NBA Champions
Basketball Association of America (1946-47 to 1948-49) through the modern National Basketball Association (1949-present) — one continuous championship lineage from the BAA/NBL merger that formed the NBA in 1949.
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
Most recent nba champions: New York Knicks (2025-26). Full list below, sourced and cross-checked.
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946-47 | PWPhiladelphia Warriors | CSChicago Stags | 4-1 |
| 1947-48 | BBBaltimore Bullets | PWPhiladelphia Warriors | 4-2 |
| 1948-49 | MLMinneapolis Lakers | WCWashington Capitols | 4-2 |
| 1949-50 | MLMinneapolis Lakers | SNSyracuse Nationals | 4-2 |
| 1950-51 | RRRochester Royals | NYKNew York Knicks | 4-3 |
| 1951-52 | MLMinneapolis Lakers | NYKNew York Knicks | 4-3 |
| 1952-53 | MLMinneapolis Lakers | NYKNew York Knicks | 4-1 |
| 1953-54 | MLMinneapolis Lakers | SNSyracuse Nationals | 4-3 |
| 1954-55 | SNSyracuse Nationals | FWPFort Wayne Pistons | 4-3 |
| 1955-56 | PWPhiladelphia Warriors | FWPFort Wayne Pistons | 4-1 |
| 1956-57 | BCBoston Celtics | SLHSt. Louis Hawks | 4-3 |
| 1957-58 | SLHSt. Louis Hawks | BCBoston Celtics | 4-2 |
| 1958-59 | BCBoston Celtics | MLMinneapolis Lakers | 4-0 |
| 1959-60 | BCBoston Celtics | SLHSt. Louis Hawks | 4-3 |
| 1960-61 | BCBoston Celtics | SLHSt. Louis Hawks | 4-1 |
| 1961-62 | BCBoston Celtics | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1962-63 | BCBoston Celtics | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-2 |
| 1963-64 | BCBoston Celtics | SFWSan Francisco Warriors | 4-1 |
| 1964-65 | BCBoston Celtics | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-1 |
| 1965-66 | BCBoston Celtics | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1966-67 | P7Philadelphia 76ers | SFWSan Francisco Warriors | 4-2 |
| 1967-68 | BCBoston Celtics | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-2 |
| 1968-69 | BCBoston Celtics | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1969-70 | NYKNew York Knicks | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1970-71 | MBMilwaukee Bucks | BBBaltimore Bullets | 4-0 |
| 1971-72 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | NYKNew York Knicks | 4-1 |
| 1972-73 | NYKNew York Knicks | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-1 |
| 1973-74 | BCBoston Celtics | MBMilwaukee Bucks | 4-3 |
| 1974-75 | GSWGolden State Warriors | WBWashington Bullets | 4-0 |
| 1975-76 | BCBoston Celtics | PSPhoenix Suns | 4-2 |
| 1976-77 | PTBPortland Trail Blazers | P7Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 |
| 1977-78 | WBWashington Bullets | SSSeattle SuperSonics | 4-3 |
| 1978-79 | SSSeattle SuperSonics | WBWashington Bullets | 4-1 |
| 1979-80 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | P7Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 |
| 1980-81 | BCBoston Celtics | HRHouston Rockets | 4-2 |
| 1981-82 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | P7Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 |
| 1982-83 | P7Philadelphia 76ers | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-0 |
| 1983-84 | BCBoston Celtics | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1984-85 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | BCBoston Celtics | 4-2 |
| 1985-86 | BCBoston Celtics | HRHouston Rockets | 4-2 |
| 1986-87 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | BCBoston Celtics | 4-2 |
| 1987-88 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | DPDetroit Pistons | 4-3 |
| 1988-89 | DPDetroit Pistons | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-0 |
| 1989-90 | DPDetroit Pistons | PTBPortland Trail Blazers | 4-1 |
| 1990-91 | CBChicago Bulls | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-1 |
| 1991-92 | CBChicago Bulls | PTBPortland Trail Blazers | 4-2 |
| 1992-93 | CBChicago Bulls | PSPhoenix Suns | 4-2 |
| 1993-94 | HRHouston Rockets | NYKNew York Knicks | 4-3 |
| 1994-95 | HRHouston Rockets | OMOrlando Magic | 4-0 |
| 1995-96 | CBChicago Bulls | SSSeattle SuperSonics | 4-2 |
| 1996-97 | CBChicago Bulls | UJUtah Jazz | 4-2 |
| 1997-98 | CBChicago Bulls | UJUtah Jazz | 4-2 |
| 1998-99 | SASSan Antonio Spurs | NYKNew York Knicks | 4-1 |
| 1999-00 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | IPIndiana Pacers | 4-2 |
| 2000-01 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | P7Philadelphia 76ers | 4-1 |
| 2001-02 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | NJNNew Jersey Nets | 4-0 |
| 2002-03 | SASSan Antonio Spurs | NJNNew Jersey Nets | 4-2 |
| 2003-04 | DPDetroit Pistons | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-1 |
| 2004-05 | SASSan Antonio Spurs | DPDetroit Pistons | 4-3 |
| 2005-06 | MHMiami Heat | DMDallas Mavericks | 4-2 |
| 2006-07 | SASSan Antonio Spurs | CCCleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 |
| 2007-08 | BCBoston Celtics | LALLos Angeles Lakers | 4-2 |
| 2008-09 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | OMOrlando Magic | 4-1 |
| 2009-10 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | BCBoston Celtics | 4-3 |
| 2010-11 | DMDallas Mavericks | MHMiami Heat | 4-2 |
| 2011-12 | MHMiami Heat | OCTOklahoma City Thunder | 4-1 |
| 2012-13 | MHMiami Heat | SASSan Antonio Spurs | 4-3 |
| 2013-14 | SASSan Antonio Spurs | MHMiami Heat | 4-1 |
| 2014-15 | GSWGolden State Warriors | CCCleveland Cavaliers | 4-2 |
| 2015-16 | CCCleveland Cavaliers | GSWGolden State Warriors | 4-3 |
| 2016-17 | GSWGolden State Warriors | CCCleveland Cavaliers | 4-1 |
| 2017-18 | GSWGolden State Warriors | CCCleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 |
| 2018-19 | TRToronto Raptors | GSWGolden State Warriors | 4-2 |
| 2019-20 | LALLos Angeles Lakers | MHMiami Heat | 4-2 |
| 2020-21 | MBMilwaukee Bucks | PSPhoenix Suns | 4-2 |
| 2021-22 | GSWGolden State Warriors | BCBoston Celtics | 4-2 |
| 2022-23 | DNDenver Nuggets | MHMiami Heat | 4-1 |
| 2023-24 | BCBoston Celtics | DMDallas Mavericks | 4-1 |
| 2024-25 | OCTOklahoma City Thunder | IPIndiana Pacers | 4-3 |
| 2025-26 | NYKNew York Knicks | SASSan Antonio Spurs | 4-1 |
Frequently asked
Who won the most recent nba champions?
New York Knicks (2025-26).
Who has won the most nba champions?
Boston Celtics, with 18. Full breakdown on our records page.
Sources
Cross-checked against multiple independent sources before publishing, per our sourcing methodology: