10 years after capping off the most dominant regular season in NBA history, Stephen Curry can’t help but think about what the Golden State Warriors’ relentless pursuit of 73 wins cost them.
Revisiting Golden State’s achievement, the two-time MVP opened up about his disappointment after missing Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s iconic farewell game the same night his squad made history.
Stephen Curry ‘Felt Jipped’ Missing Kobe Bryant’s 60-Point Sendoff as Warriors Secured 73rd Win
The final day of the NBA regular season typically produces wild outcomes as some teams rest key players while others vie for improved playoff positioning. However, the 2015-16 campaign’s culmination took that to another level.
On April 13, 2016, the Warriors topped the Memphis Grizzlies 125-104 behind Curry’s game-high 46-point eruption, marking their unprecedented 73rd win. The Warriors overtook Michael Jordan’s 1995-96 Chicago Bulls (72-10) for the winningest season in league history, with Curry going on to unanimously capture his second straight MVP.
The 12-time All-Star also hit a whopping 10 3-pointers against the Grizzlies, becoming the first player ever to reach 400 triples in a single campaign (402).
However, the evening Curry and Golden State made history, the NBA world was captivated by 37-year-old Bryant improbably dropping 60 points in his final outing, a 101-96 victory over the Utah Jazz.
The emotional moment proved to be one of the most memorable in recent history, only gaining more reverence after the five-time NBA champion’s tragic passing in 2020.
“I was kinda mad because I wanted to watch Kobe’s last game,” Curry told The Athletic. “We knew what was at stake, but I wanted to watch … I really wanted to watch Kob’s last game.
“Then, when I got out, I heard what happened on the other side. I was like, ‘Oh my goodness. He scored 60?’ So, I was excited, but also as a basketball fan, I felt like I got jipped at the same time. A great experience, though, for sure.”
While the 2016 Warriors still stand alone as the most prolific regular season squad of all time, their 73-9 record didn’t translate to championship success. Golden State infamously blew a 3-1 lead to the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals, fueling questions about the grueling nature of targeting regular-season supremacy.
Still, Curry’s peak remains one for the record books, with his staggering single-season shooting mark appearing safe for the foreseeable future.
