I gave in. I told myself I was not going to join thousands of other journalists writing on the comparison between this year’s Warriors and the ‘96 Bulls, but here I am. If you have not been held hostage over the past six months or been in a severe coma, chances are you have heard about the 53-5 season. So without further explanation, here are the comparisons between the two franchises.
Close Calls: With four overtime victories, including a double overtime win, the Warriors team has proven that they can weather the storm. None coming closer than this past week's mind-blowing finish against the OKC Thunder, with an emotional halftime meltdown from all-star Draymond Green. To go along with Curry’s 12 3-pointers, it seemed this was the fuel Golden State needed to push them over the hump. With only two overtime games played, the Bulls defeated their opponent by an average of 12 points per game, where the Warriors are up to a 20-point margin.
Competition: There has been, and will continue to be, biased judgment depending on what era a team played in. Battling defensive assassins like The Glove in Seattle, paired up with Shawn Kemp, caused nightmares for teams out in the west during the '90s. Over in the east, you had powerhouses consisting of Shaq and Penny Hardaway in Orlando. Fast forward to 2016, and it is no easy stint now either. Lebron and Kyrie are battling to get back to give Golden State another run for their money in this year's finals. Yet, out west, it is still a battle every night, with two of the top scorers that the league has ever seen. Westbrook and Durant offer a combo package that is a daunting task for any era of basketball.
Shooting guard: As if you didn't see it coming -- Jordan or Curry. No one's here to say who a team would rather have, we're just here to compare numbers and show how startling the similarities truly are. Averaging an astounding 49 percent from the field, 30 points per game, six rebounds and four assists, Jordan was ruthless. He would strip the ball from you one play, and dunk in your face the next. Steph, on the other hand, would pull up from half court turning his back as he shimmies back on defense before the ball even falls through the net. Breaking his own single-season record of 288 three-pointers (with 26 games still left), he is shooting a mere 51 percent, averaging five rebounds and six assists per game, just like Mike averaging 30 per game.
Coach: With Phil getting his start as an assistant under the Bulls, he was groomed to lead this team to success when he took over in 1989, running one of the highest IQ offenses the game has seen: The Triangle. Steve Kerr, then a player for Phil, learned the ins and outs, which he is now simulating into his own team. Kerr is the first rookie coach to start his career out at 19-2 and is on his way to being a part of another 72-10 record, or possibly beat it.
Conclusion: The Bulls went on to practically sweep the east in a dominant eastern conference playoff round, followed by hanging a banner. As for the Warriors, we shall see if history repeats itself. Chime in with your own thoughts below.
