On this day, in 1995, the Chicago Bulls boasted a record of 25-3. They would finish their season at 72-10, what is widely known today as the greatest NBA regular season record of all time. But, on this day, 20 years later, the Golden State Warriors are 37-3 and don’t look to be slowing down.

An obvious and extremely controversial question is raised: can the Warriors actually top the record of the fabled 1995-96 Chicago Bulls?

Comparing the two teams is a task that requires scrutiny of the highest degree and opens up a can of worms that any fan loves to debate. But from a mathematical standpoint, the Warriors are in fact on pace to shatter the old record with a record of 77-5. The Bulls completed their season with a tremendous .878 win percentage; however, the Warriors are on pace for a staggering .938 win percentage.

The Bulls were led by arguably the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan. His impact alone plunges the team to greatness. However, the Warriors possess a weapon that has taken the league by storm with his superhuman shooting ability. That weapon is Stephen Curry, the reigning league MVP and NBA champion. Comparing the two is pointless of course; MJ will forever be the league’s most beloved star as he changed the game entirely, but Curry is changing the NBA in his own way as well.

Steph and the Warriors have been living off of the old saying “live by the three, die by the three” for two seasons now, and it’s one of the most efficient approaches to the game. Some say it’s ruining the game, some say it’s evolving it, but most will agree that it is the most exciting style of basketball to date. Whatever you believe, it is undeniable that the Warriors have assembled a cast so proficient at shooting the three that it’s nearly impossible for opponents to even keep up. Players like Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala compliment this style to perfection while also supplying the team with unrivaled defense.

The Bulls differ in several ways. They relied more on their aggressiveness in the paint, the starpower of Jordan and Scottie Pippen and a triangle offense orchestrated by legendary coach Phil Jackson. Their defense was also spectacular; Scottie Pippen is arguably the best perimeter-defender of all time, but offensively they seldom used jumpshots to the sheer perfection of the Warriors.

Another difference to the Bulls was the size of their players. The Warriors play a bit more “small ball,” allowing them to use more guards than forwards and use their quickness and shooting ability to dominate, whereas the Bulls were not afraid to overpower opponents down low using players such as Dennis Rodman and the 7’2” hulk that was Luc Longley. The leadership of Jordan was also instrumental; his greatness cannot be overstated in their path to glory. Steph Curry is a leader as well, but MJ had an intimidating presence about him that only a handful of players in history have.

NBA legend Charles Barkley is on record saying that the old Bulls would have “killed” the Warriors of today, but opinions aside, stats are stats. Scoring 114 point per game is a feat that the Bulls did not know, for they consistently landed around 105 point per game. However, defense was more of a staple in the Bulls’ scheme as they allowed only 92 points a game to their opponents; the Warriors are allowing a much less impressive 102 points a game. Also, while Michael Jordan did earn MVP honors that season, Stephen Curry is the front-runner for the award this year as well. The list goes on and on.

It was a different era of basketball in the 90’s; one of more physical play and less shooting. So is it fair to even compare? While it is fun to debate who is better, there isn’t a definitive answer on which is the more complete team as there isn’t enough evidence. But luckily, the future of the Warriors still holds much in store. Only time will tell to what extent their greatness may reach; we may even have a better idea as soon as the end of this season. For now, we will just have to be patient as the future of the NBA unfolds.