The Chicago Bulls became the first team to win 70 games or more in the 1995-96 season. Heading into the 1996-97 wars, the team’s hot start indicated that the defending champions would replicate that feat.
That year, the Bulls got off to a hot start. They won their first 12 games, and buzz about another record run spread. However, one player who played it conservatively was guard Steve Kerr . The Arizona product was aware that, at some point, Chicago would be defeated.
“I don’t think we will go 82-0, we may go 81-1,” Kerr said via UPI after the Bulls win over the Denver Nuggets, 110-92. “We haven’t had a tough schedule yet. We see Michael Jordan every day, so what he does doesn’t amaze us anymore.”
Bulls fall short of 70 wins
After that win over the Nuggets, the Bulls would be sent back to reality two days later. They lost to the Utah Jazz, 105-100, their first for the season. But as it turned out, that would simply be a minor tumble. Chicago would rack up another five-game winning streak before suffering their second loss of the season.