The Golden State Warriors are off to an amazing start, but are they better than the 1996 Chicago Bulls?
No one in the past ten years has threatened the 1996 Chicago Bulls record-setting season of 72-10. This year, however, the Golden State Warriors are 48-4 after the All-Star break and are posing a serious threat to break the record.
Both teams are very similar. They are both stacked with superstars. The Bulls had Michael Jordan, Scotty Pippen, and Dennis Rodman. The Warriors are also full of talent with a lineup featuring the reigning league MVP Stephen Curry, his splash brother Klay Thompson, and 2015 NBA finals MVP Andre Iguodala.
Both teams have different styles. The Chicago Bulls were a physical force down low and they did not miss from mid-range. Rodman is known as one of the best rebounders of all time and, obviously, Jordan has been called the best overall player of all time.
The Warriors are snipers from beyond the three-point line. Curry holds the record for most three-pointers made in one season and could be the best three-point shooter of all time. Thompson has pinpoint accuracy as well. They also have an up and coming superstar in Draymond Green who can attack with the best of them in the paint and from mid-range.
Another thing that has people thinking they have déjà vu watching the Warriors, is that both teams have a dynamic duo. Just like the Bulls who had Pippen and Jordan the Warriors have Thompson and Curry. Both lead the team’s offense in scoring and are in the top three for their team in three-pointers. These duos are the heart and soul of the team. Thompson and Curry will go down in history as one of the best duos just like Pippen and Jordan.
Since time machines do not exist, or at least not that we know of, we will never know what team would win in a head to head matchup. But cbssports.com did a simulation of the two teams playing each other on the newest NBA video game 2K16. In the game, the Warriors would win 131-105. Jordan had 51 points which was no surprise. But what was a surprise was who the difference maker was for the Warriors. Curry only had 10 points going 2-3 from outside but Draymond Green racked up 37 points and was the overall difference maker in the game. This is why I believe the Warriors are the better team. They have too many offensive weapons that the Bulls could not handle. I will give Jordan the advantage over anyone on the court, but besides Jordan and Pippen, their offense is not even close to the strength of the Warriors. If both starting lineups are analyzed, I would give Rodman the advantage over Green but it looks like 2K16 had a different opinion. But for the most part the Warriors win at every other position. Curry dominates Ron Harper, Andrew Bogut would overpower Luc Longley down low, Iguodala is a better sixth man off the bench then Toni Kukoc, and off the bench Shaun Livingston would take down Steve Kerr.
This brings me to the next point. Warriors coach Steve Kerr was on the 1996 Bulls and knows what they need to do to have the same kind of success that the Bulls had.
Overall I give the Warriors the advantage in the head to head matchup. Both teams are an amazing display of basketball. If only time machines were real then this debate could be settled but since they do not exist, the world will never know.
