On This Day in Sports: April 21, 1996
On April 21, 1996, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Washington Bullets, 103-93, to finish the regular season with a 72-10 record. No NBA team had previously won 70 games. Chicago had already passed the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers’ record of 69 victories, but the finale gave the achievement its clean, memorable numbers.
Michael Jordan scored 26 points, while Scottie Pippen added 19 as the Bulls controlled the second half. The victory was their 33rd on the road, another league record at the time. Chicago’s combination of pressure defense, rebounding and multiple scoring options had produced winning streaks without allowing a sustained slump across six months.
The season also marked Jordan’s first full campaign after returning from baseball. With Dennis Rodman joining Pippen and Jordan, coach Phil Jackson had a roster that could play fast, defend across positions and dominate the glass. The Bulls followed the regular-season record by going 15-3 in the playoffs and defeating Seattle for the championship.
Golden State surpassed the victory total with 73 wins in 2015-16, but Chicago’s season retains a special status because it ended with a title. The 72-10 record became shorthand for sustained excellence and the beginning of a second three-peat. The final win in Washington completed the regular season; the championship that followed completed the argument.
Chicago defeated Washington 103-93.
The Bulls finished 72-10.
Michael Jordan scored 26 points.
Chicago won 33 road games.
The team went 15-3 in the playoffs.
The Bulls defeated Seattle for the championship.
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