For over seven decades, the NBA Finals have crowned champions who shaped basketball history, turning players into legends and cities into basketball capitals. Each title marks a chapter of triumph and resilience.
From the dynasties of the Celtics and Lakers to the rise of new powers like the Warriors, the league’s landscape has constantly shifted, reflecting eras of dominance, fierce rivalries and unforgettable moments.
Yet, beyond the banners and rings, the Finals reveal something deeper: the heartbreaks, near-misses and enduring pursuit of greatness that define the National Basketball Association’s most iconic teams and players.
List of NBA winners by year
| Year | Champion | Finals result |
| 1950 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-2 Syracuse Nationals |
| 1951 | Rochester Royals | 4-3 New York Knicks |
| 1952 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-3 New York Knicks |
| 1953 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-1 New York Knicks |
| 1954 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-3 Syracuse Nationals |
| 1955 | Syracuse Nationals | 4-3 Fort Wayne Pistons |
| 1956 | Philadelphia Warriors | 4-3 Fort Wayne Pistons |
| 1957 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 St. Louis Hawks |
| 1958 | St. Louis Hawks | 4-2 Boston Celtics |
| 1959 | Boston Celtics | 4-0 Minneapolis Lakers |
| 1960 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 St. Louis Hawks |
| 1961 | Boston Celtics | 4-1 St. Louis Hawks |
| 1962 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1963 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1964 | Boston Celtics | 4-1 San Francisco Warriors |
| 1965 | Boston Celtics | 4-1 Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1966 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1967 | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 San Francisco Warriors |
| 1968 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1969 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1970 | New York Knicks | 4-3 Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1971 | Milwaukee Bucks | 4-0 Baltimore Bullets |
| 1972 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 New York Knicks |
| 1973 | New York Knicks | 4-1 Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1974 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1975 | Golden State Warriors | 4-0 Washington Bullets |
| 1976 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 Phoenix Suns |
| 1977 | Portland Trail Blazers | 4-2 Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1978 | Washington Bullets | 4-3 Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1979 | Seattle SuperSonics | 4-1 Washington Bullets |
| 1980 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 vs Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1981 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 vs Houston Rockets |
| 1982 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 vs Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1983 | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-0 vs Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1984 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 vs Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1985 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 vs Boston Celtics |
| 1986 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 vs Houston Rockets |
| 1987 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 vs Boston Celtics |
| 1988 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 vs Detroit Pistons |
| 1989 | Detroit Pistons | 4-0 vs Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1990 | Detroit Pistons | 4-1 vs Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1991 | Chicago Bulls | 4-1 vs Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1992 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 vs Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1993 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 vs Phoenix Suns |
| 1994 | Houston Rockets | 4-3 vs New York Knicks |
| 1995 | Houston Rockets | 4-0 vs Orlando Magic |
| 1996 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 vs Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1997 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 vs Utah Jazz |
| 1998 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 vs Utah Jazz |
| 1999 | San Antonio Spurs | 4-1 vs New York Knicks |
| 2000 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 vs Indiana Pacers |
| 2001 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 vs Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 vs New Jersey Nets |
| 2003 | San Antonio Spurs | 4-2 vs New Jersey Nets |
| 2004 | Detroit Pistons | 4-1 vs Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2005 | San Antonio Spurs | 4-3 vs Detroit Pistons |
| 2006 | Miami Heat | 4-2 vs Dallas Mavericks |
| 2007 | San Antonio Spurs | 4-0 vs Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2008 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 vs Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2009 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 vs Orlando Magic |
| 2010 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 vs Boston Celtics |
| 2011 | Dallas Mavericks | 4-2 vs Miami Heat |
| 2012 | Miami Heat | 4-1 vs Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2013 | Miami Heat | 4-3 vs San Antonio Spurs |
| 2014 | San Antonio Spurs | 4-1 vs Miami Heat |
| 2015 | Golden State Warriors | 4-2 vs Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-3 vs Golden State Warriors |
| 2017 | Golden State Warriors | 4-1 vs Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2018 | Golden State Warriors | 4-0 vs Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2019 | Toronto Raptors | 4-2 vs Golden State Warriors |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 vs Miami Heat |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks | 4-2 vs Phoenix Suns |
| 2022 | Golden State Warriors | 4-2 vs Boston Celtics |
| 2023 | Denver Nuggets | 4-1 vs Miami Heat |
| 2024 | Boston Celtics | 4-1 vs Dallas Mavericks |
What teams have the most NBA championships?
Certain franchises have managed to secure their place in the pantheon of greatness by winning multiple championships. Among these, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts after a play during the fourth quarter in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers on May 23, 2024. (Source: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
With 17 championships each, these two teams are tied for the most titles in NBA history. The Lakers, known for their iconic players such as Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, have dominated several eras.
From the Showtime Lakers of the 1980s to the Kobe-Shaq dynasty in the early 2000s and more recently, their 2020 triumph with LeBron James, the Lakers have constantly redefined what it means to be a championship contender.
Boston also boast 17 titles, with their most dominant period occurring in the 1950s and 1960s. Under the leadership of coach Red Auerbach and with Bill Russell anchoring their defense, they won 11 championships in 13 years, a feat unmatched in NBA history.
Beyond the Celtics and Lakers, other teams with a rich history of success include the Chicago Bulls, with 6 championships, and the Golden State Warriors, who have claimed 7 titles, according to the ESPN and Basketball Reference.
What teams never won an NBA championship?
While the NBA has celebrated countless championship triumphs, several franchises are still chasing their first title. Some have come heartbreakingly close, while others have struggled to even reach the Finals…
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Despite the brilliance of Kevin Garnett in the early 2000s, they have never reached the NBA Finals. Their best season came in 2004 when they reached the Western Conference Finals, falling to the Los Angeles Lakers. In recent years, the team has shown promise with rising stars like Anthony Edwards, but a championship remains out of reach.
Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks look on during the first quarter in Game One of the Western Conference Finals in 2024. (Source: David Berding/Getty Images)
- Phoenix Suns: The Suns have been one of the most competitive and well-supported franchises without a ring. They reached the NBA Finals three times: in 1976, 1993, and most recently in 2021. Despite strong rosters featuring stars like Charles Barkley, Steve Nash and Devin Booker, they fell short each time, most recently losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.
- Utah Jazz: Known for the iconic duo of John Stockton and Karl Malone, they made back-to-back Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998. Unfortunately, both runs ended in defeat to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. Since then, the team have remained competitive but have not broken through to a championship.
- Indiana Pacers: A powerhouse in the ABA before joining the NBA, they have yet to win an NBA title. Their lone NBA Finals appearance came in 2000, where they lost to the Lakers led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Indiana has often been a playoff fixture, but the championship has remained elusive.
- Orlando Magic: They have made two Finals appearances—in 1995, led by Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, and in 2009, with Dwight Howard anchoring the team. Both times, they fell short: first to the Houston Rockets and then to the Lakers. The team has been rebuilding in recent years, searching for the next superstar to lead them back to the top.
- Brooklyn Nets: Formerly the New Jersey Nets, the franchise reached the Finals in 2002 and 2003 but lost to the Lakers and the Spurs, respectively. In recent years, despite assembling superstar lineups with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, they have fallen short of even reaching the Finals.
