When the 2023-24 Oklahoma City Thunder stormed out of the gates with a 24-1 record, even Steve Kerr had to pause. The Golden State Warriors head coach - who knows a thing or two about historic regular seasons - thought his team’s legendary 73-9 mark from 2015-16 might finally be in jeopardy.
For a moment, it felt possible. The Thunder were rolling, young legs flying all over the court, playing with a blend of poise and pace that made them look almost untouchable.
But then came December. A 6-6 stretch brought them back to Earth, and with it came Kerr’s realization: the 73-win mountain is still standing tall - and probably will for a long time.
“I remember at the time I thought, ‘No way,’” Kerr said before the Warriors faced the Hornets on Saturday. “And then, about a month ago, I thought it would be broken. And now, I don’t think there’s any way anybody’s gonna break it again.”
Kerr’s not just speaking from a place of pride - he’s speaking from experience. That 2015-16 Warriors squad didn’t just flirt with greatness; they reset the bar.
They eclipsed the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ 72-10 record, a mark many believed was untouchable. But what people often forget is how grueling that journey was - and how much had to go right.
“You have to have good health - you have to have some luck,” Kerr said. “And most teams probably aren’t going to push themselves that hard to get there.
It’s so difficult. My guess is it won’t be broken.”
The Thunder’s recent stumble - capped by a narrow 122-120 loss to the Miami Heat - dropped them to 35-8. To tie the Warriors’ 73-win record, they’d have to run the table and win their final 39 games. That’s not just unlikely - it’s borderline impossible in today’s NBA, where rest, rotations, and long-term thinking often take precedence over chasing history.
And even if a team were to make that kind of run, there’s always the looming question: at what cost?
Kerr, along with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, has been open about how the 2015-16 season is remembered within the Warriors' walls. Yes, they made history. But they also lost a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals to LeBron James and the Cavaliers - a collapse that still echoes through NBA lore.
“Never,” Kerr said when asked how often the 73-win season comes up. “We have a banner hanging in the facility commemorating the record, and, other than that, we never talk about it.
It’s an incredible accomplishment. I mean, just stunning to think about winning that many games.”
But for Kerr, there’s one stat from that season that stands out even more than the final win total.
“I think my favorite stat from that whole stretch was - we went like 135 games without losing two in a row,” he said. “Because losing two in a row in this league, it’s almost inevitable.
Just given the way the schedule pans out and injuries, everything else. So, to go 130-odd games without losing two in a row was just stunning.”
That’s the kind of consistency that defines greatness. Not just the wins - but the resilience.
The ability to bounce back, night after night, against the best athletes in the world. It’s the kind of mental and physical grind that’s hard to replicate, especially in an era where player health and long-term sustainability are prioritized more than ever.
So while the Thunder’s early-season surge was impressive - and a testament to their potential - Kerr’s perspective is grounded in the reality of the NBA grind. History is hard to make for a reason.
As for the present, Kerr’s Warriors handled business on Saturday, cruising past the Hornets 136-116. It was a reminder that while the dynasty may be aging, there’s still plenty of fight left in Golden State. And for Kerr, the past isn’t something to dwell on - it’s something to respect, then move forward from.
“I’m really proud to be part of that team,” he said. “But I don’t spend a whole lot of time looking back at it.”