The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions clash in a best-of-seven 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.
A total of 22 franchises have won the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics is the most successful team in the NBA Finals, taking home around 18 trophies. The second winner of the franchise, the Los Angeles Lakers, stands close to its rival at 17 titles.
Teams with most NBA Finals titles
Team | Titles | Years |
Boston Celtics | 18 | 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968,1969, 1974, 1976, 1981,1984,1986,2008,2024 |
Los Angeles Lakers (*Minneapolis Lakers) | 17 | 1949*, 1950*, 1952*, 1953*, 1954*, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2020 |
Golden State Warriors (*Philadelphia Warriors) | 7 | 1947*, 1956*, 1975, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022 |
Chicago Bulls | 6 | 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 |
San Antonio Spurs | 5 | 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014 |
Miami Heat | 3 | 2006, 2012, 2013 |
Detroit Pistons | 3 | 1989, 1990, 2004 |
Philadelphia 76ers (*Syracuse Nationals) | 3 | 1955*, 1967, 1983 |
Milwaukee Bucks | 2 | 1971, 2021 |
Houston Rockets | 2 | 1994, 1995 |
New York Knicks | 2 | 1970, 1973 |
Denver Nuggets | 1 | 2023 |
Toronto Raptors | 1 | 2019 |
Cleveland Cavaliers | 1 | 2016 |
Dallas Mavericks | 1 | 2011 |
Seattle SuperSonics | 1 | 1979 |
Washington Bullets | 1 | 1978 |
Portland Trail Blazers | 1 | 1977 |
St. Louis Hawks | 1 | 1958 |
Rochester Royals | 1 | 1951 |
Baltimore Bullets | 1 | 1948 |
Oklahoma City Thunder | 1 | 2025 |
Also Read: NBA All-Star Game MVP Award: Full List Of Winners
List of all NBA Finals champions in history
- 2025: Oklahoma City Thunder
- 2024: Boston Celtics
- 2023: Denver Nuggets
- 2022: Golden State Warriors
- 2021: Milwaukee Bucks
- 2020: Los Angeles Lakers
- 2019: Toronto Raptors
- 2018: Golden State Warriors
- 2017: Golden State Warriors
- 2016: Cleveland Cavaliers
- 2015: Golden State Warriors
- 2014: San Antonio Spurs
- 2013: Miami Heat
- 2012: Miami Heat
- 2011: Dallas Mavericks
- 2010: Los Angeles Lakers
- 2009: Los Angeles Lakers
- 2008: Boston Celtics
- 2007: San Antonio Spurs
- 2006: Miami Heat
- 2005: San Antonio Spurs
- 2004: Detroit Pistons
- 2003: San Antonio Spurs
- 2002: Los Angeles Lakers
- 2001: Los Angeles Lakers
- 2000: Los Angeles Lakers
- 1999: San Antonio Spurs
- 1998: Chicago Bulls
- 1997: Chicago Bulls
- 1996: Chicago Bulls
- 1995: Houston Rockets
- 1994: Houston Rockets
- 1993: Chicago Bulls
- 1992: Chicago Bulls
- 1991: Chicago Bulls
- 1990: Detroit Pistons
- 1989: Detroit Pistons
- 1988: Los Angeles Lakers
- 1987: Los Angeles Lakers
- 1986: Boston Celtics
- 1985: Los Angeles Lakers
- 1984: Boston Celtics
- 1983: Philadelphia 76ers
- 1982: Los Angeles Lakers
- 1981: Boston Celtics
- 1980: Los Angeles Lakers
- 1979: Seattle SuperSonics
- 1978: Washington Bullets
- 1977: Portland Trail Blazers
- 1976: Boston Celtics
- 1975: Golden State Warriors
- 1974: Boston Celtics
- 1973: New York Knicks
- 1972: Los Angeles Lakers
- 1971: Milwaukee Bucks
- 1970: New York Knicks
- 1969: Boston Celtics
- 1968: Boston Celtics
- 1967: Philadelphia 76ers
- 1966: Boston Celtics
- 1965: Boston Celtics
- 1964: Boston Celtics
- 1963: Boston Celtics
- 1962: Boston Celtics
- 1961: Boston Celtics
- 1960: Boston Celtics
- 1959: Boston Celtics
- 1958: St. Louis Hawks
- 1957: Boston Celtics
- 1956: Philadelphia Warriors
- 1955: Syracuse Nationals
- 1954: Minneapolis Lakers
- 1953: Minneapolis Lakers
- 1952: Minneapolis Lakers
- 1951: Rochester Royals
- 1950: Minneapolis Lakers
- 1949: Minneapolis Lakers