Scottie Pippen Says 1995-96 Bulls Would Have Swept Warriors in 7-Game Series
In case you haven't paid attention to the NBA at all this year, the Golden State Warriors are on the verge of breaking the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' single-season record of 72-10.
Through 76 games, Golden State is 68-8 and has to win five of its last six to break Chicago's mark. During the Warriors' quest for history, many have compared the teams and debated which one would win a seven-game series.
On Saturday, Bulls legend Scottie Pippen, who was a part of that 1995-96 squad, shed some light on who he thinks would come out on top when he spoke with Paul Pabst of The Dan Patrick Show (via producer Seton O'Connor), saying "Bulls in four":
Pippen and the legendary Michael Jordan would have been tasked with trying to shut down the Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, a duo that is revolutionizing the game with its three-point shooting.
When Pabst asked him, Pippen disclosed who he thought would guard the two Golden State shooters (via O'Connor):
Pippen saying the Bulls would take four straight from a Warriors team that is on the verge of setting the new standard of single-season excellence could be viewed as disrespectful.
Here's a look at how the teams match up on paper:
| 72-10 | Record | 68-8 |
| 105.2 | Points Per Game | 115.0 |
| 92.9 | Points Allowed Per Game | 104.1 |
| 47.8 | Field Goal Percentage | 48.6 |
| 40.3 | 3-Point Field Goal Percentage | 41.6 |
| 44.8 | Opponents FG % | 43.5 |
| 35.0 | Opponents 3 Pt. FG % | 33.1 |
| 1,405 | Turnovers Forced | 1,110 |
Golden State's high-powered offense would have to compete with Chicago's stingy defense, which was the best in the league in 1995-96. In comparison, the Warriors defense ranks fifth in the NBA this season.
But with Golden State's offense, giving up more than 104 points per 100 possessions is OK. It would be a different story if it played a team with several Hall of Famers, though, such as the Bulls featured. However, Pippen and Co. would probably not sweep this Warriors team.
Then again, we'll never know. Let the debate continue.
Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.
