Can Golden State Warriors still make a case for best team ever?

Seeking Perfection

Is it right to hang so much legacy on one mistake?  Often the difference between greatness and normality is very small.  Perhaps, irrationally so.

Take a look at the Warriors the past 2 seasons and similar historically dominant teams that failed to seal the deal, and whether it’s fair to have a championship or perfection ultimatum.

2016 Warriors

Last season, critics claimed the Warriors were no longer in the running for team G.O.A.T status after their finals game 7 loss.  A championship is simply a mandatory requirement according to old-fashioned sports law.  In fact, pundits refer to the 73 win Warriors as the greatest “regular season” team ever.  That slight clarification is used to speak the truth without insulting sports purists.

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The Warriors barely squeaked past the pending Chicago Bulls ’96 record 72 wins last season, but due to the difference of just winning or losing game 7, they allegedly drop out of the running.  There were no celebrations of the Warriors near-immortality at the ESPY’s. After all, that was all for the winning Cavaliers.

2007 New England Patriots

16-0 in the regular season, but finished with a combined record of 18-1 after the epic Super Bowl XLII upset at the hands of the New York Giants. Nonetheless, they became the first team ever to go undefeated in the regular season.  Tom Brady won MVP and Bill Belichick won coach of the Year.

2015 Kentucky Wildcats

John Calipari’s team was 38-0 coming into the final four rematch against the Wisconsin Badgers, who they had upset the prior season as the 8 seed en route to losing the title game.  Their title redemption and bid for the first 40-0 season in college basketball history would fall short at the hands of the familiar foe.

Nonetheless, the roster contained seven players who declared themselves for the NBA draft at the end of the season.  They could have beaten just about anyone in the country with just those seven guys in the rotation.  All but Aaron Harrison were drafted and are playing in the NBA, with 4 lottery picks and the overall #1 pick and future NBA rookie of the year, Karl Anthony Towns.

2017 Warriors

Now this season, the Warriors finished with 6 less wins, which dropped them out of historic territory.  However, they were again, just one game shy of immortality.  Winning game 4 would have punched another ticket in the records book.

No team had ever gone 16-0 for the post-season.  The 2001 Lakers finished their championship run 15-1.  Note, the first round was best of 5 series back then.

Danile Mano of the Mercury News reports on the non-negotiable opinion of one Mychal Thompson, Klay’s Dad and former NBA player.

So… which of these 2 Warriors teams has the better case?

Neil Paine of FiveThirtyEight breaks down the comparison of this year compared to last.

Both accomplishments are impressive in their own right.  Critics tend to favor post-season success, but then why do we have the regular season so much longer to begin with?

Next: Top 25 Warriors in Franchise History

For both this year and last, the historical status of the Warriors came down to one loss.  Now, that is a very tough measure for a team averaging around 100 games in the regular and post-season during their consecutive NBA finals’ appearances.

Perhaps, these are simply too harsh of judgements for these Warriors teams.  Or, the combination of back-to-back-to-back years following of impressive accomplishments is what still has them in the running.  If not for best team in that season, then certainly for best dynasty.