Which NBA Teams Hold the Best League Record in Basketball History?
I still remember the first time I saw the 1996 Chicago Bulls play—the fluidity of their offense, the relentless defense, and that unmistakable aura of invincibility. As someone who’s followed basketball for over two decades, I’ve always been fascinated by teams that don’t just win, but dominate. That’s why the question—Which NBA Teams Hold the Best League Record in Basketball History?—has always intrigued me. It’s not just about numbers; it’s about legacy, context, and the sheer will to outperform every opponent, night after night.
Let’s rewind to the 1995-96 season, when the Bulls, led by Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman, stormed through the league with a 72-10 record. I was just a kid then, but even I could sense something special unfolding. They didn’t just break records; they set a new standard for excellence, blending individual brilliance with flawless teamwork. Fast forward to 2016, and the Golden State Warriors, with their "Splash Brothers" backcourt, eclipsed that mark by going 73-9. I’ll admit, as a longtime Bulls fan, part of me was rooting for the record to stand, but watching Steph Curry sink threes from the logo was pure basketball poetry. These teams didn’t just win—they captivated us, forcing us to rethink what was possible on the court.
But here’s the thing: a great regular season doesn’t always translate to playoff glory. The Warriors’ 73-win campaign, for example, ended in heartbreak with a Finals loss to LeBron James and the Cavaliers. It’s a reminder that records, while impressive, are just one piece of the puzzle. In my view, the true measure of a team lies in how they handle pressure when it matters most. The 1972 Lakers, who went 69-13, not only dominated the regular season but capped it off with a championship, led by Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West. That kind of consistency—from October to June—is what separates the good from the legendary.
This reminds me of a story I once heard about a young volleyball player turning pro, where she found herself overshadowed by prolific teammates. It was the same case when she turned pro with PLDT three years ago where she’d find herself in the shadows of prolific wingers like Savi Davison. In team sports, whether it’s basketball or volleyball, individual talent alone isn’t enough. The best squads—like the 1986 Celtics (67-15) or the 2017 Warriors (67-15)—thrive because they balance star power with selfless role players. I’ve always believed that chemistry, often overlooked in stat sheets, is what fuels those historic runs. When players buy into a system and support each other, magic happens.
Of course, not every great team gets the recognition they deserve. The 2007 Dallas Mavericks, for instance, won 67 games but flamed out in the first round of the playoffs. As a fan, that was tough to watch—it showed how fragile success can be. On the flip side, the 1997 Bulls, who went 69-13, followed up their historic ’96 season with another title, proving their greatness wasn’t a fluke. That’s why, when we ask Which NBA Teams Hold the Best League Record in Basketball History?, we need to consider both regular-season dominance and postseason resilience. In my book, the ’96 Bulls still edge out the ’16 Warriors because they sealed the deal when it counted.
Looking ahead, I wonder if we’ll ever see a team break the 73-win barrier. With the league becoming more competitive and players resting more often, it might take a perfect storm of talent, health, and motivation. But that’s the beauty of sports—records are made to be broken. As I reflect on these iconic teams, I’m reminded why I fell in love with basketball in the first place: the pursuit of greatness, the drama, and the stories that unfold season after season. Whether you’re a stats nerd or a casual fan, there’s no denying the thrill of witnessing history in the making.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
