The NBA's Last Undefeated Team Just Lost, and That's Okay
And then there were none.
Entering last night's NBA games, the Memphis Grizzlies were the league's last remaining undefeated team, having won their first six games of the season. That streak ended with a 135–134 overtime loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Just like that, every NBA team has at least one loss.
And you know what?
That's perfectly okay.
An NBA regular season consists of 82 games. That's 82 opportunities to win. And 82 opportunities to lose.
Teams lose for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes they're simply outplayed. Sometimes injuries leave them shorthanded. Sometimes they're playing their second game in as many nights, with tired legs and little time to recover. Sometimes coaches deliberately rest players or limit their minutes, even if doing so reduces their chances of winning that particular game.
And sometimes a team does almost everything right and still loses because the other team makes one more shot.
But here's the thing. The goal isn't to win all 82 games. The goal is to win the NBA championship.
And winning a championship doesn't require a perfect regular-season record.
In fact, an obsession with winning every game could be counterproductive if it means exhausting players, aggravating injuries, or sacrificing the team's long-term health.
What does any of this have to do with the bar exam?
Quite a bit, actually.
1. Perfection Isn't Required for Success
Bar examinees sometimes approach their preparation as though they must answer every practice question correctly, earn a perfect score on every essay, and complete every assignment exactly as scheduled.
But that's not how successful bar preparation works.
Consider the traditional Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). Of its 200 multiple-choice questions, only 175 are scored. That's just 25 scored questions in each of seven subjects.
Think about how much material you covered in an entire semester of Contracts, Torts, or Constitutional Law.
Now imagine trying to assess all of that material in just 25 questions.
It's impossible.
And even among the questions that are tested, you don't need to answer every one correctly.
The bar exam measures minimum competence, not maximum knowledge. Examinees can miss numerous multiple-choice questions, overlook issues on essays, and still earn passing scores.
The newer NextGen bar exam has a different structure, but the principle remains the same.
You don't need every available point. You need enough points to pass.
That doesn't mean you should prepare with minimum effort. It means your preparation should focus on maximizing your chances of passing rather than pursuing an impossible standard of perfection.
2. Learn from Your Losses
When an NBA team loses, the coaching staff doesn't simply throw up its hands and declare the season over.
Instead, coaches review game film, identify mistakes, and make adjustments.
Perhaps the defense struggled against a particular offensive scheme. Perhaps the team committed too many turnovers. Or perhaps the players simply missed shots they ordinarily make.
Whatever the reason, the loss provides valuable information.
The same is true of bar preparation.
When you miss a multiple-choice question, don't simply record that you got it wrong and move on.
Ask yourself why.
Did you misunderstand the governing rule? Fail to recognize the legal issue? Overlook a legally significant fact? Or get distracted by an appealing but incorrect answer choice?
Each explanation suggests a different way to improve.
The same applies to essay writing. A disappointing score can reveal weaknesses in issue spotting, rule articulation, or factual analysis.
The purpose of practice isn't to demonstrate how much you already know. It's to identify what you still need to learn.
An NBA team can become better because of its losses.
So can you.
3. Sometimes Rest Is Part of the Strategy
NBA coaches understand that winning a championship requires more than winning individual games.
That's why they sometimes rest players, limit minutes, or adjust rotations, even when those decisions may reduce their chances of winning a particular game.
They're thinking about the bigger picture. Bar examinees should do the same.
Suppose you've been studying for several hours. You're exhausted, struggling to concentrate, and still have 30 multiple-choice questions scheduled.
Should you force yourself to complete them simply because they're on your study schedule?
Not necessarily.
You might accomplish more by getting adequate rest and returning tomorrow when you're better prepared to learn.
The same strategic thinking applies to how you allocate study time.
Spending hours trying to master an obscure exception might feel productive, but those hours could be better spent strengthening your understanding of frequently tested rules or improving your essay analysis.
Successful preparation isn't about doing everything. It's about doing the things that give you the best opportunity to succeed.
Of course, there's a difference between strategic rest and avoiding difficult work. Just as an NBA team cannot rest its players through an entire season and expect to win a championship, you cannot neglect consistent preparation and expect to pass.
But sometimes the best decision for your long-term success is to accept a short-term imperfection.
The Championship Mindset
The Memphis Grizzlies are no longer undefeated. Neither is any other NBA team.
But their championship aspirations haven't disappeared.
And your prospects of passing the bar exam don't disappear because you missed a practice question, struggled with an essay, or had a disappointing study day.
Keep practicing. Learn from your mistakes. Make adjustments when necessary. And remember what you're ultimately working toward.
