Gareth Messenger 

The honour of being acknowledged as "the greatest team in NBA history" is one fans can debate endlessly, but supporters of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls could point to one unstoppable level in making their case.

The Bulls' 72-10 record and .878 winning percentage during the 1995-96 regular season was the best in NBA history and stands as one of the great team accomplishments in the sport.

The Bulls eclipsed the marks set by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1971-72, who went 69-13 for a .841 percentage. The Golden State Warriors were the first team to surpass the 72-win mark when they finished 73-9 in the 2015-16 season. 

Such was the Bulls dominance in the mid-nineties, they enjoyed two winning streaks of 18 and 13, the second-most wins on the road in NBA history and started 37 and 0 at home. 

It was on this day in 1996, that Chicago cemented their legacy by reaching the unprecedented mark, at the time, of 72 wins in a regular season, when they beat the Washington Wizards 103-93 at the USAir Arena in Maryland. 

It is little surprise that Chicago’s dominant trio were the stars on this momentous occasion. Michael Jordan, who was back in regular-season basketball again after an 18-month layoff to pursue a career in baseball, scored 26 points. The divisive character Dennis Rodman scooped up 11 rebounds, while a member of the infamous “Dream Team” Scottie Pippen made five assists. 

The Bulls finished 39-2 at the United Center and 33-8 on the road, their 33 road victories the most ever to fly to the top of the Eastern Conference. They continued to steamroll the opposition in the playoffs. They lost only one game in series wins over Miami, New York, and Orlando, setting up a Finals matchup with Seattle, which they eventually won 4-2 to win the NBA Championship. 

It also meant the best combined regular and postseason record in NBA history. And even though Golden State went won better and won 73 in the regular season of 2015-16, they were unable to go on and win the title.