The Best NBA Season Records Ever

No team in NBA history has finished a season undefeated. These are the ten that came closest.

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Top 10 regular season records

  1. 2015-16 Golden State Warriors — 73-9 (.890): the all-time record, powered by unanimous MVP Stephen Curry's 402 threes.
  2. 1995-96 Chicago Bulls — 72-10 (.878): Jordan, Pippen, Rodman — and the title the Warriors didn't get.
  3. 1996-97 Chicago Bulls — 69-13 (.841): back-to-back with almost the same dominance.
  4. 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers — 69-13 (.841): includes the legendary 33-game win streak, still unbroken.
  5. 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers — 68-13 (.840): Wilt Chamberlain's masterpiece season.
  6. 1972-73 Boston Celtics — 68-14 (.829): Havlicek and Cowens at full power.
  7. 1985-86 Boston Celtics — 67-15 (.817): Bird's best team, 40-1 at home.
  8. 1991-92 Chicago Bulls — 67-15 (.817): the second ring of the first three-peat.
  9. 1999-2000 Los Angeles Lakers — 67-15 (.817): peak Shaq, first of three straight titles.
  10. 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks — 67-15 (.817): Dirk's MVP year — and a first-round upset.

Why 82-0 has never happened

Injuries, back-to-backs, schedule losses, and the sheer variance of 82 games mean even all-time rosters drop games. The 73-9 Warriors lost to the lottery-bound Lakers and Timberwolves. Perfection needs 82 straight nights of dominance — which is exactly why we made it a game.

Think your five could do it?

The 82-0 game hands you random franchises and eras, you draft five legends, and a deterministic simulator plays the season. Beat 73-9 and you've out-built the greatest team ever assembled. Go 82-0 and you've done what no one in NBA history has.

FAQ

What is the best record in NBA history?
The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors went 73-9, breaking the 1995-96 Bulls’ 72-10.
Has any NBA team gone undefeated?
No. The longest single-season win streak is 33 games by the 1971-72 Lakers; the best full season is 73-9.
What is the worst NBA record?
The 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats went 7-59 (.106) in a lockout season; over 82 games, the 1972-73 76ers’ 9-73 is the worst.
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