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NBA champions by year

Every Finals back to the 1947 BAA with the beaten finalist, the series winner first, and every Finals MVP since the award began in 1969.

80 years listed, 1947 to 2026.

Earliest year listed: Philadelphia Warriors (1947).

Latest year listed: New York Knicks (2026).

25 different team names appear on the list, 1947 to 2026.

Every NBA champion since 1947, year by year

NBA champions in the 2020s

Year

Champion

Runner-up

Series

Finals MVP

2026

New York Knicks

San Antonio Spurs

4-1

Jalen Brunson

2025

Oklahoma City Thunder

Indiana Pacers

4-3

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

2024

Boston Celtics

Dallas Mavericks

4-1

Jaylen Brown

2023

Denver Nuggets

Miami Heat

4-1

Nikola Jokić

2022

Golden State Warriors

Boston Celtics

4-2

Stephen Curry

2021

Milwaukee Bucks

Phoenix Suns

4-2

Giannis Antetokounmpo

2020

Los Angeles Lakers

Miami Heat

4-2

LeBron James

NBA champions in the 2010s

Year

Champion

Runner-up

Series

Finals MVP

2019

Toronto Raptors

Golden State Warriors

4-2

Kawhi Leonard

2018

Golden State Warriors

Cleveland Cavaliers

4-0

Kevin Durant

2017

Golden State Warriors

Cleveland Cavaliers

4-1

Kevin Durant

2016

Cleveland Cavaliers

Golden State Warriors

4-3

LeBron James

2015

Golden State Warriors

Cleveland Cavaliers

4-2

Andre Iguodala

2014

San Antonio Spurs

Miami Heat

4-1

Kawhi Leonard

2013

Miami Heat

San Antonio Spurs

4-3

LeBron James

2012

Miami Heat

Oklahoma City Thunder

4-1

LeBron James

2011

Dallas Mavericks

Miami Heat

4-2

Dirk Nowitzki

2010

Los Angeles Lakers

Boston Celtics

4-3

Kobe Bryant

NBA champions in the 2000s

Year

Champion

Runner-up

Series

Finals MVP

2009

Los Angeles Lakers

Orlando Magic

4-1

Kobe Bryant

2008

Boston Celtics

Los Angeles Lakers

4-2

Paul Pierce

2007

San Antonio Spurs

Cleveland Cavaliers

4-0

Tony Parker

2006

Miami Heat

Dallas Mavericks

4-2

Dwyane Wade

2005

San Antonio Spurs

Detroit Pistons

4-3

Tim Duncan

2004

Detroit Pistons

Los Angeles Lakers

4-1

Chauncey Billups

2003

San Antonio Spurs

New Jersey Nets

4-2

Tim Duncan

2002

Los Angeles Lakers

New Jersey Nets

4-0

Shaquille O'Neal

2001

Los Angeles Lakers

Philadelphia 76ers

4-1

Shaquille O'Neal

2000

Los Angeles Lakers

Indiana Pacers

4-2

Shaquille O'Neal

NBA champions in the 1990s

Year

Champion

Runner-up

Series

Finals MVP

1999

San Antonio Spurs

New York Knicks

4-1

Tim Duncan

1998

Chicago Bulls

Utah Jazz

4-2

Michael Jordan

1997

Chicago Bulls

Utah Jazz

4-2

Michael Jordan

1996

Chicago Bulls

Seattle SuperSonics

4-2

Michael Jordan

1995

Houston Rockets

Orlando Magic

4-0

Hakeem Olajuwon

1994

Houston Rockets

New York Knicks

4-3

Hakeem Olajuwon

1993

Chicago Bulls

Phoenix Suns

4-2

Michael Jordan

1992

Chicago Bulls

Portland Trail Blazers

4-2

Michael Jordan

1991

Chicago Bulls

Los Angeles Lakers

4-1

Michael Jordan

1990

Detroit Pistons

Portland Trail Blazers

4-1

Isiah Thomas

NBA champions in the 1980s

Year

Champion

Runner-up

Series

Finals MVP

1989

Detroit Pistons

Los Angeles Lakers

4-0

Joe Dumars

1988

Los Angeles Lakers

Detroit Pistons

4-3

James Worthy

1987

Los Angeles Lakers

Boston Celtics

4-2

Magic Johnson

1986

Boston Celtics

Houston Rockets

4-2

Larry Bird

1985

Los Angeles Lakers

Boston Celtics

4-2

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

1984

Boston Celtics

Los Angeles Lakers

4-3

Larry Bird

1983

Philadelphia 76ers

Los Angeles Lakers

4-0

Moses Malone

1982

Los Angeles Lakers

Philadelphia 76ers

4-2

Magic Johnson

1981

Boston Celtics

Houston Rockets

4-2

Cedric Maxwell

1980

Los Angeles Lakers

Philadelphia 76ers

4-2

Magic Johnson

NBA champions in the 1970s

Year

Champion

Runner-up

Series

Finals MVP

1979

Seattle SuperSonics

Washington Bullets

4-1

Dennis Johnson

1978

Washington Bullets

Seattle SuperSonics

4-3

Wes Unseld

1977

Portland Trail Blazers

Philadelphia 76ers

4-2

Bill Walton

1976

Boston Celtics

Phoenix Suns

4-2

Jo Jo White

1975

Golden State Warriors

Washington Bullets

4-0

Rick Barry

1974

Boston Celtics

Milwaukee Bucks

4-3

John Havlicek

1973

New York Knicks

Los Angeles Lakers

4-1

Willis Reed

1972

Los Angeles Lakers

New York Knicks

4-1

Wilt Chamberlain

1971

Milwaukee Bucks

Baltimore Bullets

4-0

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

1970

New York Knicks

Los Angeles Lakers

4-3

Willis Reed

NBA champions in the 1960s

Year

Champion

Runner-up

Series

Finals MVP

1969

Boston Celtics

Los Angeles Lakers

4-3

Jerry West

1968

Boston Celtics

Los Angeles Lakers

4-2

1967

Philadelphia 76ers

San Francisco Warriors

4-2

1966

Boston Celtics

Los Angeles Lakers

4-3

1965

Boston Celtics

Los Angeles Lakers

4-1

1964

Boston Celtics

San Francisco Warriors

4-1

1963

Boston Celtics

Los Angeles Lakers

4-2

1962

Boston Celtics

Los Angeles Lakers

4-3

1961

Boston Celtics

St. Louis Hawks

4-1

1960

Boston Celtics

St. Louis Hawks

4-3

NBA champions in the 1950s

Year

Champion

Runner-up

Series

Finals MVP

1959

Boston Celtics

Minneapolis Lakers

4-0

1958

St. Louis Hawks

Boston Celtics

4-2

1957

Boston Celtics

St. Louis Hawks

4-3

1956

Philadelphia Warriors

Fort Wayne Pistons

4-1

1955

Syracuse Nationals

Fort Wayne Pistons

4-3

1954

Minneapolis Lakers

Syracuse Nationals

4-3

1953

Minneapolis Lakers

New York Knicks

4-1

1952

Minneapolis Lakers

New York Knicks

4-3

1951

Rochester Royals

New York Knicks

4-3

1950

Minneapolis Lakers

Syracuse Nationals

4-2

NBA champions from 1947 to 1949

Year

Champion

Runner-up

Series

Finals MVP

1949

Minneapolis Lakers

Washington Capitols

4-2

1948

Baltimore Bullets

Philadelphia Warriors

4-2

1947

Philadelphia Warriors

Chicago Stags

4-1

Most NBA titles since 1947

How we counted: each line in the year by year tables counts for the team name exactly as the table writes it, so a team the table writes two ways counts separately under each. The table does not always use the name of the day, so a renamed team may sit under one name or several.

Out in front: Boston Celtics, 18 titles.

Team

Titles under this name

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

12

1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2020

Chicago Bulls

6

1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998

Golden State Warriors

5

1975, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022

Minneapolis Lakers

5

1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954

San Antonio Spurs

5

1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014

Detroit Pistons

3

1989, 1990, 2004

Miami Heat

3

2006, 2012, 2013

New York Knicks

3

1970, 1973, 2026

Houston Rockets

2

1994, 1995

Milwaukee Bucks

2

1971, 2021

Philadelphia 76ers

2

1967, 1983

Philadelphia Warriors

2

1947, 1956

12 more team names appear once.

Play with this history

Champ or Not

Who'd They Beat?

Name Them All

How the NBA playoffs work

NBA playoff format history: the playoff bracket, play-in and draft lottery through the years.

Where this comes from

Each table was verified against at least two independent sources, and the checks run on every build: winner lists are audited answer by answer, split titles and vacated seasons are pinned so they can never quietly change, and a blank cell means the detail was never verified rather than papered over. Spot something that looks wrong anyway? The Report a bug button below lands straight in our inbox.

More record books

Super Bowl winners since 1967, year by year

World Series winners since 1903, year by year

Stanley Cup winners since 1915, year by year

WNBA champions since 1997, year by year

College football national champions since 1981, year by year

Men's NCAA basketball champions since 1939, year by year

English football champions since 1889, year by year

VFL/AFL premiers since 1897, year by year

Brownlow Medal winners since 1924, year by year

Dally M Medal winners since 1979, year by year

NRL/NSWRL premiers since 1908, year by year

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