After a regular season record of 73-9 in the 2015-2016 NBA regular season, the elite play of the Golden State warriors sparked conversation about them potentially being the best team to ever grace the hardwood. The defending champions do not stand in a class of their own, but instead join Michael Jordan’s 1996-97 Chicago Bulls team who went 72-10 during that year. Most of the comparison stems from the high level play by each team’s star player. Michael Jordan, the star shooting guard for the 96’ Bulls is considered by many to be the best player in the history of the sport, while Steph Curry, the star point guard for the Golden State Warriors has already proven himself to be one of the best scorers in NBA history.
During his 15-year career, Jordan played at such a high level that he was able to win five NBA most valuable player awards, while also retiring with a career scoring average of 30 points per game. (http://www.nba.com/history/players/jordan_stats.html). These are both highly impressive numbers, but Curry also has some astonishing accomplishments of his own. In 2015 during his sixth season, Curry performed well enough to win his first NBA most valuable player award, and in 2016 he took the award again while also making history as he became the first player ever to unanimously win the award. While these two stars greatly contribute to the comparison of the two teams, the performance of the other players are what strengthens the comparison and validates the argument.
Michael Jordan’s 76’ Bulls contained three all-star players, small forward Scottie Pippen, power forward Dennis Rodman, and Jordan himself. Likewise, Curry’s Warriors also have three all-stars, shooting guard Klay Thompson, Power Forward Draymond Greene, and Curry. The skill level of each team forces one to imagine a hypothetical matchup of Goliaths. Something that lends even more fuel to this fire is the presence of former Chicago Bull’s player and current Golden State Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr. Kerr was a teammate of Jordan’s during the 96’ season in which the Bulls won a then league record 72 games and he was the head coach this season when the Warriors surpassed that historic mark. Although Kerr is the only person to have participated in both organizations during their pinnacle, he continually refuses to declare one of the teams as the best ever.
The argument of the best team ever is mostly one of opinion and preference. Older generations tend to pick the 96’ Bulls while younger people recognize the 2015 Warriors as the Kings of the sport. In the midst of opinions, there is one thing that remains true, the 96’ Bulls won the NBA title. If the Warriors fail to do so then they will no longer be in the conversation for the best team ever, but if they win…
