Aaaaaaaaaand they’re in the record books.
The Golden State Warriors have officially had the most successful start to an NBA season in the history of American professional basketball.
The reigning, defending NBA Champions today absolutely obliterated a hapless Los Angeles Lakers squad to take their 2015-16 season record to an astonishing 16-0.
Fittingly coming in the Warriors stronghold of the Oracle Arena in the Bay Area, today’s demolition was as clinical as it was unsurprising. And, in fact, the final scoreline of 111-77 only served to flatter the Lakers, whose patchy offence looked about as convincing as a stiff mop.
It’s the spread from the entire Warriors roster that serves as the most remarkable aspect of today’s sixteenth win in succession. Behind the irrepressible Steph Curry and his 24 point effort (believe it or not, a quiet night by his standards), Draymond Green hauled in 18 points, Curry’s fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson knocked down 11, backup guard Leandro Barbosa sprung up off the bench and produced a handy 13 points, and even the usually defensively-focused Andrew Bogut chimed in with 8 valuable points.
No team has had a better start to an NBA season than this one. Ever. Not the 1993-94 Houston Rockets. Not the 1948-49 Washington Capitals. Not the dynastic, Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. Not the Magic Johnson-led Los Angeles Lakers. Not even the Bill Russell or Larry Bird-led Boston Celtics.
None of them. Not one.
The game has seen some phenomenal teams play some beyond incredible ball.
But not a single one of them has started a season better than this Golden State Warriors outfit. So the question is now: Who on earth can possibly knock them off?
Their next test comes this Saturday (Australian time) – a road trip to Arizona to take on the Phoenix Suns.
On current form, returning back to California anything less than 17-0 would be an enormous shock.
Photo: Thearon W. Henderson via Getty Images.
