to beat his own three point record, which is 272 three pointers. He currently has 232 three pointers made, and with 33 games left in the season, he will once again beat his own record.
Many people talk about Green and his stellar play and Curry shooting the lights out on a daily basis, but let’s not forget about another All-Star: Thompson.
Thompson is averaging 21.4 points per game and shooting 43 percent from behind the three point line.
With the way this season is going and the roll the Warriors are on, it is very possible for them to beat this record if a couple of things fall in place.
Firstly, the Warriors must stay healthy all season long and not fall to the dreaded injury bug. It comes down to the coaching staff as well. They can continue to be aggressive and go for the record, or play conservative and try to rest certain players for another title run this postseason. The Warriors will have to watch out for teams in the west if they want to reach the title again, including the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. You can also never count out the unpredictable and inconsistent Los Angeles Clippers.
This will be an amazing end stretch to the NBA season. We will see something that may not happen for long time, as the Warriors not only try to maintain the best record in NBA history, but also go for another title run as well in this historic season.
Comparing some of the statistics from the 1995-1996 72-10 Chicago Bulls team, their leading scorers in that season were Michael Jordan, who averaged 30.4 points per game, and Scottie Pippen, the second leading scorer, who averaged 19.4 points per game. Currently, the Warriors’ top two scorers are Curry, who is averaging 29.8 points per game, and Thompson, who is averaging 21.4 points per game.
For the reminder of the NBA season, all eyes will be on the Golden State Warriors as more and more fans around the world watch to see if they can break the greatest regular season record in the NBA, and possibly repeat as NBA Champions.
Marcelus Council-Jones is a fourth-year student. He can be reached at MC785844@wcupa.edu.