The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors made history. They broke the Chicago Bulls’ record for the most wins in a regular season in NBA history, topping what Michael Jordan’s legendary squad had done 30 years prior.
However, unlike the Bulls, the Dubs weren’t able to get the job done in the playoffs. They were up 3-1 in the NBA Finals, and then allowed the Cleveland Cavaliers to storm right back and beat them.
Notably, people have mocked them ever since. And according to team owner Joe Lacob, even Michael Jordan himself made sure to remind him that ’73-9 don’t mean a thing without a ring.’
Michael Jordan Trash Talks The Golden State Warriors
“On the collective bargaining agreement, I was on the labor committee, and I was in New York having a bunch of dinners with Michael Jordan and other owners,” Lacob told CBS Sports. “There were six of us. Actually, Dan was one of them, Dan Gilbert. Anyway, Michael Jordan—people are drinking and having a good time and all that, but there was a moment where he said, you know, ’73 don’t mean s**t.’ He did it, Michael Jordan did that. And I looked at him, and I just decided not to make a big deal of it. I said, you know, you’re right, we didn’t win it, we had to get better.”
Still, Lacob didn’t take it personally. He claims he still embraces that 73-win season, and he doesn’t see it as a failure, as opposed to how some of the players may feel:
“I have to be honest: It’s painful more to the player,” Lacob said. “I don’t really think of it that way. I think that was one of the greatest years you could ever have in any sport. So many things went right. If you remember, all of the games that went our way. I mean, just amazing. It was an unbelievable year. When I wear golf, I wear a hat that says 73 on it. It’s sort of my little remembrance of it. Because I know people all say, ‘Oh, well, you didn’t win the championship’—all the talking heads. You know what, we didn’t. But it was still an incredible year, and I will never forget it. And we should be very proud of it. And I think as time goes by, there will be more thinking about it. Because I don’t think it’s gonna be replicated very easily.”
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The Warriors’ season will go down as one of the greatest ever. It’s unfortunate that they didn’t get to cap it off with an NBA championship, though, and people will remember them more for that than for the actual record.
