By: Jamal Smith Sports Editor
Prior to this year’s NBA season, the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls were considered to be the greatest team in NBA history. Led by Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman, the Bulls dominated the league and set the benchmark in regular season wins, finishing the season with the record of 73-9.
Most sports analysts considered the Bull’s record to be unbreakable, but the unfathomable has happened: the Golden State Warriors bested the Bull’s record by one game and put the team at the top of the record books.
The Warriors’ record is an incredible achievement especially in the current NBA landscape; however, many sports analysts still believe that the 95-96 Bulls would get the nod as the best of all-time. So, which team is better, Stephen Curry’s Warriors or Jordan’s Bulls?
Starting lineups:
1995-96 Bulls
| Position | Starting 5 | PTS | RB | AST |
| SF | Scottie Pippen | 19.4 | 6.9 | 5.9 |
| PF | Dennis Rodman | 5.5 | 15.6 | 2.5 |
| C | Luke Longley | 9.1 | 5.1 | 1.9 |
| PG | Ron Harper | 7.4 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| SG | Michael Jordan | 30.4 | 6.6 | 4.3 |
2015-16 Warriors
| Position | Starting 5 | PTS | RB | AST |
| SF | Harrison Barnes | 11.7 | 4.9 | 1.8 |
| PF | Draymond Green | 14.0 | 9.5 | 7.4 |
| C | Andrew Bogut | 5.4 | 7.0 | 2.3 |
| PG | Stephen Curry | 30.1 | 5.4 | 6.7 |
| SG | Klay Thompson | 22.1 | 3.8 | 2.1 |
The statistics of both teams’ starters are almost identical. Jordan led the Bulls in scoring with 30.4 points per game, and the Warriors were led by last year’s MVP, Curry, who averaged 30.1 points per game.
Pippen and Clay Thompson, the second best players of two teams, both averaged near the 20 point mark per game. Golden State had four out of five starters averaging double figures in scoring, whereas the Bulls only had Jordan and Pippen.
The rebounding edge would go to the Bulls, but the Warriors would have the edge in assists.
Overall, the Bulls have the better starting lineup because, well, they had the greatest player of all-time in Jordan.
Winner: Bulls
Bench:
Bull’s Key Rotation Players: Steve Kerr (8.4 PPG), Tony Kukoc (13.1 PPG), Jack Haley (5.0 PPG).
Warriors’ Key Rotation Players: Marreese Speights (7.1 PPG), Shaun Livingston (6.3 PPG), Andre Iguodala (7.0 PPG), Festus Ezeli (7.0 PPG).
There is no denying how much of an impact the bench players had on the Bull’s record setting season. Kerr and Kukoc were often in the end of games when the game was on the line. Both of the role players seemed to come off the bench and hit huge shots when it mattered, but beyond the duo, the Bulls lacked depth.
The Warriors bench is loaded. Iguodala and Livingston were both key starters on other teams before coming to the Warriors. The Warriors bench has come in and played meaningful minutes in games were starters got bit by the injury bug.
Winner: Warriors
Coach:
Kerr, the Warriors head coach, can boast about being on both record setting teams. When he was hired on as the head coach before the start of last year’s NBA season, many sports analysts were left scratching their heads when the Warrior’s front office fired Mark Jackson after a highly successful season.
Kerr took over and lead the Warriors to the Championship in his first year at the helm. Follow that up with beating the record of his former team and no one can deny his ability to lead.
The Bull’s head coach of the 1995-96 season was Phil Jackson. Jackson is the most decorated head coach of all-time, winning 11 championships as a coach and two as a player with the New York Knicks. As a coach of the Bulls, Jackson was able to lead the Bulls to six championships.
Winner: Bulls
It is unfortunate that we will never truly know who the better team was. Although the Bulls had a better starting lineup and coach, the Warriors have better depth, but overall the deciding factor was Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson.
Overall Winner: Bulls
