Historical sporting achievements are so much more powerful when you lived through them.
Ask any NBA fan born in the late 1970s who was the league’s greatest player and most will say Michael Jordan, because he starred at the peak of their fandom. Ask the same fan who was the greatest team and they'll likely say the 72-win 1995-96 Chicago Bulls.
Ask those same questions to that particular fan’s father and he might well say Bill Russell, and Russell’s Boston Celtics, who won 11 of 13 championships from 1957 to 1969. (He might say Wilt Chamberlain, if he prefers hollow individual stats over NBA championships).
When matching up history’s super-teams in fantasy face-offs, we want to strengthen our argument by saying "Do you remember when … ?".
You’ll hear "Jordan scored 38 in the finals with the flu. LeBron James wouldn’t have even been able to tie his shoes!" or "28 wins in a row? The Celtics won eight titles in a row!"
That’s why we, the fans of today, should be lapping up every single moment of what will be considered one of the greatest campaigns in NBA history, regardless of what happens next.
As it stands, that ‘next’ involves three pieces of NBA regular season history that could be shattered within the next few days.
San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan. Picture: AP
No team has ever gone undefeated at home through an entire NBA season. The best home mark of 41-1 was set by another great Celtics team – Larry Bird’s 1985-86 version.
Today, the San Antonio Spurs are 39-0 at the AT&T Center. Just two home games remain – but they happen to be against the two teams that make up the Western Conference top three, along with the second-placed Spurs.
The Golden State Warriors (more on them later) are chasing records of their own behind the incredible shooting feats of point guard Stephen Curry (more on him later too) and the Oklahoma City Thunder have Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the NBA's second-most potent attack.
Even at this late stage, the odds are against San Antonio. They won’t care, of course – the Spurs in the era of head coach Gregg Popovich and star big man Tim Duncan don’t chase regular season records, just championships (five each and counting).
But for us, how significant to be able to tell our grandchildren that we watched the only team that went a whole season without losing in front of their fans?
Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry with coach Steve Kerr. Picture: AFP
Since reeling off 24 wins to start the season, Golden State have played under the shadow of that pacesetting Bulls squad (which featured Warriors head coach Steve Kerr as a back-up guard).
They have faced a bombardment of questions every bit as incessant as a three-point barrage from their star, Curry, on whether 73 wins was possible.
After losing two out of three games to start April, they sit at 69-9. To break the 72-win record, they now need to win the rest of their games. Two of those games come against the Spurs, starting on Thursday.
Mathematically speaking, Golden State are on course for 72.57 wins. At this stage, would anyone be shocked if they broke, equalled or fell just short of the high mark?
Gone is the possibility that both the home and overall regular season records could be broken in the same season. In order to win 73, the Warriors would have to beat the Spurs in San Antonio, thwarting their bid to stay perfect there.
That is a shame – but the excitement of the Sunday April 10 visit of Golden State to San Antonio could well be worth it if both records remain a possibility.
Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry, doing what he does best. Picture: AP
One debate is over, at least – Wardell Stephen Curry II is the greatest shooter in NBA history. His 382 three-pointers this season broke his own NBA record, and his name alone makes up the top three in three-point makes. Anyone who argues with his place in history is just trying to pick a fight (and we’re looking at you, NBA great Oscar Robertson).
Now, Curry is on course to become the first NBA player to lead the league in scoring while also submitting a season into the NBA’s prestigious 50-40-90 club – when a player hits at least 50 per cent of his shots, 40 per cent of his three-pointers and 90 per cent of his free-throws.
Only seven players in NBA history are in the club. Curry is doing it while taking 20.1 shots a game – 11.2 of them coming from behind the arc. What’s more, he’s averaging exactly 30 points a game – more than a full point more than nearest challenger James Harden.
Curry is easy to root for. At 6ft 3in and skinny, he’s no bigger than many casual basketball players. You’ll never be as tall as 7ft 1in Shaquille O’Neal, you can’t teach yourself to jump as high as Jordan, but you could have learned to shoot like Curry. He’s more likeable than the often sulky James or the downright grumpy Kobe Bryant.
And he’s doing these amazing things – things that may never be done again – right now, before our very eyes.
Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge and Warriors counterpart Draymond Green are both aiming for a place in history. Picture: AP
It’s possible that the Warriors only match 72 wins, or even that they don’t win again this regular season. Maybe the Spurs only equal 41 home victories, or maybe Popovich rests his stars for the remainder of the campaign and their win total is already set. And perhaps Curry is pipped at the post for the scoring title by Harden or Durant, or doesn’t hit another three-pointer until the playoffs.
But maybe not. Maybe we are about to see records fall. Maybe either the Spurs or the Warriors will emerge with a regular season record that will never be broken. Maybe Curry will seal a feat that means one day he – not Jordan – is considered the best player to grace the game.
Whatever happens next, two teams and one player have already ensured their spots in any conversation about the greatest the NBA has ever seen.
