The NBA Finals decides the NBA Championship, and is contested between the NBA Western Conference and NBA Eastern Conference Champions.
The winner receives the Larry O’Brien trophy.
The team with the most NBA Finals victories are the Boston Celtics with 17 (11 out of 13 Finals wins from 1957-1969), the Lakers a close second with 16 titles.
Phil Jackson is the most successful NBA Coach of all time with 11 titles –
- Chicago Bulls (1991,1992, 1993,1996, 1997,1998)
- Los Angeles Lakers (2000,2001, 2002,2009, 2010)
The player with the most NBA titles is Bill Russell, with 11 (Boston Celtics (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969), with Sam Jones close behind with 10, all as a team mate of Russell’s with the Celtics.
The greatest moments in NBA Finals
NBA Finals Champions List
Below is a list of NBA Finals Champions.
| Year | Champion | Runners-Up | Games | MVP | Coach |
| 2024 | Boston Celtics | Dallas Mavericks | 4-1 | Jalen Brown | Joe Mazzulla |
| 2023 | Denver Nuggets | Miami Heat | 4-1 | Nikola Jokic | Michael Malone |
| 2022 | Golden State Warriors | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Stephen Curry | Steve Kerr |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | Giannis A. | Mike Budenholzer |
| 2020 | LA Lakers | Miami Heat | 4-2 | LeBron James | Frank Vogel |
| 2019 | Toronto Raptors | Golden State Warriors | 4-2 | Kawhi Leonard | Nick Nurse |
| 2018 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 | Kevin Durant | Steve Kerr |
| 2017 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-1 | Kevin Durant | Steve Kerr |
| 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Golden State Warriors | 4-3 | LeBron James | Tyronn Lue |
| 2015 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-2 | Andre Iguodala | Steve Kerr |
| 2014 | San Antonio Spurs | Miami Heat | 4-1 | Kawhi Leonard | Gregg Popovich |
| 2013 | Miami Heat | San Antonio Spurs | 4-3 | LeBron James | Erik Spoelstra |
| 2012 | Miami Heat | Oklahoma City Thunder | 4-1 | LeBron James | Erik Spoelstra |
| 2011 | Dallas Mavericks | Miami Heat | 4-2 | Dirk Nowitzki | Rick Carlisle |
| 2010 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Kobe Bryant | Phil Jackson |
| 2009 | Los Angeles Lakers | Orlando Magic | 4-1 | Kobe Bryant | Phil Jackson |
| 2008 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Paul Pierce | Doc Rivers |
| 2007 | San Antonio Spurs | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 | Tony Parker | Gregg Popovich |
| 2006 | Miami Heat | Dallas Mavericks | 4-2 | Dwyane Wade | Pat Riley |
| 2005 | San Antonio Spurs | Detroit Pistons | 4-3 | Tim Duncan | Gregg Popovich |
| 2004 | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Chauncey Billups | Larry Brown |
| 2003 | San Antonio Spurs | New Jersey Nets | 4-2 | Tim Duncan | Gregg Popovich |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Lakers | New Jersey Nets | 4-0 | Shaquille O’Neal | Phil Jackson |
| 2001 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-1 | Shaquille O’Neal | Phil Jackson |
| 2000 | Los Angeles Lakers | Indiana Pacers | 4-2 | Shaquille O’Neal | Phil Jackson |
| 1999 | San Antonio Spurs | New York Knicks | 4-1 | Tim Duncan | Gregg Popovich |
| 1998 | Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | 4-2 | Michael Jordan | Phil Jackson |
| 1997 | Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | 4-2 | Michael Jordan | Phil Jackson |
| 1996 | Chicago Bulls | Seattle SuperSonics | 4-2 | Michael Jordan | Phil Jackson |
| 1995 | Houston Rockets | Orlando Magic | 4-0 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Rudy Tomjanovich |
| 1994 | Houston Rockets | New York Knicks | 4-3 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Rudy Tomjanovich |
| 1993 | Chicago Bulls | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | Michael Jordan | Phil Jackson |
| 1992 | Chicago Bulls | Portland Trail Blazers | 4-2 | Michael Jordan | Phil Jackson |
| 1991 | Chicago Bulls | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Michael Jordan | Phil Jackson |
| 1990 | Detroit Pistons | Portland Trail Blazers | 4-1 | Isiah Thomas | Chuck Daly |
| 1989 | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | Joe Dumars | Chuck Daly |
| 1988 | Los Angeles Lakers | Detroit Pistons | 4-3 | James Worthy | Pat Riley |
| 1987 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Magic Johnson | Pat Riley |
| 1986 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4-2 | Larry Bird | K.C. Jones |
| 1985 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Pat Riley |
| 1984 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Larry Bird | K.C. Jones |
| 1983 | Philadelphia 76ers | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | Moses Malone | Billy Cunningham |
| 1982 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | Magic Johnson | Pat Riley |
| 1981 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4-2 | Cedric Maxwell | Bill Fitch |
| 1980 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | Magic Johnson | Paul Westhead |
| 1979 | Seattle SuperSonics | Washington Bullets | 4-1 | Dennis Johnson | Lenny Wilkens |
| 1978 | Washington Bullets | Seattle SuperSonics | 4-3 | Wes Unseld | Dick Motta |
| 1977 | Portland Trail Blazers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | Bill Walton | Jack Ramsay |
| 1976 | Boston Celtics | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | Jo Jo White | Tom Heinsohn |
| 1975 | Golden State Warriors | Washington Bullets | 4-0 | Rick Barry | Al Attles |
| 1974 | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 4-3 | John Havlicek | Tom Heinsohn |
| 1973 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Willis Reed | Red Holzman |
| 1972 | Los Angeles Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-1 | Wilt Chamberlain | Bill Sharman |
| 1971 | Milwaukee Bucks | Baltimore Bullets | 4-0 | Lew Alcindor | Larry Costello |
| 1970 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Willis Reed | Red Holtzman |
| 1969 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Jerry West | Bill Russell |
| 1968 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Bill Russell | |
| 1967 | Philadelphia 76ers | San Francisco Warriors | 4-2 | Alex Hannum | |
| 1966 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Red Auerbach | |
| 1965 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Red Auerbach | |
| 1964 | Boston Celtics | San Francisco Warriors | 4-1 | Red Auerbach | |
| 1963 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Red Auerbach | |
| 1962 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Red Auerbach | |
| 1961 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-1 | Red Auerbach | |
| 1960 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-3 | Red Auerbach | |
| 1959 | Boston Celtics | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-0 | Red Auerbach | |
| 1958 | St. Louis Hawks | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Alex Hannum | |
| 1957 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-3 | Red Auerbach | |
| 1956 | Philadelphia Warriors | Fort Wayne Pistons | 4-1 | George Senesky | |
| 1955 | Syracuse Nationals | Fort Wayne Pistons | 4-3 | Al Cervi | |
| 1954 | Minneapolis Lakers | Syracuse Nationals | 4-3 | John Kundla | |
| 1953 | Minneapolis Lakers | New York Knickerbockers | 4-1 | John Kundla | |
| 1952 | Minneapolis Lakers | New York Knickerbockers | 4-3 | John Kundla | |
| 1951 | Rochester Royals | New York Knickerbockers | 4-3 | Les Harrison | |
| 1950 | Minneapolis Lakers | Syracuse Nationals | 4-2 | John Kundla | |
| 1949 | Minneapolis Lakers | Washington Capitols | 4-2 | John Kundla | |
| 1948 | Baltimore Bullets | Philadelphia Warriors | 4-2 | Buddy Jeannette | |
| 1947 | Philadelphia Warriors | Chicago Stags | 4-1 | Edward Gottlieb |
Teams with the most NBA Championships
Who has won the most NBA Championships? Find out below!
| Team | W | L | Most recent appearance | Most recent title |
| Boston Celtics | 18 | 5 | 2022 | 2008 |
| Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers | 17 | 15 | 2020 | 2020 |
| Chicago Bulls | 6 | 0 | 1998 | 1998 |
| Philadelphia/San Francisco/Golden State Warriors | 7 | 4 | 2022 | 2022 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 5 | 1 | 2014 | 2014 |
| Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers | 3 | 6 | 2001 | 1983 |
| Fort Wayne/Detroit Pistons | 3 | 4 | 2005 | 2004 |
| Miami Heat | 3 | 2 | 2014 | 2013 |
| New York Knicks | 2 | 6 | 1999 | 1973 |
| Houston Rockets | 2 | 2 | 1995 | 1995 |
| St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks | 1 | 3 | 1961 | 1958 |
| Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder | 1 | 3 | 2012 | 1979 |
| Baltimore/Washington Bullets/Washington Wizards | 1 | 3 | 1979 | 1978 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 1 | 3 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 1 | 2 | 1992 | 1977 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 1 | 1 | 2011 | 2011 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 1 | 1 | 1974 | 1971 |
| Rochester/Cincinnati Royals/Kansas City-Omaha Kings/Kansas City Kings/Sacramento Kings | 1 | 0 | 1951 | 1951 |
| Baltimore Bullets | 1 | 0 | 1948 | 1948 |
| New York/New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets | 0 | 2 | 2003 | Nil |
| Orlando Magic | 0 | 2 | 2009 | Nil |
| Phoenix Suns | 0 | 2 | 1993 | Nil |
| New Orleans/Utah Jazz | 0 | 2 | 1998 | Nil |
| Indiana Pacers | 0 | 1 | 2000 | Nil |
| Chicago Stags | 0 | 1 | 1947 | Nil |
| Washington Capitols | 0 | 1 | 1949 | Nil |
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