The Golden State Warriors set an NBA regular season record with 73 wins this year, earning the number one seed in the Western Conference. In the first-round they beat the Houston Rockets 4-1. Portland was no match for them in the second-round cruising to a 4-1 series victory. In the Western Conference Finals, Golden State outlasted Oklahoma City in seven games. In the NBA Finals, they met the Cleveland Cavaliers, a rematch of last year’s NBA Finals in which Golden State won in 6 games. Golden State was up 3 games to 1. It looked like they would end up with another NBA title. That didn’t happen. Cleveland stormed back to win the series in seven games last night, becoming the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3 to 1 deficit and win the NBA title. The Golden State Warriors are not the only team in North America sports history to set a record in wins and not take home a championship.
The 1995-1996 Detroit Red Wings posted a record of 62-13-7 for a total of 131 points. The 62 wins were a new record in the NHL which still stands today. The Red Wings knocked off the Winnipeg Jets in the first-round. In the second-round, Detroit survived a 7 game series with the St. Louis Blues. In the Western Conference Finals, the Colorado Avalanche won in 6 games and then went on to win the Stanley Cup. Sure it was an historic season for Detroit, but they fell short of their goal which was to hoist the Stanley Cup.
In Major League Baseball, the Seattle Mariners had an outstanding record of 116-46 in 2001. They were the American League West champions. In the American League Division Series, Seattle edged Cleveland in 5 games. In the American League Championship Series, the New York Yankees were waiting for them. The Mariners for all they accomplished didn’t even appear in the World Series as the Yankees took the series 4-1.
The NFL saw the 2007 New England Patriots go undefeated in a 16 game schedule. They were unstoppable on offense with Tom Brady throwing to Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Ben Watson. Kevin Faulk was gaining yards on the ground. The Patriots earned a bye week for the Wild Card round as the AFC’s number one seed. Jacksonville earned the right to play them in the Divisional Round but couldn’t stop New England. The Patriots enjoyed a 31-20 victory. In the AFC Championship the San Diego Chargers were next but couldn’t knock off the Patriots. New England advanced to Super Bowl XLII. This was a rematch of week 17 when the Patriots edged the Giants 38-35. The Super Bowl was a much different story as the Giants held on for a 17-14 triumph.
Wins in the regular season are a respectable goal in every sport, especially if that team sets a new mark. The problem is if a team doesn’t win a championship they won’t go down as the best team in that sport’s history. These are a few of the best records in North American sports that didn’t win a championship that year.
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