NBA Finals
The Basketball Association of America completed its inaugural season in April 1947 with the Philadelphia Warriors defeating the Chicago Stags. This series was initially known as the BAA Finals prior to the 1949, 50 season when the league merged with the National Basketball League 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. Since 2018, it has been officially known as the NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV for sponsorship reasons. 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.
The beginning era of modern professional basketball was dominated by the Minneapolis Lakers, who won five of the first ten titles. In 1948, the Minneapolis Lakers won the championship of the rival National Basketball League before joining the BAA. Led by future Hall of Famer George Mikan, the Lakers won the third and final BAA championship in 1949 over the Red Auerbach-coached Washington Capitals. The Lakers won the inaugural NBA championship in 1950 to become the first team to repeat as champions. Of the five franchises to win a championship from 1947 to 1956, one (the Bullets) folded and the other four (the Warriors, Lakers, Royals, and Syracuse Nationals) all relocated by 1964. The Philadelphia Warriors also won multiple championships, including the inaugural title in 1947 and another in 1956 to bookend the NBA's first decade.
The Boston Celtics won 11 of the 12 NBA Finals they reached during 13 seasons, including eight straight NBA championships from 1959 through 1966. 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 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. 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.
The 1970s saw ten different teams reach the Finals and eight different teams win a championship, the most of any decade in the NBA. 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, overcame an 18, 27 losing record early in the regular season to build a remarkable run to finish 42, 40. The team, nicknamed the "Sunderella Suns," achieved upset victories over the Seattle SuperSonics and the Warriors before facing the Celtics in the Finals. Franchises that won their first titles in the 1970s included the New York Knicks in 1970, Milwaukee Bucks in 1971, the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977, and the Washington Bullets, who defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in 1978. The Sonics exacted revenge on the Bullets the following season, beating Washington in five games in 1979 to win their first title.
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. Rookie Magic Johnson led the Showtime Lakers to the 1980 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, who were led by Julius Erving. In 1984, 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. The teams faced off again in 1985 and 1987, but the Lakers came up on top both times. In the following two seasons, the Celtics failed to reach the Finals, becoming overshadowed by the Detroit Pistons. They became the first team to win back-to-back NBA titles since 1969. Seeking a three-peat in 1989, the Lakers were swept by the Pistons in a rematch of the previous year's Finals. The Pistons were nicknamed the "Bad Boys" due to their rough, physical play led by future Hall of Fame guards Joe Dumars and Isiah Thomas and a rugged front court with Bill Laimbeer and Dennis Rodman.
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 Bulls' first championship came at the expense of the Los Angeles Lakers, in the last Finals appearance for Magic Johnson. The series was billed as a showdown between the aging Johnson and the upstart Jordan. In 1993, The Bulls were matched against the Phoenix Suns, led by Charles Barkley, who was the league's reigning MVP of the Phoenix Suns. After dropping the first two games at home, The Suns won Game 3 in Chicago in triple overtime. The Bulls came back to win Game 4 with Jordan scoring 55 points and tying Rick Barry for the second-most points in an NBA Finals game. After this win, Jordan retired from basketball to pursue a career in baseball.
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 twelve seasons. The Spurs won four championships, in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007. During the 1999 NBA playoffs, the Spurs finished with a 15, 2 mark. 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. 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. Most notably, during their 2001 postseason run, the Lakers swept their first three series and won the Finals against the Allen Iverson-led Philadelphia 76ers in five games, finishing with an unprecedented 15, 1 record. In the 2010s saw the ascent of the Golden State Warriors, emerging as a dominant force in the Western Conference with six NBA Finals appearances and four titles in eight seasons.
A total of 21 franchises have won the NBA Finals, with the Oklahoma City Thunder winning the most recent and earning their first title since relocating to Oklahoma City, and second overall. The statistics below refer to series wins and losses, not individual games won or lost. Bill Russell holds the record for most years in Finals (12) and most career rebounds in Finals (1,718). Jerry West holds the record for most career points in Finals (1,679) and most career free throws made in Finals (453). Magic Johnson holds the record for most career assists in Finals (584) and most career steals in Finals (102). Stephen Curry holds the record for most career three-point field goals in Finals (152). Nikola Jokić was named Finals MVP in 2023, becoming the lowest-drafted player (41st overall) to win the award. The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in 2024, claiming their record of 18 NBA titles and breaking a tie with their longtime rival, the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Common questions
When did the NBA Finals begin and what was its original name?
The competition began in April 1947 as the BAA Finals before merging with the National Basketball League to form the NBA. The series underwent several name changes including the NBA World Championship Series from 1950 to 1985 and briefly became known as the Showdown before settling on the current title in 1986.
Which team won the most championships during the 1950s and 1960s dynasty era?
The Boston Celtics won 11 of the 12 NBA Finals they reached during 13 seasons between 1957 and 1969. This dynasty included eight straight NBA championships from 1959 through 1966 led by center Bill Russell.
Who won the first NBA championship after the league merger in 1949?
The Minneapolis Lakers won the inaugural NBA championship in 1950 to become the first team to repeat as champions. They had previously won the third and final BAA championship in 1949 over the Washington Capitals coached by Red Auerbach.
What records do Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic hold regarding the NBA Finals MVP award?
Stephen Curry holds the record for most career three-point field goals in Finals with 152 attempts. Nikola Jokić was named Finals MVP in 2023 becoming the lowest-drafted player at 41st overall to win the award.
How many titles have the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics combined won as of 2024?
The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in 2024 claiming their record of 18 NBA titles. The Los Angeles Lakers hold 17 titles tying them with the Celtics before the 2024 victory broke the tie.