Basketball fans all over the internet are quietly engrossed in a small browser game that appears to be quite straightforward. You receive $100 million. You turn a wheel. Five players are chosen by you. The game then determines if your custom-built superteam could defeat the Golden State Warriors of 2015–16, who had the best record in NBA history after finishing the regular season 73–9. The majority of people lose. Actually, almost everyone.
It began to gain traction in the middle of 2026, somewhat influenced by a related idea known as 82-0, in which players attempt to build an unbeaten team. The question posed by the 73-9 version is somewhat different and possibly more difficult: can you create something strong enough to defeat the best regular-season team ever put together? The answer seems to be no, at least based on the leaderboard of the game. 71-10 is the best result ever recorded. Not better, but second best to the Warriors.
The budget restriction is one of the things that makes the game so frustrating. Approximately 93% of the salary cap for 2015–16 was used by the five Warriors starters: Curry, Thompson, Draymond, Iguodala, and Bogut. When luxury tax spending is taken into account, some estimates place the team’s total payroll at 133% of the cap.
You can use 60% of the current cap in the game. Critics like journalist Dan Diamond identified this fundamental tension almost immediately. With a budget that wouldn’t even cover two maximum players today, you’re being asked to defeat a team that was constructed with virtually limitless financial flexibility.
So how do you really go about winning it, or at the very least, giving yourself the best chance? The first thing that seasoned players seem to agree upon is that you shouldn’t blindly pursue big names. The wheel mechanic indicates that you are somewhat dependent on chance, but your choice of signs is crucial.
The Warriors weren’t just a group of stars, despite the propensity to sign the most conspicuous player—the biggest personality, the highest scorer, etc. They functioned as a system. They deliberately defended, moved the ball, and spaced the floor. At least some of that reasoning must be reflected in any team you assemble.
Probably the most important consideration is floor spacing. Stacking power forwards or acquiring players from specific eras who were unable to shoot threes at a contemporary rate are two of the most popular losing lineups shared on Reddit. Although his ceiling became historic, rookie Kevin Durant’s 2007–08 version was a limited three-point shooter who was unable to carry an offense against elite defensive schemes. In addition to raw talent, the game seems to consider age and era. The algorithm appears to be able to distinguish between a 22-year-old LeBron and a 2016 LeBron.
Building around a primary shot creator with real spacing around him is the best strategy, based on what has worked for the few players who have come close. A defensive anchor who can withstand Draymond’s physical style, a primary ball-handler who doesn’t need the ball to be effective off it, and at least two or three real three-point threats should all be part of the rotation. Ball-dominant players who were unable to move were penalized by the Warriors. Even in simulation, a superteam centered around a single scorer who requires 25 touches per game will frequently fall short of their plan.
Beneath the annoyance is a more subdued lesson. It’s possible that the game has a ceiling built in, regardless of how clever your construction is. 73-9 hasn’t been significantly broken by the leaderboard. It is still up for debate whether that is a design decision intended to keep the experience humble or a true historical confirmation of how dominant that Warriors team was. Most likely both.
It is evident that the 73-9 game has accomplished something more intriguing than offering a simple way to kill time. It has quietly reminded everyone that creating a great basketball team is more difficult than selecting five well-known players and hoping for the best. It has also forced people to consider what made that Warriors team so difficult to defeat.
