Chasing the Dream: 73 Wins Have Cost Me Several Years of Life; Thunder Have the Talent but Likely Won't Pursue This Record

On December 5th Beijing time, Draymond discussed on a podcast the Thunder’s impressive start and the possibility of them going after the Warriors’ 73-win record. He feels the Thunder absolutely possess the strength, yet the team probably won’t pursue this milestone. Here is what Draymond said on the podcast—

The Thunder currently boast an outstanding 21-1 record, which naturally sparks conversations about whether they can surpass our 73-win mark from back then. Last night someone asked me about this, and I responded, “Let them go for it,” joking that “73 wins took several years off my life.”

That comment was partly in jest—at least I hope so. What I truly meant is that chasing 73 wins demands extreme focus and everyone staying healthy. Although I mentioned last night that the Thunder seem unaffected by injuries—Dort is out but they still win; Caruso sits but the team’s rhythm remains steady; even with Jaylen Williams and Hartenstein missing, they don’t falter, truly a “plug-and-play” model. Of course, if Alexander were out, it might be different. But what’s remarkable about this team is that aside from Alexander, no matter who’s absent, they remain a top-tier squad and can still hold the league’s top spot. That’s really fascinating from this perspective.

When we chased 73 wins, I actually suffered a concussionDuring an away game against the Jazz, with about 6 games left—maybe even only 4 regular season games—I was battling for a loose ball and got hit by Ingles, resulting in a clear concussion. At that time, I was living on Berkeley Hills, where the winding roads and strong winds made me dizzy for several days. But I told no one because I knew if word got out, I’d have to sit out at least a week, which could jeopardize our pursuit of 73 wins. I wanted that achievement more than anyone, so I kept quiet, even though the symptoms lasted several days. I might have casually mentioned this before, but never in such detail—you’re among the first to know. Hopefully, our trainers won’t get in trouble since I kept it from them too.

So you can understand,how much grit it takes to push through injuries and exhaustion for that goal—that’s why I said it cost me several years of life—no matter what happens, you just have to tough it out. Also, I realized that in chasing 73 wins, we actually drifted away from the true “process” of winning a championship. It sounds cliché, but every day on a championship path should be about growth and development. Back then, because we were so strong and confident no one could beat us, we stopped focusing on improving ourselves. Many games were just about securing a win by any means in the final quarter. Over time, we missed many chances to refine and strengthen ourselves.

Can the Thunder break the 73-win record? They are indeed a top-level team and theoretically have a chance, but it requires the perfect alignment of circumstances. Last year, the Cavaliers also started hot but once they hit a losing streak, their chances of breaking records diminished sharply—though the Thunder haven’t experienced consecutive losses yet, having lost only once so far this season. However, as the season progresses, the schedule will become tougher, and this is still just the beginning.Personally, I think they have the ability, but most likely won’t go for it. Not due to lack of skill, but because past the halfway point in the season, the team begins to weigh pros and cons. For the current Thunder, competing for the championship clearly takes precedence over breaking records,This is just my personal opinion; after all, they truly have the talent to chase the record. Let’s wait and see.