Did the Warriors Sacrificed the NBA Title for 73 wins?

[HoopSuperstar]

True or False Goldenstate Warriors Sacrificed a chance at the nba championship for 73 wins
Considering some of their injuries during the playoffs and going the max 7 games against thunder and cavs they sure could have used the extra rest. Pop rested Duncan and Diaw for a playoff run sacrificing san antonio undfeated home record at the time. I believe the
Bulls rested their players at least for the final game of the regular season during their 72 win season. Thoughts?

[kamil]

Did the Bulls sacrifice anything for 72 wins in 1996?

[ScalsFan21]

It's impossible to say for sure. Maybe. Maybe not.

All I know is, going all out in the RS has proven to have its drawbacks come playoff time, now across all 4 sports with the best records ever losing in the NBA/NHL/MLB/NFL. Part of it is part of the extra energy expended (going after those last 4 consecutive wins at the end was something I'm sure they would have liked to not have to do), maybe another part of it is the pressure of "validating" the record.

All I know is, the NBA regular season is not really meaningful at all for elite teams. I understand the urge to go all out for top seeds to clinch home court throughout, and in this case to chase history. I probably would have done the same thing because why not get the record AND the chip and do something that really makes your team special? I get it.

But right or wrong, this season will serve as a huge example for coaches with Pop-like philosophies to point to and say "well, look what happened with that team". I feel like it's unfortunate and it's a major oversimplification of this Warriors season, but you know it's gonna happen. I really hope it doesn't further water down the NBA reg season, but that could be where we're headed.

I respect Golden State for doing what they did and admitting all year that they WANTED 73, because as a fan it's something unique to see, and it's good to know that sports can still surprise us.

[LebronsHairline]

Doesn't matter. Spurs rested still couldn't make it to the finals.

[ScalsFan21]

Doesn't matter. Spurs rested still couldn't make it to the finals.

True. It's an impossible thing to say for sure, but how can you blame them as competitors for wanting to go for it? I personally can't. If the philosophy is "the championship is the ONLY thing that matters", then yeah I guess it's stupid, but it was nice to see considering what an exhibition the regular season typically is in this league.

[Stringer Bell]

I don't think so. They just got outplayed badly in the 2 of the last 3 games, and then slightly in game 7. I don't think it was fatigue. Curry played poorly in the Finals, I think in no small part to Cleveland's physical defense. If the injury played a part in Curry's poor performance, it wasn't fatigue from chasing the record that caused the injury. It was a freak accident from slipping on a wet spot on the floor. If he played less minutes in the last month or 2, I don't think that injury changes.

Injuries are part of the game and the injury to Bogut was just one of those plays that happens. Possibly the same with Iguodala's back.

A situation where lack of rest leads to injury would be the 1989 Lakers. Pat Riley decided to put his Lakers on a super intense mini-camp before the Finals. Some of the coaches thought it was crazy, but of course Pat Riley would not listen. Their bodies couldn't handle it. Byron Scott tore his hamstring before the Finals and Magic tore his during game 2.

That's a case where I would say lack of rest really hurt (I'd lean towards the Pistons that year anyway, but it would have been much more competitive). But not this year.