73-9 Regular Season Record (2015-16)
Perfect enough to break history, fragile enough to lose it all.
The 73-9 regular season record remains the undisputed apex of NBA dominance, set by the Golden State Warriors during the 2015-16 campaign. Powered by a core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala, the squad obliterated the Chicago Bulls' twenty-year-old benchmark of 72 wins from 1995-96. Yet, this season is defined less by the win column than by a revolution in style: a 'small-ball' philosophy that weaponized spacing, lightning-fast ball movement, and a three-point barrage never before seen at this volume.
- Team Record
- 73 Wins - 9 Losses
- Head Coach
- Steve Kerr
- Key Player (MVP)
- Stephen Curry
- Historic Comparison
- Surpassed Chicago Bulls' 1995-96 record of 72-10
- Home Record
- 39-2 at Oracle Arena
Lore & Background
Despite their offensive fireworks, the season is also remembered for its tragic irony. After securing the record-breaking win against the Memphis Grizzlies on April 13, 2016, to reach 73-9, the narrative shifted instantly. The team entered the NBA Finals with high expectations but became the first number-one seed in history to lose a 3-1 series lead. This duality—reaching the absolute pinnacle of regular-season perfection only to fall short of the ultimate prize—cements this season as one of the most complex and debated chapters in sports history.
In Their Own Story
The air inside Oracle Arena was thick with anticipation, a rare quiet before the storm of noise that usually followed a Curry deep ball. It was April 13, 2016. The scoreboard read 73-9. Draymond Green stood near the sideline, towel over his head, eyes wide as he processed the number on the jumbotron. They had done it. They had surpassed Michael Jordan's Bulls. But in that moment of triumph, a strange melancholy hung over the court. The players knew the record was now theirs forever, yet the shadow of what came next loomed large. As the final buzzer sounded, there were hugs and tears, but no confetti cannons fired for a championship. Just the weight of history, heavy on their shoulders.
Reader's Guide
Achieving a 73-9 record in an 82-game schedule is an exercise in near-superhuman consistency; it allowed for only nine errors across six months of grueling competition, statistically peaking the concept of NBA dominance. This feat shattered a twenty-year-old benchmark held by the Chicago Bulls, validating Steve Kerr's tactical innovations and the 'Splash Brothers' era as superior to traditional post-heavy offenses. However, the historical context is inseparable from the NBA Finals outcome. Despite holding a 3-1 series lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Warriors surrendered three straight games to become the first top seed ever to lose a Finals series after such a lead. This season remains a paradox in basketball lore: simultaneously the greatest regular-season performance and a cautionary tale about the fragility of perfection. For historians and fans alike, the 73-9 campaign serves as definitive proof that while teams can conquer the long grind of the regular season, the emotional and physical pressure of the playoffs remains a different beast entirely.
Did You Know?
- Stephen Curry became the first player in NBA history to be named MVP by unanimous vote.
- The Warriors set an all-time record for three-pointers made in a single season (1,077).
- The team lost only two games on their home court at Oracle Arena during the entire regular season.
- Klay Thompson scored 60 points in just 29 minutes during a game later that same season, setting an efficiency record.