NBA Previous Champions & History
- A guide to the previous winners and runners-up of the NBA Championship
- The NBA is the world's biggest basketball league
- Guide to the recent champions and history of NBA basketball
The Larry O'Brien championship trophy is awarded to the NBA champions (Getty Images)
The NBA is widely considered to be the elite level of men's professional basketball in the world with winning the NBA Championship the pinnacle of the sport.
All 30 NBA teams go through a 82-game regular season. The best eight teams from each conference compete in a playoff series before the Eastern and Western conference champions then square off in the grand finale.
The NBA Finals which culminates in June and the Boston Celtic and Los Angeles Lakers have been the most successful teams in history with 17 NBA titles each.
There are often periods where one team dominates the competition such as the Celtics in the 1960’s, Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980’s and 2000’s, the Chicago Bulls in the 1990’s and currently the Golden State Warriors from 2015-2019.
NBA Champions & Runners-Up
| Year | Western Conference | Score | Eastern Conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Miami Heat |
| 2019 | Golden State Warriors | 2–4 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2018 | Golden State Warriors | 4–0 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2017 | Golden State Warriors | 4–1 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2016 | Golden State Warriors | 3–4 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2015 | Golden State Warriors | 4–2 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2014 | San Antonio Spurs | 4–1 | Miami Heat |
| 2013 | San Antonio Spurs | 3–4 | Miami Heat |
| 2012 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 1–4 | Miami Heat |
| 2011 | Dallas Mavericks | 4–2 | Miami Heat |
| 2010 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–3 | Boston Celtics |
| 2009 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–1 | Orlando Magic |
| 2008 | Los Angeles Lakers | 2–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 2007 | San Antonio Spurs | 4–0 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2006 | Dallas Mavericks | 2–4 | Miami Heat |
| 2005 | San Antonio Spurs | 4–3 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2004 | Los Angeles Lakers | 1–4 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2003 | San Antonio Spurs | 4–2 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–0 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2001 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–1 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2000 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1999 | San Antonio Spurs | 4–1 | New York Knicks |
| 1998 | Utah Jazz | 2–4 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1997 | Utah Jazz | 2–4 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1996 | Seattle SuperSonics | 2–4 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1995 | Houston Rockets | 4–0 | Orlando Magic |
| 1994 | Houston Rockets | 4–3 | New York Knicks |
| 1993 | Phoenix Suns | 2–4 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1992 | Portland Trail Blazers | 2–4 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1991 | Los Angeles Lakers | 1–4 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1990 | Portland Trail Blazers | 1–4 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1989 | Los Angeles Lakers | 0–4 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1988 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–3 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1987 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Boston Celtics |
| 1986 | Houston Rockets | 2–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1985 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Boston Celtics |
| 1984 | Los Angeles Lakers | 3–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1983 | Los Angeles Lakers | 0–4 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1982 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1981 | Houston Rockets | 2–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1980 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1979 | Seattle SuperSonics | 4–1 | Washington Bullets |
| 1978 | Seattle SuperSonics | 3–4 | Washington Bullets |
| 1977 | Portland Trail Blazers | 4–2 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1976 | Phoenix Suns | 2–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1975 | Golden State Warriors | 4–0 | Washington Bullets |
| 1974 | Milwaukee Bucks | 3–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1973 | Los Angeles Lakers | 1–4 | New York Knicks |
| 1972 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–1 | New York Knicks |
| 1971 | Milwaukee Bucks | 4–0 | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1970 | Los Angeles Lakers | 3–4 | New York Knicks |
| 1969 | Los Angeles Lakers | 3–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1968 | Los Angeles Lakers | 2–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1967 | San Francisco Warriors | 2–4 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1966 | Los Angeles Lakers | 3–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1965 | Los Angeles Lakers | 1–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1964 | San Francisco Warriors | 1–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1963 | Los Angeles Lakers | 2–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1962 | Los Angeles Lakers | 3–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1961 | St. Louis Hawks | 1–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1960 | St. Louis Hawks | 3–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1959 | Minneapolis Lakers | 0–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1958 | St. Louis Hawks | 4–2 | Boston Celtics |
| 1957 | St. Louis Hawks | 3–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1956 | Fort Wayne Pistons | 1–4 | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1955 | Fort Wayne Pistons | 3–4 | Syracuse Nationals |
| 1954 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4–3 | Syracuse Nationals |
| 1953 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4–1 | New York Knicks |
| 1952 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4–3 | New York Knicks |
| 1951 | Rochester Royals | 4–3 | New York Knicks |
| 1950 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4–2 | Syracuse Nationals |
| 1949 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4–2 | Washington Capitols |
| 1948 | Baltimore Bullets | 4–2 | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1947 | Chicago Stags | 1–4 | Philadelphia Warriors |
NBA Champions (by titles)
| Teams | Win | Loss | Total | Year(s) won | Year(s) lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 17 | 4 | 21 | 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008 | 1958, 1985, 1987, 2010 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 17 | 15 | 32 | 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 2020 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2020 | 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1991, 2004, 2008 |
| Golden State Warriors | 6 | 5 | 11 | 1947, 1956, 1975, 2015, 2017, 2018 | 1948, 1964, 1967, 2016, 2019 |
| Chicago Bulls | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 | — |
| San Antonio Spurs | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014 | 2013 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 3 | 6 | 9 | 1955, 1967, 1983 | 1950, 1954, 1977, 1980, 1982, 2001 |
| Detroit Pistons | 3 | 4 | 7 | 1989, 1990, 2004 | 1955, 1956, 1988, 2005 |
| Miami Heat | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2006, 2012, 2013 | 2011, 2014, 2020 |
| New York Knicks | 2 | 6 | 8 | 1970, 1973 | 1951, 1952, 1953, 1972, 1994, 1999 |
| Houston Rockets | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1994, 1995 | 1981, 1986 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2016 | 2007, 2015, 2017, 2018 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1958 | 1957, 1960, 1961 |
| Washington Wizards | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1978 | 1971, 1975, 1979 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1979 | 1978, 1996, 2012 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1977 | 1990, 1992 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1971 | 1974 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2011 | 2006 |
| Baltimore Bullets | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1948 | — |
| Sacramento Kings | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1951 | — |
| Toronto Raptors | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2019 | — |
| Phoenix Suns | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 1976, 1993 |
| Utah Jazz | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 1997, 1998 |
| Brooklyn Nets | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 2002, 2003 |
| Orlando Magic | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 1995, 2009 |
| Chicago Stags | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 1947 |
| Washington Capitols | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 1949 |
| Indiana Pacers | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 2000 |
| Charlotte Hornets | — | — | — | — | — |
| Denver Nuggets | — | — | — | — | — |
| Los Angeles Clippers | — | — | — | — | — |
| Memphis Grizzlies | — | — | — | — | — |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | — | — | — | — | — |
| New Orleans Pelicans | — | — | — | — |
NBA History
The Basketball Association of America was founded in 1946. The first NBA game was played on November 1, 1946, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada when the Toronto Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf Gardens.
The NBA introduced the 24-second shot clock in 1954.
Bill Russell joined the Boston Celtics in 1957 and went on to lead the Celtics to eleven NBA titles in thirteen seasons. That run included eight straight championships from 1959 to 1966 which is the longest streak in NBA history.
The NBA evolved with the Minneapolis Lakers moving to Los Angeles, the Philadelphia Warriors relocating to San Francisco, the Syracuse Nationals moving to Philadelphia to become the Philadelphia 76ers and the St. Louis Hawks moving to Atlanta.
The Chicago Packers became the ninth NBA team in 1961. The NBA saw rapid expansion from 1966 to 1968 when it expanded from 9 to 14 teams. In 1967 the NBA faced a threat from the American Basketball Association (ABA) who succeeded in signing a number of major stars in the 1970s.
From 1966 to 1974 the NBA grew from 9 franchises to 18. Following the 1976 season the ABA and NBA reached a settlement which saw the addition of four ABA franchises to the NBA - San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and New York Nets (now the Brooklyn Nets).
The NBA added the ABA's three-point field goal in 1979. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson joined the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers respectively which saw interest in the NBA grow significantly.
In the 1980s Johnson led the Lakers to five NBA titles and Bird led the Celtics to three NBA titles.
Michael Jordan entered the league in 1984 with the Chicago Bulls. The Detroit Pistons won the back-to-back NBA Championships in 1989 and 1990 but the Bulls became the dominant force with Jordan and Scottie Pippen leading the Bulls to two three-peats in eight years from 1991 to 1998.
Hakeem Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995.
In 1998 the NBA owners began a lockout that suspended the season until a new labor agreement was reached. Half the season was lost.
In the early 2000's Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships.
The 2008 Finals saw a rematch of the NBA's biggest rivalry, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics won their 17th championship largely thanks to the big three of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.
In 2011 there was another lockout which resulted in a shortened 66-game season.
LeBron James became the dominant player in the NBA when he switched from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat. After four seasons with the Heat, LeBron James returned to the Cavaliers. In 2016 he led the Cavaliers to their first NBA Championship, becoming the first team in history to overturn a 3-1 deficit in the Finals.
In the 2016-17 season, the Golden State Warriors recruited Kevin Durant. He was the Most Valuable Player in the 2017 NBA Finals and led the team to another Championship in 2018 when the Warriors swept the Cavaliers.
During free agency in 2018 LeBron James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Warriors returned to the Finals for the fifth straight year but were beaten 4-2 by the Toronto Raptors who were led by Kawhi Leonard. It was the Raptors' first NBA championship.
On March 11, 2020 the NBA suspended the remainder of its season "until further notice" because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The season restarted on July 30, 2020 with 22 teams playing eight additional regular season games to determine playoff seeding.
The delayed season was eventually won by the LA Lakers for a record-equalling 17th NBA title.
NBA Champions FAQs
Who has won the most NBA Championships?
Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers have both won 17 NBA Championships.
How are the NBA champions decided?
The NBA Finals is a seven match series between the Western Conference winners and Eastern Conference winners. This match decides the winner of the NBA Championship.
What is the NBA Championship trophy called?
The NBA champions are awarded the Larry O'Brien trophy.
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