The National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals is the championship series for the NBA at the end of its postseason. All Finals have been played in a best-of-7 format. The games are between the winners of the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference, except in 1950 when the Eastern Division champion faced the winner between the Western and Central Division champions.
The regular season MVP wasn’t awarded until 1955-56 season. Finals MVP didn’t get awarded until 1969 NBA Finals. You will see many Basketball Hall of Famers on this list. Be sure to check out NBA logos for your favorite team.
NBA Championships Chart
| SEASON | WINNING TEAM | LOSING TEAM | SERIES | FINALS MVP | REGULAR SEASON MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946-47 | Philadelphia Warriors | Chicago Stags | 4–1 | ||
| 1947-48 | Baltimore Bullets | Philadelphia Warriors | 4–2 | ||
| 1948-49 | Minneapolis Lakers | Washington Capitols | 4–2 | ||
| 1949-50 | Minneapolis Lakers | Syracuse Nationals | 4–2 | ||
| 1950-51 | Rochester Royals | New York Knicks | 4–3 | ||
| 1951-52 | Minneapolis Lakers | New York Knicks | 4–3 | ||
| 1952-53 | Minneapolis Lakers | New York Knicks | 4–1 | ||
| 1953-54 | Minneapolis Lakers | Syracuse Nationals | 4–3 | ||
| 1954-55 | Syracuse Nationals | Fort Wayne Pistons | 4–3 | ||
| 1955-56 | Philadelphia Warriors | Fort Wayne Pistons | 4–1 | Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks | |
| 1956-57 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4–3 | Bob Cousy, Boston Celtics | |
| 1957-58 | St. Louis Hawks | Boston Celtics | 4–2 | Bill Russell, Boston Celtics | |
| 1958-59 | Boston Celtics | Minneapolis Lakers | 4–0 | Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks 4-0 | |
| 1959-60 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4–3 | Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia Warriors | |
| 1960-61 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4–1 | Bill Russell, Boston Celtics | |
| 1961-62 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–3 | Bill Russell, Boston Celtics | |
| 1962-63 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Bill Russell, Boston Celtics | |
| 1963-64 | Boston Celtics | San Francisco Warriors | 4–1 | Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals | |
| 1964-65 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–1 | Bill Russell, Boston Celtics | |
| 1965-66 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–3 | Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers | |
| 1966-67 | Philadelphia 76ers | San Francisco Warriors | 4–2 | Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers | |
| 1967-68 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers | |
| 1968-69 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–3 | Jerry West | Wes Unseld, Baltimore Bullets |
| 1969-70 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–3 | Willis Reed | Willis Reed, New York Knicks |
| 1970-71 | Milwaukee Bucks | Baltimore Bullets | 4–0 | Lew Alcindor | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1971-72 | Los Angeles Lakers | New York Knicks | 4–1 | Wilt Chamberlain | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1972-73 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–1 | Willis Reed | Dave Cowens, Boston Celtics |
| 1973-74 | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 4–3 | John Havlicek | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1974-75 | Golden State Warriors | Washington Bullets | 4–0 | Rick Barry | Bob McAdoo, Buffalo Braves |
| 1975-76 | Boston Celtics | Phoenix Suns | 4–2 | Jo Jo White | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1976-77 | Portland Trail Blazers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4–2 | Bill Walton | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1977-78 | Washington Bullets | Seattle SuperSonics | 4–3 | Wes Unseld | Bill Walton, Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1978-79 | Seattle SuperSonics | Washington Bullets | 4–1 | Dennis Johnson | Moses Malone, Houston Rockets |
| 1979-80 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4–2 | Magic Johnson | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1980-81 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4–2 | Cedric Maxwell | Julius Erving, Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1981-82 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4–2 | Magic Johnson | Moses Malone, Houston Rockets |
| 1982-83 | Philadelphia 76ers | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–0 | Moses Malone | Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1983-84 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–3 | Larry Bird | Larry Bird, Boston Celtics |
| 1984-85 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4–2 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Larry Bird, Boston Celtics |
| 1985-86 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4–2 | Larry Bird | Larry Bird, Boston Celtics |
| 1986-87 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4–2 | Magic Johnson | Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1987-88 | Los Angeles Lakers | Detroit Pistons | 4–3 | James Worthy | Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls |
| 1988-89 | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–0 | Joe Dumars | Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1989-90 | Detroit Pistons | Portland Trail Blazers | 4–1 | Isiah Thomas | Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1990-91 | Chicago Bulls | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–1 | Michael Jordan | Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls |
| 1991-92 | Chicago Bulls | Portland Trail Blazers | 4–2 | Michael Jordan | Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls |
| 1992-93 | Chicago Bulls | Phoenix Suns | 4–2 | Michael Jordan | Charles Barkley, Phoenix Suns |
| 1993-94 | Houston Rockets | New York Knicks | 4–3 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets |
| 1994-95 | Houston Rockets | Orlando Magic | 4–0 | Hakeem Olajuwon | David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs |
| 1995-96 | Chicago Bulls | Seattle SuperSonics | 4–2 | Michael Jordan | Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls |
| 1996-97 | Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | 4–2 | Michael Jordan | Karl Malone, Utah Jazz |
| 1997-98 | Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | 4–2 | Michael Jordan | Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls |
| 1998-99 | San Antonio Spurs | New York Knicks | 4–1 | Tim Duncan | Karl Malone, Utah Jazz |
| 1999-00 | Los Angeles Lakers | Indiana Pacers | 4–2 | Shaquille O'Neal | Shaquille O’Neal, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2000-01 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4–1 | Shaquille O'Neal | Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2001-02 | Los Angeles Lakers | New Jersey Nets | 4–0 | Shaquille O'Neal | Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs |
| 2002-03 | San Antonio Spurs | New Jersey Nets | 4–2 | Tim Duncan | Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs |
| 2003-04 | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–1 | Chauncey Billups | Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2004-05 | San Antonio Spurs | Detroit Pistons | 4–3 | Tim Duncan | Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns |
| 2005-06 | Miami Heat | Dallas Mavericks | 4–2 | Dwyane Wade | Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns |
| 2006-07 | San Antonio Spurs | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4–0 | Tony Parker | Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks |
| 2007-08 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Paul Pierce | Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2008-09 | Los Angeles Lakers | Orlando Magic | 4–1 | Kobe Bryant | LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2009-10 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4–3 | Kobe Bryant | LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2010-11 | Dallas Mavericks | Miami Heat | 4–2 | Dirk Nowitzki | Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls |
| 2011-12 | Miami Heat | Oklahoma City Thunder | 4–1 | LeBron James | LeBron James, Miami Heat |
| 2012-13 | Miami Heat | San Antonio Spurs | 4–3 | LeBron James | LeBron James, Miami Heat |
| 2013-14 | San Antonio Spurs | Miami Heat | 4–1 | Kawhi Leonard | Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2014-15 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4–2 | Andre Iguodala | Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors |
| 2015-16 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Golden State Warriors | 4–3 | LeBron James | Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors |
| 2016-17 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4–1 | Kevin Durant | Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2017-18 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4–0 | Kevin Durant | James Harden, Houston Rockets |
| 2018-19 | Toronto Raptors | Golden State Warriors | 4–2 | Kawhi Leonard | Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2019-20 | Los Angeles Lakers | Miami Heat | 4–2 | LeBron James | Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2020-21 | Milwaukee Bucks | Phoenix Suns | 4–2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets |
| 2021-22 | Golden State Warriors | Boston Celtics | 4–2 | Stephen Curry | Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets |
| 2022-23 | Denver Nuggets | Miami Heat | 4–1 2023 NBA Playoffs scores | Nikola Jokić | Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers |