OKC in 6

[CitySushi]

An asterisk because they didn't finish the job. The best regular season record does actually have correlation to the best team ever conversation. A big part of the reason the 72-10 Bulls are in that conversation is because of the fact that they finished with a title. Same with the 69-13 Lakers.

Again, great regular season, nice record to hold, but doesn't mean a lot without a title. Think about it, how much does the Patriots 18-0 record mean since they lost in the Super Bowl?



And despite all of that, they would have still lost when it mattered most.

Where we agree is that to be in the conversation for the best team ever, you have to have won a championship. If the Warriors do not win the championship they cannot be in that conversation. Period.

If we agree with the premises that a team has to win a championship in order to be considered the best ever, then the regular season only serves as proof. The regular season takes a back-seat to the ultimate goal of being a championship team.

You can't take the regular season, then add to it that a team won a championship to validate their regular season dominance. It's counter to the underlying premise that a championship is the ultimate goal and all-important.

That's why there's no need for an asterisk. The regular season is the regular season, nothing more. It determines seeding and home court advantage. Then it serves as proof of legacy for all-time great teams. If a team is only considered all-time great if they win a championship, you have to work backwards from who won a championship FIRST, before considering any regular season success.

Sidenote: Patriots, imo, is not a good comparison because a perfect season had been achieved before. There was precedent set of a team being undefeated entering the championship game. There had not been precedent set for 73 games won during a basketball regular season.

 

[trojanfan12]

You can't take the regular season, then add to it that a team won a championship to validate their regular season dominance.

Actually, the championship is the very thing that validates their regular season dominance. When a team is as dominant as the Warriors have been this past season, they need to finish with a title. Otherwise, they're just the team with the best record that lost.

Sidenote: Patriots, imo, is not a good comparison because a perfect season had been achieved before. There was precedent set of a team being undefeated entering the championship game. There had not been precedent set for 73 games won during a basketball regular season.

No team had reached 18-0. So there was no true precedent set. The only team to finish unbeaten went 17-0 and that 17th game was the championship.

I get that you're a Warriors fan and want it to be a great season even if they don't finish with a title. But, outside of Warriors fans, I don't think many people will be terribly impressed with that record if they don't finish the job. Every time a discussion comes up about best regular season record in history or any time someone mentions the Warriors 73-9 record, the fact that they didn't win the championship will be brought up.

 

[CitySushi]

Actually, the championship is the very thing that validates their regular season dominance. When a team is as dominant as the Warriors have been this past season, they need to finish with a title. Otherwise, they're just the team with the best record that lost.



No team had reached 18-0. So there was no true precedent set. The only team to finish unbeaten went 17-0 and that 17th game was the championship.

I get that you're a Warriors fan and want it to be a great season even if they don't finish with a title. But, outside of Warriors fans, I don't think many people will be terribly impressed with that record if they don't finish the job. Every time a discussion comes up about best regular season record in history or any time someone mentions the Warriors 73-9 record, the fact that they didn't win the championship will be brought up.

I just have a feeling we're on fundamentally different wavelengths here. I'm not even comparing the Warriors to the best teams ever. Hell even if they win the championship, I don't believe they'll be in the best team ever conversation.

All I'm saying is that a regular season, all 82 games, is a microcosm of the ultimate goal of winning a championship. The only wins that matter are the 16 in the playoffs. Those are what define a great team. The regular season is thrown out the window the minute the playoffs begin. That's why you can't view the regular season first, then say a team needs to back it up with a championship. They needed to win a championship, regardless of their regular season record. If the Warriors only won 68 games, they would still need to win a championship.

The Warriors earned all 73 of those victories. That's why an asterisk is not needed. If you were comparing best teams of all times, sure go ahead. But if they don't win a championship, then they can't even be in the conversation, again thus not needing an asterisk.

I get that you're a Warriors fan

C'mon I think I've been pretty objective in the past. Being a Warrior fan has no bearing on a lot of my feelings towards my thoughts on basketball.

 

[HammerDown]

Will Golden State win another game? They're shattered.

 

[Rockinkuwait]

That's fine to have the regular season dominance. I think that already even if they win a championship they've fallen behind the 72 win bulls. They've already lost more reg/post season games than that team did, and to me being better in the reg season but worse in the post season doesn't put you on top.

They always will have the 73 wins, but that will be like the undefeated reg season by the Pats. Or the 14/15 Wildcats team, the Russian 1980 Olympic team...

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

That's fine to have the regular season dominance. I think that already even if they win a championship they've fallen behind the 72 win bulls. They've already lost more reg/post season games than that team did, and to me being better in the reg season but worse in the post season doesn't put you on top.

They always will have the 73 wins, but that will be like the undefeated reg season by the Pats. Or the 14/15 Wildcats team, the Russian 1980 Olympic team...

116 tied for best MLB record Mariners... who couldn't even get to the World Series

 

[RobToxin]

Bump.

 

[trojanfan12]

lol

 

[lebron23james]

Nailed it

 

[RobToxin]

Nailed it

That's what she said.

 

[Black Adam]

That's what she said.

and IF she was the she in your av i'd be one VERY happy camper...

 

[Shanemansj13]

Nailed it

You probably would have if OKC didn't choke away Game 6...but that's what they do

 

[SoCalWizFan]

You probably would have if OKC didn't choke away Game 6...but that's what they do

True but you also have to give credit to the Warriors. They just never quit & truly always believe that they have a chance to rebound whether it is being behind in a game or in a series. They simply have the ability to score more pts in a short period of time than perhaps any team in NBA history.

 

[Shanemansj13]

True but you also have to give credit to the Warriors. They just never quit & truly always believe that they have a chance to rebound whether it is being behind in a game or in a series. They simply have the ability to score more pts in a short period of time than perhaps any team in NBA history.

Yeah true, but when you are up 8 points with 4 to go or whatever, you have to be smarter with the ball and your shot selection, too much isolation. They get away from what they do best at the end of games and the Warriors do what they do for 48 minutes when they win. That was the difference in the series.

 

[Black Adam]

True but you also have to give credit to the Warriors. They just never quit & truly always believe that they have a chance to rebound whether it is being behind in a game or in a series. They simply have the ability to score more pts in a short period of time than perhaps any team in NBA history.

it's been said Lord knows HOW many times. never underestimate the heart of a champion...

 

[Dolemite censored]

Mark this thread

Calling it now

Uh, no.

 

[trojanfan12]

Yeah true, but when you are up 8 points with 4 to go or whatever, you have to be smarter with the ball and your shot selection, too much isolation. They get away from what they do best at the end of games and the Warriors do what they do for 48 minutes when they win. That was the difference in the series.

Yep. When OKC is moving the ball and trusting each other, they are the best team in basketball. When they slip into "hero ball" mode...the Lakers can beat their ass.

 

[tlance]

That's fine to have the regular season dominance. I think that already even if they win a championship they've fallen behind the 72 win bulls. They've already lost more reg/post season games than that team did, and to me being better in the reg season but worse in the post season doesn't put you on top.

They always will have the 73 wins, but that will be like the undefeated reg season by the Pats. Or the 14/15 Wildcats team, the Russian 1980 Olympic team...

I don't think the Warriors are better than the '96 Bulls, but you can't compare their post season records to determine which is better.

If Jordan missed 8 games and played the next 6 at less than 100%, their record would not have been as good either. Hell, they may not have made the Finals.