Golden State Warriors Make NBA History: First Team to Start 16-0
What better way to make history in the NBA than topple one of the league's most successful franchises?
The Golden State Warriors handily won against the Los Angeles Lakers, 111-77, on Tuesday to extend their winning streak to 16, officially giving them the distinction of having the best start for the season in the history of the NBA. Before the game against the Lakers, the Warriors already tied the record (15-0) with the 1993-1994 Houston Rockets and the 1948-1949 Washington Capitals in a win against the Denver Nuggets.
The next record Golden State hopes to break is the 33 consecutive victories of the Lakers achieved in 1972; but that in itself is a longshot considering the level of competitiveness in the league today.
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The win against the Lakers came in as highly expected for a Golden State team that looked like no one can beat since winning the championship last season. Point guard and reigning league MVP Stephen Curry got game high honors in points, leading his team with 24 in roughly 30 minutes of action.
The game seemed like already a victory for the Warriors in the first quarter after building a huge lead, which at some point reached 19 points. Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Lakers simply didn't have the answer to Golden State's onslaught. Perhaps the motivation to break the record contributed to the extra effort from the Warriors.
But interim coach Luke Walton is quick to brush off the hype of surpassing the 1972 Lakers. According to him, it's realistically difficult if not impossible for them to reach 33 wins without losing because of the fact that they're going to face a long road trip in the next few games, including stops in Toronto, Indiana, and Boston.
Walton, a former Lakers player, is filling in for the injured Steve Kerr. The way his team is performing early this season, it seems like there's no rush for Kerr to return, unless of course they start losing in the road trip.
At this time, it just doesn't make sense to bet against the Warriors who are looking like they're much better compared to their championship run last season.
