Championship series of the National Basketball Association
The
NBA Finals
is the annual championship series of the
National Basketball Association
(NBA). The
Eastern
and
Western Conference
champions play a best-of-seven-game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awarded the
Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy
, which replaced the original
Walter A. Brown Trophy
in 1976?77, though under the same name until 1984.
The series was initially known as the
BAA Finals
prior to the 1949?50 season when the
Basketball Association of America
(BAA) merged with the
National Basketball League
(NBL) to form the NBA. The competition oversaw further name changes to
NBA World Championship Series
from 1950 to 1985, as well as a brief stint as the Showdown, before settling on NBA Finals in 1986.
[1]
Since 2018, it has been officially known as the
NBA Finals presented by
YouTube TV
for
sponsorship reasons
.
[2]
[3]
The NBA Finals was initially structured in a 2?2?1?1?1 format.
[4]
In
1985
, to ease the amount of cross-country travel, it was changed to a 2?3?2 format, in which the first two and last two games of the series were played at the arena of the team who earned
home-court advantage
by having the better record during the regular season.
[5]
[6]
In 2014, the 2?2?1?1?1 format was restored. This team hosts the first two games and the other team hosts the next two games. If needed, the remaining three are played at each team's home arena alternately, starting with the arena of the team with the better regular season record.
[7]
[8]
A total of 21 franchises have won the NBA Finals, with the
Denver Nuggets
winning the most recent title in
2023
. The
Los Angeles Lakers
and the
Boston Celtics
hold the record for the most victories, having both won the championship 17 times. The Boston Celtics also won the most consecutive titles, winning eight in a row from 1959 to 1966. The Los Angeles Lakers have competed in the NBA Finals the most times, with 32 appearances. The Eastern
Division
/
Conference
has provided the most champions, with 40 wins from 11 franchises with the most recent being the
Milwaukee Bucks
in 2021; the Western
Division
/
Conference
has 37, from nine franchises including the defending champion
Nuggets
.
History
[
edit
]
NBA Finals logo from 1986 to 1995. The year designation changed annually.
NBA Finals logo from 2004 to 2017.
NBA Finals logo from 2018 to 2021.
1946?1956: Beginnings and Lakers dynasty
[
edit
]
The beginning era of modern professional basketball was dominated by the
Minneapolis Lakers
, who won half of the first ten titles. The
Philadelphia Warriors
also won multiple championships, including the inaugural title in 1947 and another in 1956 to bookend the NBA's first decade.
After being founded in 1946, the
Basketball Association of America
completed
its inaugural season
in April 1947 with the Philadelphia Warriors defeating the
Chicago Stags
in
five games
. The
following season
the Warriors would again reach
the Finals
, however they would fall short to the now defunct Baltimore Bullets. To date the Baltimore Bullets are the only defunct team to win a championship.
In 1948, the Minneapolis Lakers would win the championship of the rival
National Basketball League
before joining the BAA. Led by future Hall of Famer
George Mikan
, the Lakers would win the third and final BAA championship in
1949
over the
Red Auerbach
-coached Washington Capitals. The BAA would merge with the NBL to become the
National Basketball Association
before the
1949?50 season
. The Lakers would win the inaugural NBA championship in
1950
to become the first team to repeat as champions.
In
1951
the Rochester Royals defeated the
New York Knicks
in the only Finals contested between two teams from the same state. This would be the first of three consecutive losses in the Finals for the Knicks, as they would lose the
1952
and
1953 Finals
to the Lakers. The Lakers would win again in
1954
to become the first team to
three-peat
. This would be the fifth championship in six years for the Lakers and their last title won in Minneapolis. In
1955
the Syracuse Nationals would win their only title before becoming the
Philadelphia 76ers
, and in
1956
the Warriors won their second and last title in Philadelphia before eventually moving to California.
Of the five franchises to win a championship from 1947 to 1956, one would fold and the other four would all relocate by
1964
.
1957?1969: Celtics Dynasty
[
edit
]
The
Boston Celtics
won 11 of the 12 NBA Finals they reached during 13 seasons (1956?57 to 1968?69), including eight straight NBA championships from 1959 through 1966.
[9]
During this time the
St. Louis Hawks
also captured their only title before eventually moving to Atlanta, the Philadelphia 76ers won their first title since relocating from Syracuse, and the Lakers and Warriors returned to the Finals for the first time in California.
With the establishment of the Celtics dynasty in 1957, spearheaded by center
Bill Russell
, the team saw great success. Despite encountering some difficulty when up against teams led by
Wilt Chamberlain
, for most of the late 1950s and 1960s, the Celtics and Russell managed to have an upper hand on Chamberlain's teams.
In 1964, Chamberlain, who had moved to the state of California alongside
his team
, led the
San Francisco Warriors
to a
Western Division
championship, but again failed to conquer the Celtics. The following season, he returned to the
Eastern Division
to join the
Philadelphia 76ers
, who were the former Syracuse Nationals that had relocated to the city to cover the vacancy created with the departure of the Warriors.
The first clash between the two stars in the playoffs was in 1966, with Boston winning the series 4?1. In the following season, Philadelphia coach
Alex Hannum
instructed Chamberlain to provide an increased focus on playing a team game, to avoid drawing the double-teams that troubled Chamberlain during the Finals. This tactical change brought the team to a new record of 68 wins the following season, as well as defeating the Celtics before winning the 1967 Finals. In 1968, Boston overcame a 3?1 deficit against Philadelphia to once again arrive in the Finals. They went on to defeat the
Los Angeles Lakers
in the Finals to again become NBA champions.
In 1969, the Celtics faced great difficulty entering the postseason, as they had an aging team and multiple injuries to a number of players. They qualified for the playoffs as the fourth and final seed in the East, while the Lakers, who had added Chamberlain in the off-season to join stars
Jerry West
and
Elgin Baylor
, won the West and were prohibitive favorites to become champions for the first time since relocating to Los Angeles. Despite holding a 2?1 advantage going into Game 4, the Lakers led 87?86 and had the ball with 10 seconds to play. But after a turnover,
Sam Jones
scored to give the Celtics a narrow 88?87 win and tying the series. The series was eventually tied 3?3 going into Game 7 in Los Angeles, with Lakers owner
Jack Cooke
hanging balloons in the arena in anticipation of a Lakers victory. West also picked up injuries to his thigh and hamstring during the series, but returned to play for the final game. Russell utilized this newly lacking mobility in West to organize fast breaks at every opportunity for the Celtics, which allowed them to gain an early lead. They held off a furious Lakers comeback to win 108?106 and win the series, and win their eleventh championship in 13 years.
As many stars either declined or retired following this win, it is largely recognized as the last NBA Finals conducted by the Celtics dynasty.
1970?1979: Decade of parity
[
edit
]
The 1970s saw ten different teams reach the Finals and eight different teams win a championship, the most of any decade in the NBA, with the Celtics and
New York Knicks
winning twice.
In
1970
, a classic final featured the Knicks against the Lakers. In the waning moments of Game 3, with the series tied,
Jerry West
hit a basket from 60 feet to tie the game, a shot which became one of the most famous ever. However, the Knicks won in
overtime
and continued their momentum for a 4?3 win, becoming the first team after the Celtics dynasty to win an NBA championship. The
Milwaukee Bucks
also won their first title, defeating the
Baltimore Bullets
in 1971.
Two seasons after losing in the Finals, the Lakers won 33 straight games, the longest such streak in NBA history. By season's end, they broke the record for most wins in a season with 69, one more than the
1966?67 Philadelphia 76ers
, before taking home the
championship
for the first time since relocating to
Los Angeles
, beating the New York Knicks. The Knicks returned to win the Finals again a season later, their second championship.
Despite the rise of the Knicks, the
1974 championship
returned to the Celtics.
Following the success of the Lakers, the 1970s were characterized by a major breakthrough of the league's western franchises. In 1975, after compiling a 48?34 regular season record, the
Golden State Warriors
swept the
Washington Bullets
4?0 in the
1975 NBA Finals
. In 1976, the Phoenix Suns, after only eight years of existence as a franchise, overcame a losing record early in the season to build a remarkable win streak to finish 42?40. They achieved upset victories over the
Seattle SuperSonics
and the Warriors, before facing Boston in the Finals. The teams split the first four games, before Game 5 went into three overtimes and Boston won 128?126. The Celtics quickly managed to secure their 13th championship, defeating the Suns 87?80 in Game 6.
Other franchises that won their first titles in the 1970s included the
Portland Trail Blazers
in 1977, and the Washington Bullets, who defeated the SuperSonics in 1978. The SuperSonics managed to exact revenge on the Bullets the following season, as they won their first title in 1979.
1980?1990: Celtics?Lakers rivalry and "Bad Boys" Pistons
[
edit
]
The 1980s were mostly known for the rivalry between the
Boston Celtics
and the
Los Angeles Lakers
, who combined to win eight titles in the decade. The rivalry began at the
1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game
, featuring
Magic Johnson
's
Michigan State University
team facing off against
Larry Bird
's
Indiana State University
team, which attracted the largest TV rating ever for an NCAA Championship game, as 38 percent of all television viewers that night tuned in. Bird and Johnson both entered the league in 1979, leading their respective teams to dazzling heights.
Rookie Magic Johnson led the
Showtime Lakers
to the
1980 NBA Finals
against the 76ers, which were led by NBA superstar
Julius Erving
. The Lakers took a 3?2 lead, but
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
could not play in Game 6 due to injury. Johnson, a natural point guard, was shifted to center, and ended up playing every position on the court during the game, scoring 42 points, while also attaining 15 rebounds and 7 assists
[10]
to win his first championship and Finals MVP honors, the first and only rookie to win the award.
Boston reached the
1981 NBA Finals
led by the "Big Three" of Larry Bird,
Kevin McHale
, and
Robert Parish
. Considered to be one of the best frontcourts of all time, all three players later made the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
[11]
They met the
Houston Rockets
in the 1981 Finals, carried practically single-handedly by
Moses Malone
, who upset the Lakers and Johnson in the first round. The Rockets were only the second team in NBA history to make the Finals after posting a losing record in the regular season, and the Celtics had an NBA best record of 62?20. The Celtics won the Finals in 6 games.
The Lakers returned to the NBA Finals in
1982
, this time led by new coach
Pat Riley
, in a rematch against the 76ers. The 76ers defeated the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals in a 7-game series, but were defeated by Lakers in 6 games, with Johnson being named Finals MVP. Upon losing their past three NBA Finals appearances, the 76ers decided that they needed one more piece to become champions, and on September 15, 1982, they traded for Malone, who was also the league's reigning MVP. With the new duo of Malone and Erving, the 76ers won the
1983 NBA Finals
, losing only once in the entire playoffs, including a sweep of the Lakers.
The
1984 NBA Finals
were contested by the Celtics and Lakers, who faced each other for the first time since 1969. After an inspired performance from Bird, the Celtics toppled the Lakers 4?3. The final game of this series attracted the largest ever TV audience for an NBA game, and the second-largest ever for a basketball game, with only the
NCAA Championship
game between the two stars played five years earlier having a larger audience. It was the last NBA Finals played in the 2?2?1?1?1 format until 2014.
In the
1985 NBA Finals
, the Lakers avenged their previous loss by defeating the Celtics in six games. Although the Lakers lost the first game by 34 points in the
Memorial Day Massacre
, they won 4 of the next 5 games, including Game 6 at the
Boston Garden
. These finals were the first to be played in the 2?3?2 format, which was suggested by Boston executive
Red Auerbach
to NBA commissioner
David Stern
, as he hoped to cut back on the frequent traveling from Boston to Los Angeles.
The
1986 NBA Finals
saw the Celtics face off against the Rockets, with Boston winning in six games, securing their 16th title. Bird was named Finals MVP for the second time. In
1987
, the Lakers and Celtics met again. The Lakers won the first two games, but Boston won Game 3. In Game 4, Johnson hit a hook shot with two seconds left to give the Lakers a 107?106 win and a 3?1 series lead. The Lakers lost Game 5, but eventually won Game 6 to clinch the series, and a 2?1 Finals record against the Celtics. Johnson was named Finals MVP for the third time.
In the following two seasons, the aging Celtics failed to reach the Finals, becoming overshadowed by the rise of the
Detroit Pistons
. The Lakers managed to defend their title in the
1988 Finals
, winning the series in 7 games against the Pistons. They then became the first team to win back-to-back NBA titles since 1969.
[12]
Seeking a three-peat in
1989
, the Lakers were swept by the Pistons in a rematch of the previous year's Finals. In
1990
, the Pistons then went back-to-back after defeating the
Clyde Drexler
-led
Portland Trail Blazers
in five games, attaining the nickname "Bad Boys" due to their rough, physical play led by a Hall of Fame back court in
Joe Dumars
and
Isiah Thomas
and a rugged front court in
Dennis Rodman
and
Bill Laimbeer
.
1991?1998: Bulls dynasty
[
edit
]
The majority of the 1990s was marked by the supremacy of the
Chicago Bulls
. The Bulls, led by head coach
Phil Jackson
and star players
Michael Jordan
and
Scottie Pippen
, won six titles in six Finals appearances from 1991 to 1998. The only other team to win a title during this time was the
Houston Rockets
who won titles in 1994 and 1995.
The first championship came at the expense of the
Los Angeles Lakers
, which also saw the last appearance in the Finals for
Magic Johnson
. Billed
[
by whom?
]
as a showdown between the aging Johnson and the upstart Jordan, the Lakers won the first game, 93?91. For the rest of the series, Pippen guarded Johnson, allowing Jordan to primarily focus on scoring, and Chicago won the next four games. The Bulls returned to the Finals the next year, pitted against
Clyde Drexler
and the
Portland Trail Blazers
. Throughout the 1991?1992 season, Jordan and Drexler led their teams to the best records in their respective conferences, leading to several comparisons between the two players in anticipation of a postseason match-up. Chicago defeated the Trail Blazers in Game 1 by 33 points, a game notable for Jordan breaking the record for the most three-pointers in a first half, with six. Game 2 went into overtime, with the Trail Blazers outscoring the Bulls 18?
7
in the final period to win the game, even with Drexler fouling out in the 4th quarter. Games 3 and 4 were split between Chicago and Portland, respectively, but the Bulls won the final two games, clinching their second championship.
In 1993, Jordan was matched against close friend
Charles Barkley
, who was the league's reigning MVP of the
Phoenix Suns
. The Bulls won the first two games in Phoenix, 100?92 and 111?108. The Suns, rallying behind Barkley, won Game 3, 129?121 in Chicago in triple overtime. The Bulls won Game 4, 111?105, with Jordan scoring 55 points and tying
Rick Barry
for the second-most points in an NBA Finals game. The Suns won Game 5, 108?98, sending the series back to Phoenix. Chicago clinched the series in Game 6, 99?98, on
John Paxson
's three-pointer, as the Bulls became the third team in history to
three-peat
. After this win, Jordan retired from basketball to pursue a career in baseball.
Following Jordan's departure, the
Houston Rockets
, led by
Hakeem Olajuwon
, won the 1994 and 1995 NBA titles. During this time, Olajuwon became the only player in history to win the
NBA MVP
,
NBA Defensive Player of the Year
and Finals MVP awards in the same season. That was the only year that both the NBA and
NHL Finals
went to seven games, with the Rockets facing the
New York Knicks
in 1994. With their win in Game 7, the Rockets denied New York from winning both the NBA and NHL titles in the same year, as the
New York Rangers
won the
1994 Stanley Cup Finals
. After trading for
Clyde Drexler
midseason, the Rockets later swept an
Orlando Magic
team consisting of
Shaquille O'Neal
and
Penny Hardaway
in the 1995 Finals; Olajuwon was again named Finals MVP, and the Rockets became the fifth franchise to win back-to-back titles and became the first 6th-seeded team to win the title without enjoying home court advantage on any of their playoff series. The Houston Rockets also beat teams with at least 50 regular season wins in every round of the playoffs, with "Road Court" advantage. No other team in NBA History has done that. The Houston Rockets were down 3 games to 1 to the Phoenix Suns in the Semi-Finals and won 2 out of 3 games on the road, including game 7 to advance to the Conference Finals.
After his short stint with baseball, Jordan returned to basketball late in the 1994?95 season. Although he did not lead the Bulls to the Finals for that season, he returned to pre-retirement form the next season while the team acquired perennial rebounding champion
Dennis Rodman
. The
1995?96 Bulls
finished the regular season 72?10, attaining, at the time, the best regular season record in NBA history. They dominated in the playoffs, with series records of 3?0, 4?1 and 4?0, before facing the
Seattle SuperSonics
in the NBA Finals. After the Bulls took a 3?0 series lead, Seattle won the next two games after point guard
Gary Payton
asked his coach
George Karl
to be switched onto Jordan, leading to a sixth game. Jordan altered his game to deal with Payton, and the Bulls won Game 6 to win their fourth title.
In 1997 and 1998, the Bulls met the
Utah Jazz
in the Finals twice. Led by
Dream Team
Olympians
John Stockton
and
Karl Malone
, the Jazz were defeated in both Finals by the Bulls in six games. In both series, Chicago won by hitting winning shots in the sixth game, the first by
Steve Kerr
in 1997 in Chicago, and the second by Jordan in Utah in 1998. This saw Chicago winning their sixth NBA championship, and winning their second three-peat. Before the lockout shortened 1998?99 season, Jackson decided to retire, which set off a chain reaction that resulted in most of the team, including Jordan and Pippen, leaving the Bulls. With no foundation of youth to build upon, the Bulls became a
lottery-bound
team for the next six seasons.
1999?2010: Spurs and Lakers dominance
[
edit
]
The 2000s were largely dominated by the
San Antonio Spurs
and
Los Angeles Lakers
, who appeared in a combined eleven Finals to win nine championships in 12 seasons.
Between the years of 1999 to 2010, the Spurs won four championships, in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007. During the
1999 NBA playoffs
, the Spurs finished with a 15?2 mark, including sweeps of the Blazers and Lakers. With a defensive squad led by
David Robinson
and
Tim Duncan
, San Antonio's 84.7 points allowed per game was the fewest average points allowed in the postseason in the last 30 years. In the
Finals
that year, the Spurs held the
New York Knicks
, the first eight seed team to reach the finals in NBA history, to an average of 79.8 points per game. During the
2003 NBA Finals
, the Spurs defeated the New Jersey Nets in 6 games, which also marked the first championship contested between two former ABA teams. In Game 6, Duncan was two blocks short of recording the first
quadruple-double
in NBA Finals history, finishing with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 blocks. The Spurs also defeated the
Detroit Pistons
4?3 in
2005
, and swept the
LeBron James
-led
Cleveland Cavaliers
in
2007
. Duncan won the Finals MVP in 1999, 2003 and 2005, while
Tony Parker
won in 2007, becoming the first European-born player to do so.
The Lakers won five championships in the same period, including a three-peat from 2000 to 2002, led by
Shaquille O'Neal
and
Kobe Bryant
. Their
first championship
came at the expense of the
Indiana Pacers
, whom the Lakers defeated in 6 games. During their
2001
postseason run, the Lakers swept their first 3 series and won the Finals against the
Allen Iverson
-led
Philadelphia 76ers
in 5 games, finishing with an unprecedented 15?1 record, the best postseason record in NBA history at the time. In
2002
, the Lakers swept the
New Jersey Nets
, leading almost the entire time in each game. During the Laker's three-peat champion run, O'Neal earned finals MVP honors all three times.
In the 2003 off-season, veteran stars
Gary Payton
and
Karl Malone
signed with the Lakers. Along with Bryant and O'Neal, they formed what many expected to be one of the best teams in NBA history, and were the favorites to win the championship in 2004. However, the
Detroit Pistons
, under coach
Larry Brown
, defeated the Lakers in 5 games.
Chauncey Billups
was named the Finals MVP. Now established as one of the powerhouses of the East, the Pistons returned to the NBA Finals the following year, before losing to the Spurs in seven games.
Following bad blood and eventual fallout with former Laker's teammate
Kobe Bryant
, O'Neal was traded from the Lakers to the
Miami Heat
in 2004, where he teamed up with young phenom
Dwyane Wade
. Together they led the Heat to the
2006 NBA Finals
against the
Dallas Mavericks
, who won the first two games at home, but Miami won the next four straight after multiple fourth quarter comebacks led by Wade, who won the Finals MVP award.
The Lakers returned to the Finals in
2008
against the
Boston Celtics
, renewing the teams' rivalry marking the 11th Finals matchup between them. The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4?2, led by their "Big Three" superstars of
Ray Allen
,
Kevin Garnett
, and Finals MVP
Paul Pierce
. The Lakers bounced back from the loss and returned to the Finals the following year in
2009
, where they defeated the
Dwight Howard
-led
Orlando Magic
, in five games. The Lakers met the Celtics once again in
2010
, trailing 3?2 before winning the last two at home, marking the first time in history that the Celtics lost a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant was named Finals MVP both years, as head coach
Phil Jackson
surpassed
Red Auerbach
's record for most NBA titles of all time with eleven.
2011?2022: LeBron James dominance and the Warriors dynasty
[
edit
]
The 2010s were distinguished by the continued excellence of superstar
LeBron James
, who appeared in nine NBA Finals in 10 seasons while playing for three different franchises, winning four titles. The decade also saw the ascent of the Golden State Warriors, emerging as a dominant force in the Western Conference with their groundbreaking small-ball strategy and 3-point shooting masterminded by coach
Steve Kerr
and propelled by point guard
Stephen Curry
, also winning four titles.
During the 2010 off-season, the
Miami Heat
re-signed team captain
Dwyane Wade
and added free agents
LeBron James
and
Chris Bosh
to form a new
Big Three
.
[13]
The Heat were subsequently considered heavy title favorites and appeared in the next four Finals, starting in
2011
against the
Dallas Mavericks
in a rematch from
five years earlier
. Despite being heavy underdogs on paper, the Mavericks won the series 4?2, with
Dirk Nowitzki
being named the Finals MVP. The Heat returned to the Finals in the
following year
against a young
Oklahoma City Thunder
team featuring future MVPs
Russell Westbrook
,
James Harden
, and
Kevin Durant
. Miami won the series in five games, with James winning his first championship and Finals MVP honors by unanimous vote. The Heat repeated as champions in
2013
, this time over the
San Antonio Spurs
, featuring a Heat comeback in Game 6 that is widely regarded one of the greatest playoff games ever played.
[14]
James was named Finals MVP for the second straight year. Miami sought a three-peat in a
2014
rematch with the Spurs, but this time San Antonio prevailed in five games, winning their first title since 2007 and the fifth and final title of Duncan's career.
Kawhi Leonard
was named Finals MVP, becoming the third-youngest Finals MVP after Duncan and
Magic Johnson
.
In the 2014 off-season, James returned to the
Cleveland Cavaliers
where he teamed up with
Kyrie Irving
and
Kevin Love
to form a new "Big Three" in Cleveland. The Cavaliers would appear in the next four straight Finals against the upstart
Golden State Warriors
, becoming the first two teams to play in more than two consecutive Finals against one another. The Warriors drew first blood in the
2015 NBA Finals
, coming back from a 2?1 deficit to win the series in six games, with
Andre Iguodala
winning
NBA Finals MVP
for his efforts in containing LeBron James on defense.
The following season
, the Warriors broke the record for most regular season wins with a record of 73?9 and Curry won his second straight MVP award by unanimous vote, shattering his own record for three-pointers made in a single season. The Warriors opened up a 3?1 series lead in the
2016 NBA Finals
, but James and Irving led the Cavaliers to two straight victories to force a deciding Game 7. In a key sequence with two minutes remaining in Game 7, LeBron James made a memorable
chase-down block
on Iguodala to keep the game tied, while Irving hit a 3-point shot a minute later to take the lead. Cleveland held on to win the title and end the city's
championship drought
, with James earning his third Finals MVP honor.
[15]
In the subsequent off-season, the Warriors acquired
Kevin Durant
through free agency, forming what many considered to be one of the greatest teams ever assembled.
[16]
In
2017
, the Warriors set a playoff record of 15 consecutive wins en route to a five-game series win over the Cavs, followed by a dominant sweep in
2018
. Kevin Durant earned Finals MVP honors both years.
[17]
In 2018, James left the Cavaliers and signed with the
Los Angeles Lakers
. Without James, the Cavaliers struggled and did not return to the playoffs. In 2019, the Warriors with their dynastic success sustained their triumphant run and achieved their fifth consecutive Finals appearance, marking a historic milestone as the first Western Conference team to accomplish the feat since the
1960s Celtics
. However, after injuries to stars Kevin Durant and
Klay Thompson
, the Warriors were ousted by the
Kawhi Leonard
-led
Toronto Raptors
4?2, resulting in the first NBA title for a team based outside the United States.
[18]
Toronto's
Kawhi Leonard
was named Finals MVP, becoming the first player to win the award while representing teams from both conferences.
The
2019?20 NBA season
was
suspended
in March 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
, and resumed on a shortened schedule in July 2020 inside the
NBA Bubble
in
Orlando, Florida
. LeBron James returned to his tenth Finals with the
Los Angeles Lakers
against the
Miami Heat
in the
2020 NBA Finals
, marking the first time in NBA history that two teams that missed the playoffs the year before met in the Finals.
[19]
The Lakers won the series 4?2, claiming their 17th title to tie the
Boston Celtics
' franchise record;
LeBron James
was named Finals MVP for the fourth time in his career, becoming the first player to win the award with three different franchises.
[20]
The
2021 NBA Finals
saw the
Milwaukee Bucks
defeat the
Phoenix Suns
in the first Finals since 1971 to feature no players who had previously won a championship.
[21]
Two-time
NBA MVP
Giannis Antetokounmpo
earned Finals MVP honors.
After missing the playoffs two years in a row, the Warriors returned to the
2022 Finals
for their sixth appearance in the last eight seasons.
[22]
They defeated the Boston Celtics in six games for their fourth championship in eight seasons,
[23]
and Curry won his first NBA Finals MVP award unanimously.
[24]
2023?present
[
edit
]
The
Denver Nuggets
reached their first Finals in franchise history in
2023
, defeating the
Miami Heat
in five games, becoming the second expansion team from the ABA to win the championship.
Nikola Joki?
was named Finals MVP, becoming the lowest-drafted player (41st overall) to win the award.
[25]
The
Boston Celtics
and the
Dallas Mavericks
are competing in the
2024 NBA Finals
, marking the sixth straight year with a different championship team, the longest parity streak since the 1970s.
[26]
As part of a multiyear partnership that began in 2018, the internet television service
YouTube TV
became the
presenting sponsor
of the NBA Finals.
[3]
Team records
[
edit
]
Finals appearances
[
edit
]
The statistics below refer to series wins and losses, not individual games won and lost. For individual game statistics, see
Individual games records
.
No.
|
Team
|
W
|
L
|
Win%
|
Most recent appearance
|
Most recent title
|
Notes
|
32
|
Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers
|
17
|
15
|
.531
|
2020
|
2020
|
5?1 in Minneapolis and 12?14 in Los Angeles. Currently hold the record for the most appearances in the NBA Finals, and have appeared in the Finals in every decade since the 1940s. With 17 championships, no team has won more, and they are tied with the Celtics. They also attained a three-peat in Minneapolis from 1952 to 1954, and another in Los Angeles from 2000 to 2002. The Lakers have defeated nine different NBA franchises in the NBA Finals and lost to five, both records. One of five franchises to reach four consecutive NBA Finals.
|
23
|
Boston Celtics
|
17
|
5
|
.773
|
2024
|
2008
|
Won eight straight titles from 1959 to 1966, and are tied with the Lakers as the most successful team in the NBA Finals, winning 17 championships each. Three of their five Finals losses occurred against the rival Lakers. Appeared in a record 10 consecutive NBA Finals.
|
12
|
Philadelphia/San Francisco/Golden State Warriors
|
7
|
5
|
.583
|
2022
|
2022
|
2?1 in Philadelphia and 5?4 in California. Won the first championship and another title in Philadelphia, before eventually winning five more as the Golden State Warriors, including four in eight years between 2015 and 2022. Second franchise to appear in five consecutive NBA Finals.
|
9
|
Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers
|
3
|
6
|
.333
|
2001
|
1983
|
1?2 in Syracuse and 2?4 in Philadelphia. Won one title in
Syracuse
, before winning another two following the move to
Philadelphia
. Five of their six losses occurred against the Lakers.
|
8
|
New York Knicks
|
2
|
6
|
.250
|
1999
|
1973
|
In their
most recent
appearance, they became the first eighth seed to ever reach the Finals. Five of their appearances and both titles occurred against the Lakers.
|
7
|
Fort Wayne/Detroit Pistons
|
3
|
4
|
.429
|
2005
|
2004
|
0?2 in Fort Wayne and 3?2 in Detroit. Appeared in three straight NBA Finals, winning back-to-back in 1989 and 1990. Both losses in Detroit came in Game 7s.
|
7
|
Miami Heat
|
3
|
4
|
.429
|
2023
|
2013
|
Udonis Haslem
featured in all Finals appearances. Coach
Erik Spoelstra
featured in six Finals as head coach and one finals as assistant coach. One of five franchises to reach four consecutive Finals. In their
most recent
appearance, they became the first team to reach the Finals after qualifying in the
play-in tournament
.
|
6
|
Chicago Bulls
|
6
|
0
|
1.000
|
1998
|
1998
|
All six titles were with head coach
Phil Jackson
and players
Michael Jordan
and
Scottie Pippen
. The titles were won via two three-peats, in
1991
?
1993
and
1996
?
1998
. They are the only active NBA franchise with multiple Finals appearances and no losses.
|
6
|
San Antonio Spurs
|
5
|
1
|
.833
|
2014
|
2014
|
All five titles were with
Tim Duncan
and
Gregg Popovich
. They were the first franchise to move from the
ABA
to the NBA, and subsequently win a championship.
|
5
|
Cleveland Cavaliers
|
1
|
4
|
.200
|
2018
|
2016
|
LeBron James
featured in all five Finals appearances. The Cavaliers appeared in four straight Finals from 2015 to 2018, all against the Golden State Warriors, winning in 2016. One of five franchises to reach four consecutive Finals.
|
4
|
Houston Rockets
|
2
|
2
|
.500
|
1995
|
1995
|
Won back-to-back championships with
Hakeem Olajuwon
and coach
Rudy Tomjanovich
. Their 1995 triumph was done as the 6-seed, the lowest seeded team in NBA History to win a championship. Both losses against the Boston Celtics.
|
4
|
St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks
|
1
|
3
|
.250
|
1961
|
1958
|
All appearances when the team was in
St. Louis
. Reached four NBA Finals in five years, all against the Boston Celtics.
|
4
|
Seattle SuperSonics
/
Oklahoma City Thunder
|
1
|
3
|
.250
|
2012
|
1979
|
1?2 as
Seattle SuperSonics
and 0?1 as
Oklahoma City Thunder
. They remain the only franchise since 1977 to win a title in one city and later relocate.
|
4
|
Baltimore/Washington Bullets/Washington Wizards
|
1
|
3
|
.250
|
1979
|
1978
|
0?1 as the Baltimore Bullets, and 1?2 as the Washington Bullets. All appearances in the Finals came between 1971 and 1979, featuring
Wes Unseld
.
|
3
|
Milwaukee Bucks
|
2
|
1
|
.667
|
2021
|
2021
|
Won in the
1971
and
2021
Finals.
1971
and
1974
appearances were by teams that featured
Oscar Robertson
and
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
.
|
3
|
Dallas Mavericks
|
1
|
1
|
.500
|
2024
|
2011
|
They lost in 2006 and won in 2011, both times against the Heat in six games. Both Mavericks teams were led by
Dirk Nowitzki
.
|
3
|
Portland Trail Blazers
|
1
|
2
|
.333
|
1992
|
1977
|
Their only title was won with
Bill Walton
. The team lost two finals with
Clyde Drexler
.
|
3
|
Phoenix Suns
|
0
|
3
|
.000
|
2021
|
None
|
Lost in the
1976
,
1993
and
2021
Finals to the Celtics, Bulls and Bucks, respectively. Best historical win?loss record and most Finals appearances amongst all franchises to have not won a title.
|
2
|
New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets
|
0
|
2
|
.000
|
2003
|
None
|
All appearances when the team was in New Jersey.
|
2
|
Orlando Magic
|
0
|
2
|
.000
|
2009
|
None
|
They lost both of their Finals appearances, winning just one game between the two series.
|
2
|
Utah Jazz
|
0
|
2
|
.000
|
1998
|
None
|
Both appearances were with coach
Jerry Sloan
and players
Karl Malone
and
John Stockton
, and losses to the Bulls in six games.
|
1
|
Rochester Royals/Kansas City/Sacramento Kings
|
1
|
0
|
1.000
|
1951
|
1951
|
Only appearance in NBA Finals as the Rochester Royals.
|
1
|
Toronto Raptors
|
1
|
0
|
1.000
|
2019
|
2019
|
Only appearance in NBA Finals. The first and only team based outside the United States to win an NBA title or reach the NBA Finals.
|
1
|
Denver Nuggets
|
1
|
0
|
1.000
|
2023
|
2023
|
Only appearance as of 2023.
|
1
|
Chicago Stags
|
0
|
1
|
.000
|
1947
|
None
|
Team folded in 1950.
|
1
|
Baltimore Bullets
|
1
|
0
|
1.000
|
1948
|
1948
|
Team folded in 1954 and is the only championship-winning team to fold.
|
1
|
Washington Capitols
|
0
|
1
|
.000
|
1949
|
None
|
Team folded in 1951.
|
1
|
Indiana Pacers
|
0
|
1
|
.000
|
2000
|
None
|
Only appearance was in 2000 and led by
Reggie Miller
and coach
Larry Bird
, losing to the Lakers.
|
Active franchises with no Finals appearances
[
edit
]
(*) As a result of the original franchise's relocation to
New Orleans
, the NBA team in
Charlotte
suspended operations for the 2002?03 and the 2003?04 seasons, before a new team, named the Bobcats, was established for the 2004?05 season. In 2013, the original Hornets were renamed the Pelicans and obtained the records during their time in New Orleans and
Oklahoma City
from 2002 to 2013. In 2014, the Bobcats became the second incarnation of the Charlotte Hornets, and retained the history and records of the Hornets organization from 1988 to 2002.
Individual games records
[
edit
]
No.
|
Team
|
W
|
L
|
Win%
|
Notes
|
185
|
Los Angeles Lakers
|
93
|
92
|
.503
|
Holds the record for the most games in the Finals, with a record of 20?15 in Minneapolis and 73?77 while in Los Angeles. Won 4?2 in their last Finals appearance in 2020.
|
129
|
Boston Celtics
|
77
|
52
|
.597
|
Recorded the first ever sweep in the Finals. Lost 4?2 in their last Finals appearance in 2022.
|
65
|
Golden State Warriors
|
38
|
27
|
.585
|
Includes records of 10?6 while in Philadelphia, 3?8 while in San Francisco, and 25?13 in their current incarnation. Won 4?2 in their last Finals appearance in 2022.
|
53
|
Philadelphia 76ers
|
24
|
29
|
.453
|
Includes a record of 9?11 while in Syracuse, and 15?18 while in Philadelphia. Lost 4?1 in their last Finals appearance in 2001.
|
48
|
New York Knicks
|
20
|
28
|
.417
|
Lost 4?1 in their last Finals appearance in 1999.
|
41
|
Miami Heat
|
18
|
23
|
.439
|
Lost 4?1 in their last Finals appearance in 2023.
|
40
|
Detroit Pistons
|
22
|
18
|
.550
|
Includes a record of 4?8 while in Fort Wayne, and 18?10 while in Detroit. Lost 4?3 their last Finals appearance in 2005.
|
35
|
Chicago Bulls
|
24
|
11
|
.686
|
Won 4?2 in their last Finals appearance in 1998.
|
34
|
San Antonio Spurs
|
23
|
11
|
.676
|
Won 4?1 in their last Finals appearance in 2014.
|
25
|
Atlanta Hawks
|
11
|
14
|
.440
|
All appearances in the Finals occurred while the team was in St. Louis.
|
23
|
Houston Rockets
|
12
|
11
|
.522
|
Won 4?0 in their last Finals appearance in 1995.
|
23
|
Oklahoma City Thunder
|
10
|
13
|
.435
|
Includes a record of 9?9 while in Seattle, and 1?4 while in Oklahoma City. Lost 1?4 their last Finals appearance in 2012.
|
26
|
Cleveland Cavaliers
|
7
|
19
|
.269
|
Lost 4?0 in their last Finals appearance in 2018, as well as becoming the only team in the Finals to overcome a 3?1 deficit in 2016.
|
20
|
Washington Wizards
|
5
|
15
|
.250
|
Includes a record of 0?4 in Baltimore and 5?11 in Washington, all as the Bullets.
|
18
|
Phoenix Suns
|
6
|
12
|
.333
|
Lost 4?2 in their last Finals appearance in 2021.
|
17
|
Milwaukee Bucks
|
11
|
6
|
.647
|
Won 4?2 in their last Finals appearance in 2021.
|
17
|
Portland Trail Blazers
|
7
|
10
|
.412
|
Lost 4?2 in their last Finals appearance in 1992.
|
12
|
Dallas Mavericks
|
6
|
6
|
.500
|
All games played during the Finals have been against the Heat; lost 2?4 in 2006 and won 4?2 in 2011.
|
12
|
Utah Jazz
|
4
|
8
|
.333
|
Lost 4?2 in both Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998, both times against the Bulls.
|
10
|
Brooklyn Nets
|
2
|
8
|
.200
|
All Finals appearances have occurred while the team was in New Jersey, and lost 4?2 in their last Finals appearance in 2003.
|
9
|
Orlando Magic
|
1
|
8
|
.111
|
Lost 4?1 in their last Finals appearance in 2009.
|
7
|
Sacramento Kings
|
4
|
3
|
.571
|
All appearances have occurred while the team was in Rochester.
|
6
|
Baltimore Bullets
|
4
|
2
|
.667
|
Franchise defunct. Only championship-winning team to fold.
|
6
|
Toronto Raptors
|
4
|
2
|
.667
|
Won 4?2 in their last Finals appearance in 2019.
|
6
|
Indiana Pacers
|
2
|
4
|
.333
|
Lost 4?2 in their last Finals appearance in 2000.
|
6
|
Washington Capitols
|
2
|
4
|
.333
|
Franchise defunct.
|
5
|
Denver Nuggets
|
4
|
1
|
.800
|
Won 4?1 in their last Finals appearance in 2023.
|
5
|
Chicago Stags
|
1
|
4
|
.200
|
Franchise defunct.
|
Player records
[
edit
]
See also
[
edit
]
Notes
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Ballard, Bill (June 4, 1989).
"Here Are Some Final Facts on NBA Playoffs"
.
Los Angeles Times
. Associated Press.
Archived
from the original on April 2, 2015.
- ^
"NBA and YouTube TV announce first-ever presenting partnership of the NBA Finals"
.
NBA.com
(Press release). NBA Media Ventures, LLC. March 26, 2018
. Retrieved
October 19,
2020
.
- ^
a
b
"NBA, YouTube TV announce first-ever partnership for 2018 Finals"
.
USA Today
. March 26, 2018
. Retrieved
June 2,
2019
.
- ^
Avalos, Christopher (June 7, 2022).
"What is the NBA finals format?"
.
Boundtoball
. Retrieved
January 31,
2024
.
- ^
"Stern: Celts' Auerbach played role in Finals format"
.
ESPN.com
. June 9, 2008
. Retrieved
March 20,
2024
.
- ^
Delamater, Tom.
"2010 NBA Finals, Game 4: Does the 2-3-2 Format Favor L.A. or Boston Most?"
.
Bleacher Report
. Retrieved
March 20,
2024
.
- ^
"NBA Board of Governors unanimously approves format change for The Finals"
.
NBA.com
(Press release). NBA Media Ventures, LLC. October 23, 2013
. Retrieved
October 19,
2020
.
- ^
Golliver, Ben (October 23, 2013).
"NBA Board of Governors unanimously adopts 2-2-1-1-1 Finals format change"
.
Sports Illustrated
. Retrieved
March 20,
2024
.
- ^
"Boston Celtics History"
. Boston Celtics. Archived from
the original
on October 26, 2012
. Retrieved
January 22,
2017
.
- ^
"NBA.com: Magic Fills in at Center"
.
nba.com
. Archived from
the original
on February 10, 2012
. Retrieved
June 29,
2015
.
- ^
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- ^
"NBA Season Recaps"
.
NBA.com
. July 1, 2014
. Retrieved
June 29,
2015
.
- ^
Team Stream Now.
"LeBron James and the Ghost of 23"
.
Bleacher Report
. Retrieved
June 29,
2015
.
- ^
Jones, Michael C. (June 19, 2013).
"NBA Finals 2013, Spurs vs. Heat Game 6: The greatest game ever played?"
. Archived from
the original
on June 23, 2013
. Retrieved
June 20,
2013
.
- ^
Johnson, Jared.
"NBA Finals Live: Cavs vs. Warriors in Game 7"
.
Bleacher Report
. Retrieved
June 20,
2016
.
- ^
"G.O.A.T. Grade: Definitive proof the 2017 Warriors are the Greatest Team of All Time"
. Retrieved
June 13,
2017
.
- ^
"Powered by Kevin Durant, Warriors roll to second NBA title in three years"
. Retrieved
June 13,
2017
.
- ^
"Raptors top Warriors for 1st title in team history"
.
ESPN.com
. Retrieved
June 14,
2019
.
- ^
Reynolds, Tim (September 27, 2020).
"The Finals are set: LeBron, Lakers will meet Butler, Heat"
.
Associated Press
. Retrieved
September 27,
2020
.
- ^
"LeBron James makes history, wins Finals MVP with 3 different franchises"
.
NBA.com
. October 11, 2020
. Retrieved
October 26,
2020
.
- ^
"No prior champions in NBA Finals for first time in 50 years"
.
NBC Sports
. July 6, 2021
. Retrieved
July 6,
2021
.
- ^
"Dubs beat Mavs in five games, head to sixth Finals in eight years"
.
NBCSports.com
. Retrieved
May 26,
2022
.
- ^
"Warriors beat Celtics 103?90 to win 4th NBA title in 8 years"
.
ESPN.com
. Retrieved
June 17,
2022
.
- ^
"Stephen Curry wins Finals MVP for 1st time in his career"
.
NBA.com
. Retrieved
June 17,
2022
.
- ^
"Nuggets star Nikola Jokic named NBA Finals MVP"
.
ESPN.com
. Retrieved
June 13,
2023
.
- ^
"NBA Will Feature New Champion For Sixth-Straight Year"
. May 21, 2024
. Retrieved
June 3,
2024
.
- ^
a
b
c
"NBA.com: Lideres en la historia de las Finales (Estadisticas)"
.
NBA.com
. Archived from
the original
on October 26, 2015
. Retrieved
June 29,
2015
.
- ^
"NBA.com: All-Time Records Index"
.
nba.com
. Archived from
the original
on February 15, 2018
. Retrieved
June 29,
2015
.
- ^
"Player Game Finder"
.
Basketball-Reference.com
.
- ^
"NBA Career Finals Leaders and Records for Points"
.
Basketball-Reference.com
. Retrieved
June 11,
2019
.
- ^
"Player Game Finder"
.
Basketball-Reference.com
. Retrieved
June 19,
2019
.
External links
[
edit
]
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