Which NBA Team Holds the Best Regular Season Record of All Time?
I remember sitting in my uncle’s cluttered living room back in 2016, the glow of the TV screen casting shadows across stacks of old basketball magazines and VHS tapes. He was rewatching the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls season—for what must have been the hundredth time—and he kept muttering under his breath, "Nag-sold out na agad lahat," a phrase he’d picked up during his years covering sports in Manila. Roughly translated, it means "sold out immediately," and he’d use it to describe things that were so overwhelmingly dominant, so unquestionably great, that they left no room for doubt. That’s exactly how I feel when I think about the Chicago Bulls and their legendary 72-10 record. It’s the kind of achievement that makes you wonder: which NBA team truly holds the best regular season record of all time?
Now, I’ve always been a stats nerd. Give me a spreadsheet of player efficiency ratings or defensive win shares, and I’ll happily lose an afternoon. But numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. You’ve got to consider the era, the competition, the sheer will it takes to string together win after win in a grueling 82-game season. When the Golden State Warriors went 73-9 in 2016, breaking that Bulls record, part of me was thrilled. Steph Curry’s gravity-defying threes, Draymond’s fiery intensity—it was basketball as art. But another part of me, the part that grew up idolizing Michael Jordan, felt a pang of nostalgia. See, I don’t think records exist in a vacuum. Context matters. The Bulls’ 72-10 wasn’t just a number; it was a statement. They had Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, and Phil Jackson orchestrating it all. That team was so stacked, so mentally tough, that every game felt like a foregone conclusion. "Nag-sold out na agad lahat," as my uncle would say. They didn’t just win; they dominated.
Let’s talk about that Warriors team for a second, because they deserve their flowers. 73 wins is absurd. I mean, come on—losing only nine games in a season where every opponent is gunning for you? That’s insane. But here’s where I get controversial: I still think the Bulls’ record feels more impressive. Why? Because the league was different back then. Physicality was allowed. Hand-checking, hard fouls—it was a bloodsport compared to today’s pace-and-space game. The Bulls navigated that with a blend of finesse and ferocity that I’m not sure any other team has matched. And let’s not forget, they capped off that historic regular season with a championship. The Warriors, as incredible as they were, fell short in the Finals. That’s a gut punch that lingers, at least for me.
But hey, I’m not here to dismiss other contenders. The 1971-72 Lakers went 69-13, riding a 33-game win streak that still gives me chills. Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West? Legends. Then there’s the 2015-16 San Antonio Spurs, who quietly went 67-15 with a beautifully unselfish brand of basketball. But when you stack them up against the Bulls or Warriors, it’s hard to argue they’re in the same tier. My personal bias leans toward Chicago, but I’ll admit—the Warriors’ 73-9 is the official record. It’s right there in the books. Yet, if you ask me which team I’d bet on in a hypothetical matchup, I’m taking the Bulls. Jordan’s killer instinct, Rodman’s rebounding, Pippen’s two-way brilliance—it’s a combination that I believe would overwhelm even the Splash Brothers.
In the end, debates like this are what make sports so endlessly fascinating. We can throw numbers around all day—72 wins, 73 wins, 69 wins—but what we’re really talking about is legacy. Which team captured the imagination of fans and left an indelible mark on the game? For me, it’ll always be the ’96 Bulls. They set a standard that seemed untouchable for two decades, and even when it was broken, the conversation didn’t end; it evolved. So, next time you’re arguing with friends over which NBA team holds the best regular season record of all time, remember that stats are just part of the story. The rest is heart, history, and a little bit of that "sold out immediately" magic.
