NBA Champions by Year: Every Finals Winner Since 1947
The Boston Celtics have won 18 NBA titles, the most of any team. The Los Angeles Lakers are next with 17. Together they have won 35 of the 80 NBA Finals played since 1947.
The newest champion is the New York Knicks, who beat the Spurs 4 to 1 in June 2026. It was their third title and their first since 1973.
Every champion, runner up and series score is listed below. The Finals MVP honor started in 1969, so earlier years list no MVP.
Which teams have won the most NBA titles?
Twenty current teams have won at least one title. Ten current teams have never won one.
| Team | Titles | Finals lost | Finals played | Most recent title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 18 | 5 | 23 | 2024 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 17 | 15 | 32 | 2020 |
| Golden State Warriors | 7 | 5 | 12 | 2022 |
| Chicago Bulls | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1998 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 5 | 2 | 7 | 2014 |
| Detroit Pistons | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2004 |
| Miami Heat | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2013 |
| New York Knicks | 3 | 6 | 9 | 2026 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 3 | 6 | 9 | 1983 |
| Houston Rockets | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1995 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2021 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2025 |
Franchise names are current. Titles and Finals lost from 1947 through 2026.
Which teams have lost the most NBA Finals?
The Lakers have lost 15 Finals, more than any other team. The 76ers and the Knicks have lost six each.
| Team | Finals lost | Titles won | Finals played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | 15 | 17 | 32 |
| New York Knicks | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| Boston Celtics | 5 | 18 | 23 |
| Golden State Warriors | 5 | 7 | 12 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Detroit Pistons | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Miami Heat | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Phoenix Suns | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Washington Wizards | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Teams that lost at least three Finals. Names are current.
Boston’s record in the Finals
Boston has played in 23 Finals and won 18 of them. Its five losses came in 1958, 1985, 1987, 2010 and 2022.
What happened in any NBA Finals?
Pick a decade, then a year. The card shows the winner, the runner up, the series score and the Finals MVP.
Pick a decade, then a year
The card also gives the winner’s title number. The Lakers’ 1988 title was their 11th.
Every NBA champion by year
The three tables below run in order, oldest first.
1947 to 1969
| Year | Champion | Runner up | Series | Finals MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | Philadelphia Warriors | Chicago Stags | 4-1 | No award |
| 1948 | Baltimore Bullets | Philadelphia Warriors | 4-2 | No award |
| 1949 | Minneapolis Lakers | Washington Capitols | 4-2 | No award |
| 1950 | Minneapolis Lakers | Syracuse Nationals | 4-2 | No award |
| 1951 | Rochester Royals | New York Knicks | 4-3 | No award |
| 1952 | Minneapolis Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-3 | No award |
| 1953 | Minneapolis Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-1 | No award |
| 1954 | Minneapolis Lakers | Syracuse Nationals | 4-3 | No award |
| 1955 | Syracuse Nationals | Fort Wayne Pistons | 4-3 | No award |
| 1956 | Philadelphia Warriors | Fort Wayne Pistons | 4-1 | No award |
| 1957 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-3 | No award |
| 1958 | St. Louis Hawks | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | No award |
| 1959 | Boston Celtics | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-0 | No award |
| 1960 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-3 | No award |
| 1961 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-1 | No award |
| 1962 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | No award |
| 1963 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | No award |
| 1964 | Boston Celtics | San Francisco Warriors | 4-1 | No award |
| 1965 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | No award |
| 1966 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | No award |
| 1967 | Philadelphia 76ers | San Francisco Warriors | 4-2 | No award |
| 1968 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | No award |
| 1969 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Jerry West |
Champions, runners up, series scores and Finals MVPs, 1947 through 1969. Franchise names are as they were that year.
1970 to 1999
| Year | Champion | Runner up | Series | Finals MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Willis Reed |
| 1971 | Milwaukee Bucks | Baltimore Bullets | 4-0 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
| 1972 | Los Angeles Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-1 | Wilt Chamberlain |
| 1973 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Willis Reed |
| 1974 | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 4-3 | John Havlicek |
| 1975 | Golden State Warriors | Washington Bullets | 4-0 | Rick Barry |
| 1976 | Boston Celtics | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | Jo Jo White |
| 1977 | Portland Trail Blazers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | Bill Walton |
| 1978 | Washington Bullets | Seattle SuperSonics | 4-3 | Wes Unseld |
| 1979 | Seattle SuperSonics | Washington Bullets | 4-1 | Dennis Johnson |
| 1980 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | Magic Johnson |
| 1981 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4-2 | Cedric Maxwell |
| 1982 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | Magic Johnson |
| 1983 | Philadelphia 76ers | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | Moses Malone |
| 1984 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Larry Bird |
| 1985 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
| 1986 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4-2 | Larry Bird |
| 1987 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Magic Johnson |
| 1988 | Los Angeles Lakers | Detroit Pistons | 4-3 | James Worthy |
| 1989 | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | Joe Dumars |
| 1990 | Detroit Pistons | Portland Trail Blazers | 4-1 | Isiah Thomas |
| 1991 | Chicago Bulls | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Michael Jordan |
| 1992 | Chicago Bulls | Portland Trail Blazers | 4-2 | Michael Jordan |
| 1993 | Chicago Bulls | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | Michael Jordan |
| 1994 | Houston Rockets | New York Knicks | 4-3 | Hakeem Olajuwon |
| 1995 | Houston Rockets | Orlando Magic | 4-0 | Hakeem Olajuwon |
| 1996 | Chicago Bulls | Seattle SuperSonics | 4-2 | Michael Jordan |
| 1997 | Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | 4-2 | Michael Jordan |
| 1998 | Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | 4-2 | Michael Jordan |
| 1999 | San Antonio Spurs | New York Knicks | 4-1 | Tim Duncan |
Champions, runners up, series scores and Finals MVPs, 1970 through 1999.
2000 to 2026
| Year | Champion | Runner up | Series | Finals MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Los Angeles Lakers | Indiana Pacers | 4-2 | Shaquille O’Neal |
| 2001 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-1 | Shaquille O’Neal |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Lakers | New Jersey Nets | 4-0 | Shaquille O’Neal |
| 2003 | San Antonio Spurs | New Jersey Nets | 4-2 | Tim Duncan |
| 2004 | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Chauncey Billups |
| 2005 | San Antonio Spurs | Detroit Pistons | 4-3 | Tim Duncan |
| 2006 | Miami Heat | Dallas Mavericks | 4-2 | Dwyane Wade |
| 2007 | San Antonio Spurs | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 | Tony Parker |
| 2008 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Paul Pierce |
| 2009 | Los Angeles Lakers | Orlando Magic | 4-1 | Kobe Bryant |
| 2010 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Kobe Bryant |
| 2011 | Dallas Mavericks | Miami Heat | 4-2 | Dirk Nowitzki |
| 2012 | Miami Heat | Oklahoma City Thunder | 4-1 | LeBron James |
| 2013 | Miami Heat | San Antonio Spurs | 4-3 | LeBron James |
| 2014 | San Antonio Spurs | Miami Heat | 4-1 | Kawhi Leonard |
| 2015 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-2 | Andre Iguodala |
| 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Golden State Warriors | 4-3 | LeBron James |
| 2017 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-1 | Kevin Durant |
| 2018 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 | Kevin Durant |
| 2019 | Toronto Raptors | Golden State Warriors | 4-2 | Kawhi Leonard |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Lakers | Miami Heat | 4-2 | LeBron James |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| 2022 | Golden State Warriors | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Stephen Curry |
| 2023 | Denver Nuggets | Miami Heat | 4-1 | Nikola Jokić |
| 2024 | Boston Celtics | Dallas Mavericks | 4-1 | Jaylen Brown |
| 2025 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Indiana Pacers | 4-3 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander |
| 2026 | New York Knicks | San Antonio Spurs | 4-1 | Jalen Brunson |
Champions, runners up, series scores and Finals MVPs, 2000 through 2026.
How long did teams wait between titles?
The Knicks waited 53 years between titles, from 1973 to 2026. That is the longest gap for any team.
The Bucks waited 50 years, from 1971 to 2021. The Seattle SuperSonics won in 1979, and the Oklahoma City Thunder, the same franchise, won in 2025.
| Years between titles | Team | Earlier title | Later title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | New York Knicks | 1973 | 2026 |
| 50 | Milwaukee Bucks | 1971 | 2021 |
| 46 | Oklahoma City Thunder (Seattle SuperSonics in 1979) | 1979 | 2025 |
| 40 | Golden State Warriors | 1975 | 2015 |
| 22 | Boston Celtics | 1986 | 2008 |
The five longest waits between two titles won by the same franchise.
The Knicks’ wait of 53 years
The 2026 title ended the wait. The Knicks last won in 1973.
Willis Reed was the Finals MVP in 1973, when New York beat the Lakers 4 to 1. The full Knicks list is on Knicks championships.
Which Finals ended in a sweep?
Nine Finals ended 4 to 0. The Celtics did it first, in 1959. The Warriors did it in 1975 and 2018.
Twenty Finals went the full seven games.
| Year | Champion | Runner up | Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Boston Celtics | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-0 |
| 1971 | Milwaukee Bucks | Baltimore Bullets | 4-0 |
| 1975 | Golden State Warriors | Washington Bullets | 4-0 |
| 1983 | Philadelphia 76ers | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 |
| 1989 | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 |
| 1995 | Houston Rockets | Orlando Magic | 4-0 |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Lakers | New Jersey Nets | 4-0 |
| 2007 | San Antonio Spurs | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 |
| 2018 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 |
Every NBA Finals that ended 4 to 0.
Who has won the most Finals MVP awards?
Michael Jordan leads with six Finals MVP awards, all won with the Bulls. LeBron James has four. For their full records, see how many rings LeBron James has and how many MVPs Michael Jordan has.
Magic Johnson, Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal each have three.
| Player | Awards | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Jordan | 6 | 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 |
| LeBron James | 4 | 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020 |
| Magic Johnson | 3 | 1980, 1982, 1987 |
| Shaquille O’Neal | 3 | 2000, 2001, 2002 |
| Tim Duncan | 3 | 1999, 2003, 2005 |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | 2 | 1994, 1995 |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 2 | 1971, 1985 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 2 | 2014, 2019 |
| Kevin Durant | 2 | 2017, 2018 |
| Kobe Bryant | 2 | 2009, 2010 |
| Larry Bird | 2 | 1984, 1986 |
| Willis Reed | 2 | 1970, 1973 |
Players with two or more Finals MVP awards, 1969 to 2026.
What happened in the 2026 Finals?
The Knicks won the series 4 to 1, and Jalen Brunson was the Finals MVP.
Game 5 ended 94 to 90 in San Antonio. It was the Knicks’ third title in all and their first since 1973.
NBA champions by year: quick answers
Which team has won the most NBA titles?
The Boston Celtics, with 18. The Los Angeles Lakers have 17, and the Golden State Warriors have seven. Boston also won eight in a row, from 1959 to 1966.
Who won the 2026 NBA Finals?
The New York Knicks. They beat the San Antonio Spurs 4 to 1, and they won Game 5 94 to 90. Jalen Brunson was Finals MVP.
When was the first championship series on this list?
The first one was in 1947. The Philadelphia Warriors beat the Chicago Stags 4 to 1.
How many NBA Finals ended in a sweep?
Nine Finals ended 4 to 0. The Warriors won two of them, in 1975 and 2018.
Who has won the most NBA Finals MVP awards?
Michael Jordan, with six. LeBron James has four. The award began in 1969, so earlier Finals have no MVP name.
The NBA version of the team list is on NBA championships by team. More lists are on the NBA hub and the ring lists page. See also most rings in NBA history, NBA coaches with the most rings and WNBA champions by year.
Sources
Champions, runners up, series scores and Finals MVPs agree across Basketball-Reference and Wikipedia’s list of NBA champions. The 2026 Game 5 score comes from KTTC and Outlook India game reports. Franchise title counts match NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.
Last verified: November 11, 2026.
