We don't talk a ton about other sports, but once in a while it's worth a mention. Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. PT, the Golden State Warriors face the Memphis Grizzlies on ESPN to close out the 2015-16 regular season. I think most people know the Warriors have a chance to set the NBA's regular season win record. If you didn't know, they are currently 72-9, and a win moves them past the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls who went 72-10.
There has been plenty of Bay Area chatter about the Warriors potential record-setting run, and naturally they are being compared to the great teams in Bay Area history.
49ers great Randy Cross on GSWs: "It's very similar to our '84 team, which was the first to win 18 games. We were in 'Next' mode all year...
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) April 12, 2016
More Cross: "No disrespect to our opponents but the issue wasn't in question, how much do we win by and who's NEXT."
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) April 12, 2016
If the Warriors get the win tonight, they will go down in history with the regular season record. However, if they come up short in the upcoming playoffs, there will always be an asterisk. Of course, given how well they are playing, it is hard to see them losing a 4-game series anytime soon.
If they do take home the championship, they will quickly climb near the top of the rankings of greatest teams of all time. It is hard to compare across eras, but it is not going to stop people from doing it. And of course, comparing across sports is not a simple matter either.
In this case, the Warriors have a chance to finish off one of the greatest regular seasons in sports history, and potentially add a second straight championship. It's not 49ers in the 80s dynasty yet, but it's certainly a good start to move into the dynasty discussion.