NBA History

NBA Champions

The first champion was crowned in 1947, when the league was still called the Basketball Association of America. It merged with the National Basketball League in 1949 and became the NBA. Teams are listed under the name they used that season.

Champions by year
Year	Champion	Runner-up
2026	New York Knicks	San Antonio Spurs
2025	Oklahoma City Thunder	Indiana Pacers
2024	Boston Celtics	Dallas Mavericks
2023	Denver Nuggets	Miami Heat
2022	Golden State Warriors	Boston Celtics
2021	Milwaukee Bucks	Phoenix Suns
2020	Los Angeles Lakers	Miami Heat
2019	Toronto Raptors	Golden State Warriors
2018	Golden State Warriors	Cleveland Cavaliers
2017	Golden State Warriors	Cleveland Cavaliers
2016	Cleveland Cavaliers	Golden State Warriors
2015	Golden State Warriors	Cleveland Cavaliers
2014	San Antonio Spurs	Miami Heat
2013	Miami Heat	San Antonio Spurs
2012	Miami Heat	Oklahoma City Thunder
2011	Dallas Mavericks	Miami Heat
2010	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics
2009	Los Angeles Lakers	Orlando Magic
2008	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
2007	San Antonio Spurs	Cleveland Cavaliers
2006	Miami Heat	Dallas Mavericks
2005	San Antonio Spurs	Detroit Pistons
2004	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
2003	San Antonio Spurs	New Jersey Nets
2002	Los Angeles Lakers	New Jersey Nets
2001	Los Angeles Lakers	Philadelphia 76ers
2000	Los Angeles Lakers	Indiana Pacers
1999	San Antonio Spurs	New York Knicks
1998	Chicago Bulls	Utah Jazz
1997	Chicago Bulls	Utah Jazz
1996	Chicago Bulls	Seattle SuperSonics
1995	Houston Rockets	Orlando Magic
1994	Houston Rockets	New York Knicks
1993	Chicago Bulls	Phoenix Suns
1992	Chicago Bulls	Portland Trail Blazers
1991	Chicago Bulls	Los Angeles Lakers
1990	Detroit Pistons	Portland Trail Blazers
1989	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
1988	Los Angeles Lakers	Detroit Pistons
1987	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics
1986	Boston Celtics	Houston Rockets
1985	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics
1984	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
1983	Philadelphia 76ers	Los Angeles Lakers
1982	Los Angeles Lakers	Philadelphia 76ers
1981	Boston Celtics	Houston Rockets
1980	Los Angeles Lakers	Philadelphia 76ers
1979	Seattle SuperSonics	Washington Bullets
1978	Washington Bullets	Seattle SuperSonics
1977	Portland Trail Blazers	Philadelphia 76ers
1976	Boston Celtics	Phoenix Suns
1975	Golden State Warriors	Washington Bullets
1974	Boston Celtics	Milwaukee Bucks
1973	New York Knicks	Los Angeles Lakers
1972	Los Angeles Lakers	New York Knicks
1971	Milwaukee Bucks	Baltimore Bullets
1970	New York Knicks	Los Angeles Lakers
1969	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
1968	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
1967	Philadelphia 76ers	San Francisco Warriors
1966	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
1965	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
1964	Boston Celtics	San Francisco Warriors
1963	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
1962	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
1961	Boston Celtics	St. Louis Hawks
1960	Boston Celtics	St. Louis Hawks
1959	Boston Celtics	Minneapolis Lakers
1958	St. Louis Hawks	Boston Celtics
1957	Boston Celtics	St. Louis Hawks
1956	Philadelphia Warriors	Fort Wayne Pistons
1955	Syracuse Nationals	Fort Wayne Pistons
1954	Minneapolis Lakers	Syracuse Nationals
1953	Minneapolis Lakers	New York Knicks
1952	Minneapolis Lakers	New York Knicks
1951	Rochester Royals	—
1950	Minneapolis Lakers	Syracuse Nationals
1949	Minneapolis Lakers	Washington Capitols
1948	Baltimore Bullets	Philadelphia Warriors
1947	Philadelphia Warriors	Chicago Stags