NBA

Greatest Team Ever vs Biggest Choke in History

The 73-9 Warriors were the greatest regular season team ever. Then they blew a 3-1 lead. Legacy: greatness or choke?

The Competition

Who they faced — and how good those opponents were

Greatest Team Ever

Beat every team in a league loaded with LeBron's Cavs, the KD/Westbrook Thunder, the Kawhi Spurs, and the CP3 Clippers. Won 73 against a deeper NBA than the '96 Bulls faced.

OKC Thunder·KD + Westbrook · 3-1 series lead on Warriors

Came back from 3-1 to win WCF

2016 WCF

San Antonio Spurs·67-15 · Kawhi Leonard era

Beat them twice in regular season

2015-16 regular season

Cleveland Cavaliers·LeBron + Kyrie + Love

Led 3-1 in Finals (lost Games 5-7)

2016 NBA Finals

Biggest Choke in History

Had every advantage — home court, unanimous MVP, 73-9 record, 3-1 lead — against a Cavaliers team they'd beaten the year before. No excuses.

LeBron James·4x MVP · All-time scoring leader

LeBron averaged 29.7/11.3/8.9, led both teams in every stat

2016 NBA Finals Games 5-7

Kyrie Irving·All-Star PG · Hit the dagger 3

Kyrie hit the go-ahead 3 in Game 7 with 53 seconds left

2016 NBA Finals Game 7

J.R. Smith·Role player · Outplayed Harrison Barnes

Barnes went 5-for-32 in the last 3 games

2016 NBA Finals Games 5-7

The Debate

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