Since the 1946-47 season, American basketball has been crowning a champion of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The NBA Finals, or BAA Finals as they were known before 1950, have always been played as a best-of-7 series, beginning with a championship battle between the Chicago Stags of the Western Division and the Philadelphia Warriors of the Eastern Division in 1947.
Over the years, no team has won more NBA championships than the storied Boston Celtics, who've won 18 NBA titles, 9 of which came during the incredibly dominant 1960s, when they won 9 of the 10 championships. However, the Celtics aren't the leaders in NBA Finals appearances; that title belongs to the Los Angeles Lakers, who have appeared in 32 NBA Finals.
But which team has the most NBA titles of all time? Has any team ever won it without losing a single Finals game? Flashscore brings you the complete year-by-year list of NBA champions.
Complete List of NBA Champions
1946-47: Philadelphia Warriors (def. Chicago Stags 4-1)
1947-48: Baltimore Bullets (def. Philadelphia Warriors 4-2)
1948-49: Minneapolis Lakers (def. Washington Capitols 4-2)
1949-50: Minneapolis Lakers (def. Syracuse Nationals 4-2)
1950-51: Rochester Royals (def. New York Knicks 4-3)
1951-52: Minneapolis Lakers (def. New York Knicks 4-3)
1952-53: Minneapolis Lakers (def. New York Knicks 4-1)
1953-54: Minneapolis Lakers (def. Syracuse Nationals 4-3)
1954-55: Syracuse Nationals (def. Fort Wayne Pistons 4-3)
1955-56: Philadelphia Warriors (def. Fort Wayne Pistons 4-1)
1956-57: Boston Celtics (def. St. Louis Hawks 4-3)
1957-58: St. Louis Hawks (def. Boston Celtics 4-2)
1958-59: Boston Celtics (def. Minneapolis Lakers 4-0)
1959-60: Boston Celtics (def. St. Louis Hawks 4-3)
1960-61: Boston Celtics (def. St. Louis Hawks 4-1)
1961-62: Boston Celtics (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-3)
1962-63: Boston Celtics (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-2)
1963-64: Boston Celtics (def. San Francisco Warriors 4-1)
1964-65: Boston Celtics (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-1)
1965-66: Boston Celtics (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-2)
1966-67: Philadelphia 76ers (def. San Francisco Warriors 4-2)
1967-68: Boston Celtics (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-2)
1968-69: Boston Celtics (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-3)
1969-70: New York Knicks (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-3)
1970-71: Milwaukee Bucks (def. Baltimore Bullets 4-0)
1971-72: Los Angeles Lakers (def. New York Knicks 4-1)
1972-73: New York Knicks (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-1)
1973-74: Boston Celtics (def. Milwaukee Bucks 4-3)
1974-75: Golden State Warriors (def. Washington Bullets 4-0)
1975-76: Boston Celtics (def. Phoenix Suns 4-2)
1976-77: Portland Trail Blazers (def. Philadelphia 76ers 4-2)
1977-78: Washington Bullets (def. Seattle SuperSonics 4-3)
1978-79: Seattle SuperSonics (def. Washington Bullets 4-1)
1979-80: Los Angeles Lakers (def. Philadelphia 76ers 4-2)
1980-81: Boston Celtics (def. Houston Rockets 4-2)
1981-82: Los Angeles Lakers (def. Philadelphia 76ers 4-2)
1982-83: Philadelphia 76ers (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-0)
1983-84: Boston Celtics (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-3)
1984-85: Los Angeles Lakers (def. Boston Celtics 4-2)
1985-86: Boston Celtics (def. Houston Rockets 4-2)
1986-87: Los Angeles Lakers (def. Boston Celtics 4-2)
1987-88: Los Angeles Lakers (def. Detroit Pistons 4-3)
1988-89: Detroit Pistons (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-0)
1989-90: Detroit Pistons (def. Portland Trail Blazers 4-1)
1990-91: Chicago Bulls (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-1)
1991-92: Chicago Bulls (def. Portland Trail Blazers 4-2)
1992-93: Chicago Bulls (def. Phoenix Suns 4-2)
1993-94: Houston Rockets (def. New York Knicks 4-3)
1994-95: Houston Rockets (def. Orlando Magic 4-0)
1995-96: Chicago Bulls (def. Seattle SuperSonics 4-2)
1996-97: Chicago Bulls (def. Utah Jazz 4-2)
1997-98: Chicago Bulls (def. Utah Jazz 4-2)
1998-99: San Antonio Spurs (def. New York Knicks 4-1)
1999-00: Los Angeles Lakers (def. Indiana Pacers 4-2)
2000-01: Los Angeles Lakers (def. Philadelphia 76ers 4-1)
2001-02: Los Angeles Lakers (def. New Jersey Nets 4-0)
2002-03: San Antonio Spurs (def. New Jersey Nets 4-2)
2003-04: Detroit Pistons (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-1)
2004-05: San Antonio Spurs (def. Detroit Pistons 4-3)
2005-06: Miami Heat (def. Dallas Mavericks 4-2)
2006-07: San Antonio Spurs (def. Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0)
2007-08: Boston Celtics (def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-2)
2008-09: Los Angeles Lakers (def. Orlando Magic 4-1)
2009-10: Los Angeles Lakers (def. Boston Celtics 4-3)
2010-11: Dallas Mavericks (def. Miami Heat 4-2)
2011-12: Miami Heat (def. Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1)
2012-13: Miami Heat (def. San Antonio Spurs 4-3)
2013-14: San Antonio Spurs (def. Miami Heat 4-1)
2014-15: Golden State Warriors (def. Cleveland Cavaliers 4-2)
2015-16: Cleveland Cavaliers (def. Golden State Warriors 4-3)
2016-17: Golden State Warriors (def. Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1)
2017-18: Golden State Warriors (def. Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0)
2018-19: Toronto Raptors (def. Golden State Warriors 4-2)
2019-20: Los Angeles Lakers (def. Miami Heat 4-2)
2020-21: Milwaukee Bucks (def. Phoenix Suns 4-2)
2021-22: Golden State Warriors (def. Boston Celtics 4-2)
2022-23: Denver Nuggets (def. Miami Heat 4-1)
2023-24: Boston Celtics (def. Dallas Mavericks 4-1)
2024-25: Oklahoma City Thunder (def. Indiana Pacers 4-3)
FAQ
Which NBA franchise has the most championships?
The Boston Celtics have won the most NBA championships, with 18.
Which NBA team won the most recent NBA Championship in 2025?
The Oklahoma City Thunder, who beat the Indiana Pacers 4-3.
Has any NBA team won 4 championships in a row?
The Boston Celtics won 8 championships in a row between 1959 and 1966.
Which NBA teams have met in the NBA Finals the most?
The Boston Celtics and Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers have met 12 times in the NBA Finals.
Has any NBA team won a championship with a clean sweep in the Finals?
The 1959 Boston Celtics, 1971 Milwaukee Bucks, 1975 Golden State Warriors, 1983 Philadelphia 76ers, 1989 Detroit Pistons, 1995 Houston Rockets, 2002 Los Angeles Lakers, 2007 San Antonio Spurs, and 2018 Golden State Warriors have all won a Finals series 4-0.
Which player has the most NBA championship rings?
Boston Celtics Bill Russell leads all NBA players with 11 championships.
How many current NBA teams have never won a title?
The Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic, and Indiana Pacers have all appeared in the NBA Finals but never won a championship. The Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New Orleans Pelicans have never appeared in the NBA Finals.
