Are The Golden State Warriors An All-Time Great Team?
Regular Season Dominance
After compiling a 67-15 regular season record, the Golden State Warriors tied the sixth best win percentage in NBA history. By winning the title, the Dubs marked the 16th team to win it all out of the last 19 teams to reach the 65-win mark. They also were the 10th team of the previous 13 to go on to win the title after winning at least 60 games in their first 73.
That’s some pretty elite company to be in, but it gets even better.
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If you take a look back on the list of NBA champions dating back to the 1999-00 season, you’ll notice that nearly every one has been in the top 10 for both offensive and defensive efficiency (with the exceptions being the 2009-10 Los Angeles Lakers, the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons and the 2000-01 Lakers).
But do you know how many of them were in the top two for both categories like the Warriors were this season? None. The closest team to reaching that kind of statistical accomplishment was the 2006-07 San Antonio Spurs, who were second in defensive rating and third in offensive rating (though the 2009-10 Orlando Magic, who fell short of a title, were top two in both categories).
The Warriors’ standing among past champions becomes even more pronounced, however, when you take into account their unbelievable +10.1 point differential for the season. The last team to boast such an impressive point differential for the season was the 2007-08 Boston Celtics (+10.3), who won the title. Before that, you’d have to go back to Michael Jordan‘s 1996-97 Chicago Bulls (+10.8), who also won the title.
In fact, the Warriors rank eighth all-time in terms of regular season point differential:
- 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers: +12.3 (won title)
- 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks: +12.2 (won title)
- 1995-96 Chicago Bulls: +12.2 (won title)
- 1971-72 Milwaukee Bucks: +11.2 (did not win title)
- 1996-97 Chicago Bulls: +10.8 (won title)
- 1991-92 Chicago Bulls: +10.4 (won title)
- 2007-08 Boston Celtics: +10.3 (won title)
- 2014-15 Golden State Warriors: +10.1 (won title)
En route to those 67 wins, the Dubs won their first Pacific Division title since 1976. They set a franchise record for regular season wins, finishing with the best record in the NBA by seven games and becoming the 10th team in league history to win at least 67 games.
They strung together so many elite and interesting statistical tidbits this season that it’s hard to keep track of them all.
Hey, the Warriors are up 15. They're 58-0 when they lead by 15 at any point in a game.
— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) June 17, 2015
They won a franchise-record 19 straight games at one point in the season and they posted an unbelievable 39-2 record at home (tied for the second-best home record in league history). Klay Thompson set an NBA record for most points in a single quarter (37), Steve Kerr set a record for most wins by a rookie head coach and Stephen Curry broke his own NBA record for most three-pointers made in a single season (286).
General manager Bob Myers won Executive of the Year, Curry won MVP and, to be completely honest, Steve Kerr and Draymond Green were more than deserving of Coach of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors, respectively. The 2014-15 regular season belonged to the Golden State Warriors, and it’s not even close.
Next: The Postseason Run