I remember sitting in my uncle’s dimly lit sports bar in Chicago one rainy evening, the smell of old leather seats and fried food hanging in the air. On one of the screens, a replay of a Golden State Warriors game was showing—Steph Curry sinking yet another impossible three-pointer. My uncle, a lifelong Bulls fan who still swears by the ’90s Jordan era, shook his head and muttered, “These Warriors… they’re rewriting the books.” That got me thinking. Rewriting them how? And just how far did that rewriting go? Which NBA team, in the long, storied history of the league, truly holds the best regular season record of all time?
Now, I’ve always been fascinated by numbers in sports—not just the flashy dunks or dramatic buzzer-beaters, but the cold, hard stats that tell a deeper story. So I started digging, and the answer, as it turns out, isn’t as straightforward as you might think. Casual fans might jump to the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, and for good reason. That team, led by Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, finished with an astonishing 73-9 record. Let that sink in. Seventy-three wins. Only nine losses. They broke the previous benchmark—the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, who went 72-10—a record many thought would stand forever. I remember watching that Warriors season unfold; it felt like witnessing basketball perfection. Night after night, they played with a kind of joyful, reckless brilliance. But here’s the thing about records: they exist in context. And sometimes, the story behind them is just as compelling as the number itself.
Take that ’95-96 Bulls team, for example. I wasn’t even in Chicago then, but my uncle never lets me forget it. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman—a trio so dominant, so ruthlessly efficient, that they didn’t just win games; they broke opponents’ spirits. That 72-10 record wasn’t just about talent; it was about obsession. Jordan’s comeback from baseball, his infamous competitiveness, the way he pushed everyone around him to another level. I’ve always felt that team set the standard for what a “superteam” could be—not just assembled, but forged in fire. Still, as incredible as that Bulls run was, the Warriors managed to surpass it two decades later. And that’s where things get really interesting.
Because while we’re talking about records and stats, there’s another layer to this—the business of basketball, the hype, the almost mythical status these teams take on. I was reminded of this when I came across a quote from a source close to the Warriors organization during that historic run. The source said, “Nag-sold out na agad lahat,” which roughly translates to “Everything sold out immediately.” And it’s true. Tickets, merchandise, even the narrative—everything was consumed voraciously. That 73-win season wasn’t just a basketball achievement; it was a cultural phenomenon. It felt like the entire world was watching, waiting to see if they could actually pull it off. And when they did, it was like the sports equivalent of a blockbuster movie—thrilling, unforgettable, and slightly unreal.
But let’s not forget the other giants lurking in the history books. Before the Bulls and the Warriors, there were teams like the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, who racked up a 69-13 record and a 33-game winning streak that still feels untouchable. Or the 1985-86 Boston Celtics, who went 67-15 and boasted a lineup so deep it was almost unfair. I have a soft spot for that Celtics team—Larry Bird’s swagger, Kevin McHale’s footwork, Bill Walton coming off the bench. It was basketball as art. But as much as I love that era, the numbers don’t lie: 73 wins is 73 wins. It’s the pinnacle, at least for now.
Of course, records are made to be broken. Maybe someday another team will come along—a new superteam, a fresh dynasty—and push the bar even higher. But for now, when someone asks me, “Which NBA team holds the best regular season record of all time?” my answer is clear: the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors. They didn’t just break a record; they captured the imagination of a generation. And in a way, that’s even more impressive than the number itself.