The NBA Finals is the championship series of the NBA. The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986.

The series is played between the winners of Western Conference Finals and Eastern Conference Finals. At the conclusion of the championship round, the winners of the NBA Finals are awarded the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. (Winners from 1946 to 1977 received the Walter A. Brown Trophy) The NBA Finals has been played at the conclusion of every NBA and BAA season in history, the first being held in 1947.

Since 1985, the winner of the NBA Finals has been determined through a 2–3–2 format. The first two and the last two games of the series are played at the arena of the team who earned home court advantage by having the better record during the regular season.

History

1947–56: The Early Years and Lakers Dynasty

During the first decade the Minneapolis Lakers had the first NBA dynasty, winning 5 championships in 6 years under Hall of Fame head coach John Kundla. The team also featured George Mikan, one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. Franchises which had previously been in the National Basketball League tended to dominate, especially the Minneapolis Lakers.

1957–69: The Celtics Dynasty

The Boston Celtics went 11–1 in the NBA Finals during 13 seasons (1956–57 to 1968–69). They won the NBA Finals from 1959–66.

The Celtics and Lakers made up 19 of 26 possible NBA appearances during thirteen seasons (1956–57 to 1968–69). The two teams met 6 times during the 8 years Boston won the NBA in a row. This period includes one season (1958–59) when the Lakers were still in Minneapolis, and it marks the largest stretch of seasons (14) that two teams made up over 65% of NBA appearances, second being the 10 seasons (1979–80 to 1988–89) the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers appeared 13 times.

With the establishment of the Celtics dynasty in 1957, Bill Russell became the star of the league. Game 7 of that year's championship was decided on a Celtics basket in the final seconds of the second overtime. For most of the late 1950s and the 1960s, the Celtics seemed always to have the upper hand on Wilt Chamberlain's teams.

In 1964, Wilt Chamberlain, who had moved to the state of California with his team, the former Philadelphia Warriors, led the San Francisco Warriors to a Western Conference championship, but again failed to conquer the Celtics. The following season, he joined the Philadelphia 76ers, the former Syracuse Nationals team that had moved to cover the vacancy created with the departure of the Warriors.

1966 produced a clash between the two stars in the playoffs, and Boston won 4–1. Chamberlain's coach told him to play a team game, not an individual game, and thus avoid drawing double-teams. His new-found team spirit brought them to a new record of 68 wins the following season, and they defeated the Celtics and then advanced to, and won, the Finals.

In 1968, Boston overcame a 3–1 deficit against Philadelphia to once again arrive in the Finals. Playing against Jerry West's Lakers, they seemed doomed to defeat. Nevertheless, for the sixth consecutive time, they defeated L.A., winning 4 games to 2.

The following year, 1969, found the Celtics overcoming even longer odds. Boston barely qualified for the playoffs, finishing fourth in the East. The Lakers, who in the offseason added Chamberlain to join West and Elgin Baylor, won the West and were prohibitive favorites to finally win it all for the first time since relocating to LA. They easily won the first two games at the Los Angeles Forum. However, when the series shifted to the Boston Garden, the Celtics won two close games 110–105 and 88–87, respectively, in Games 3 and 4. Game 5, played at the Forum, returned the advantage to the Lakers, but Game 6 was a 99-90 Celtics win, with Chamberlain scoring just two points. Game 7 was held on May 5, with balloons hung up in the arena in anticipation of a Lakers victory. Russell immediately used the balloons as an inspiration for his team, and they raced off to an early start and held off a furious Lakers comeback to win 108–106 and take the series, their eleventh championship in thirteen years. This game represented the final one in this first incarnation of the Celtics' dynasty.

1970–79: Decade of Parity

The 1970s saw eight different teams win the title, with the Celtics and Knicks both winning twice.

In 1970, a classic final featured the New York Knicks against the Lakers. In the waning moments of Game 3, with the series tied, Jerry West hit a basket from 60 feet to tie the game, a shot which became one of the most famous ever. Although the Knicks went on to win the game in overtime and continued their momentum for a 4–3 win, the Lakers were not defeated. Just two seasons later, the team won thirty-three games consecutively, the longest such streak in NBA history. By the season's end, they had broken the record for most wins in a season, tallying up 69 wins, one more than the 1966–67 76ers. The Lakers finally, after a tough playoff-season, took home the championship for the first time since the Minneapolis days. The Knicks won the championship again in 1973, using much the same formula, for their second franchise victorious season.

The 1974 championship went back to the Celtics as the remaining players demonstrated excellent teamwork and resilience in the Finals.

The late 1970s were characterized by a major breakthrough of the league's western franchises. In 1975, after compiling a 48–34 regular-season record, the Golden State Warriors swept the heavily-favored Washington Bullets 4–0 in an upset.

The next year, 1976, saw the rise of the Phoenix Suns. Only eight years in existence, they overcame a losing record early in the season to build remarkable win streaks to finish 42–40. The events culminated in upset victories over Seattle and Golden State. In the final against Boston, the teams split the first four games. Game 5 became one of the most memorable games of all. It went into three overtimes but eventually went to Boston 128–126. Two days later, the Celtics finished Phoenix off 87-80 in Game 6 for their 13th championship.

Other western franchises that won their first titles in the late 70's included the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977 and the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979. Portland's victory was against the heavily favored Philadelphia 76ers led by Julius Erving. Although the Washington Bullets were able to defeat Seattle in the 1978 NBA Finals, Seattle was able to prevail the following year against the Bullets to win its first NBA title.

1980–90: Celtics–Lakers Rivalry

Between 1980 and 1989, the Celtics and/or the Lakers played in every NBA Finals. The Lakers won five titles during this span (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988); the Celtics won three (1981, 1984 and 1986), the Pistons won twice (1989, 1990), and the Sixers won once (1983).

The 1979 NCAA Championship Game featured Earvin "Magic" Johnson's Michigan State University team facing off against Larry Bird's Indiana State team. Michigan State won the game. This meeting has been immortalized, in fact, it attracted the largest ever TV rating for an NCAA Championship game, with 38 percent of all television viewers that night tuned to the game.

Bird had actually been drafted the year before, but later decided to stay in college for one more year, and the two superstars both entered the league in 1979, leading their respective teams to dazzling heights. Johnson's Lakers reached the 1980 NBA Finals, and took a 3–2 lead, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar could not play in Game 6 due to injury. Johnson shifted to center, ended up playing every position on the court and scored 42 points to win his first championship, a remarkable performance in the annals of the sport.

Boston won the 1981 NBA Finals against Houston thanks to Bird, and the team continued dominating the league afterwards, taking many Atlantic Division titles.

Philadelphia, led by Moses Malone and Julius Erving, won the 1983 NBA Finals, losing only once in the entire playoffs, and sweeping the Lakers. (Malone had predicted earlier that they would sweep every series.) However, in the 1984 NBA Finals, the Celtics and Lakers met for the first time since 1969, and again, from Bird's performance, the Celtics toppled the Lakers 4–3. The seventh game of that series attracted the largest TV audience ever for an NBA game, and the second-largest ever for a basketball game, with only the game between the two stars played five years earlier having a larger audience. It was the last NBA Finals played in the 2–2–1–1–1 format.

In the 1985 NBA Finals, the Lakers made amends for their previous eight losses to the Celtics by defeating them in six games. After losing the first game in a rout, 148–114, dubbed the "Memorial Day Massacre", they won 4 out of 5, including Game 6 in Boston Garden, to finally end the long years of frustration of failing to defeat the Celtics. These finals were the first to be played in the current 2–3–2 format, which Red Auerbach suggested to David Stern in order to cut back on the frequent traveling between Boston and Los Angeles. Auerbach said years later, it was terrible that they went to this format because it takes away the home court advantage from the team with the first two games at home and they don't get to host the all but crucial Game 5, which is the swing game in a 7 game series.

The 1986 NBA Finals brought the Celtics back against the Houston Rockets. Boston won in six games, taking their sixteenth championship, with the MVP award going to Larry Bird, his second Finals MVP trophy.

In 1987, the Lakers and Celtics met again for a rubber match. Both sides had won one series, and now a third was being played. The Lakers pounded out two victories, but Boston took the third. Game 4 was one of the most memorable games ever played. In the waning moments, Magic Johnson hit a skyhook to give the Lakers a 107–106 win and a 3–1 series lead. They lost Game 5, but won Game 6 to take the series.

In 1988 and 1989, the aging Celtics failed to reach the Finals, with the Lakers and Pistons becoming the best of their conferences. The 1988 finals went to Los Angeles in seven games, but the Pistons swept the Lakers in 1989. In 1990, Detroit beat the Portland Trail Blazers in five games, and the name "Bad Boys" became attached to the team for its rough, physical play.

1991–98: The Bulls Dynasty

During the 1990s, the Bulls completed two three-peats. The decade also had the Rockets winning back-to-back titles and the Jazz falling short twice. It started with the Pistons winning their second championship in as many seasons.

The majority of the 1990s was marked by the rise of the Chicago Bulls dynasty (otherwise known as the "Michael Jordan era"), which ended in 1998. Coached by head coach Phil Jackson and led by superstar Michael Jordan, the Bulls won 6 titles from 1991 to 1998. Supported by such remarkable players as Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, Jordan led the Bulls to victory in all NBA Finals series they competed in, and won the Finals MVP award each time. Particularly memorable were the 1993 Finals, which became an offensive showdown between Jordan and regular-season MVP (and close friend) Charles Barkley.

Game 3 of the 1993 Finals is widely considered one of the greatest basketball games ever played. The Bulls attempted to go up 3–0 in the series, but the Suns were not willing to seal their own fate. With neither side quitting, the game took three overtimes to decide, with the Suns finally prevailing 129–121. However, the Bulls would clinch the series in Game 6 at Phoenix on John Paxson's clutch 3 to become only the third team in history to three-peat.

The Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, won the 1994 and 1995 NBA title. Olajuwon dominated the game during those two seasons, becoming the only player in history to win the National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award, NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in the same season (1993–94). The seven-game NBA Finals between the Rockets and Knicks in 1994 would be the last to reach a game seven until the 2005 series between San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons. It was also the only year that both NBA and NHL finals would go 7 games, but also involve teams from one city. The Rockets' win in Game 7 denied New York from having both NBA and NHL titles in the same year, as the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup during the series.

The Rockets swept the Orlando Magic in the 1995 Finals, Olajuwon again claiming honors as Finals MVP. The Rockets thus became only the fifth franchise to win back-to-back titles.

After a short stint as a baseball player, Jordan decided to return to basketball in late of the 1994–95 season (March 17). Although he failed to lead the Bulls to the Finals in that year, he returned to pre-retirement form the next year while the team acquired Dennis Rodman, leading the Bulls to one of the most memorable seasons ever. The 1996 Bulls finished the regular season with a record of 72–10, the best regular season record in NBA history. They dominated in the playoffs, with series records of 3–0, 4–1 and 4–0, and then went on to defeat Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp and the Seattle SuperSonics in 6 in the NBA Finals.

In 1997 and 1998, the Bulls met the Utah Jazz. Led by Olympians John Stockton and Karl Malone, the Jazz were defeated in both Finals by the Bulls in six games. In both series, Chicago won by hitting winning shots in the sixth and deciding game-the first by Steve Kerr in 1997 in Chicago and the second by Jordan in Utah in 1998. Although Jordan, Pippen and coach Phil Jackson were the only three members involved in all 6 titles, the Bulls dynasty had a cast of characters that proved to be decisive in obtaining them. Horace Grant, Bill Cartwright, John Paxson, B.J. Armstrong and other supporting cast members were pieces added to the puzzle to create the first three-peat. Of the second, little-known players such as Jud Buechler, Randy Brown, Bill Wennington, Ron Harper and Luc Longley were key factors who rarely produced an astounding amount of points, but proved crucial via setting picks, rebounding, creating turnovers, etc. Before the beginning of the 1999 season, Phil Jackson decided to retire, setting off a chain reaction that resulted in most of the team, including Jordan and Pippen, leaving the Bulls. With no foundation of youth to build upon, the Bulls would be lottery-bound for the next 6 years.

1999–Present: Lakers/Spurs Dominance

The San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers have combined to win the last 13 Western Conference titles and ten NBA Championships during this period.

In the 1999 NBA Finals Championship the San Antonio Spurs dominated the playoffs and finished with a 15–2 post-season mark, including sweeps of the Portland Trail Blazers and Lakers. With a defensive squad led by big men David Robinson and Tim Duncan, San Antonio's 84.7 points allowed per game was the fewest average points allowed in the post-season in the last 30 years. In the 1999 NBA Finals that year, the Spurs held the New York Knicks, the first #8 seed team to reach the finals in NBA History, to an average of 79.8 points per game.

From 2000–2002, the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, won the NBA Finals in dominating performances. O'Neal won the finals MVP all three times. The first championship came at the expense of the Indiana Pacers, whom the Lakers defeated in 6 games. During their 2001 postseason run, the Lakers swept their first 3 series and won the Finals in 5 games, finishing with a unprecedented 15–1 record. They were particularly dominating in the 2002 Finals, as they kept the lead almost the entire time in each game; only for a short while after the beginning of Game 4 did the New Jersey Nets gain any significant lead in a game. The Lakers sweep of the Nets was the first sweep in the Finals since Houston swept Orlando in the 1995 Finals. However, the Lakers' streak of titles ended with a loss to the Spurs in the 2003 Conference Semifinals.

The 2003 NBA Finals marked the first championship contested between two former ABA teams, the San Antonio Spurs and the New Jersey Nets. The Spurs defeated the Nets and in 6 games. In the series clinching game, Tim Duncan was two blocks short of recording the first quadruple-double in NBA Finals history, finishing with 22 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 blocks.

In the 2004 offseason, veteran stars Gary Payton and Karl Malone signed with the Lakers. Along with Bryant and O'Neal, they formed what many expected to be one of the best teams in NBA history. The Lakers were the clear favorites to win the NBA championship. However, the Detroit Pistons, under coach Larry Brown and led by defensive star Ben Wallace and offensive floor general Chauncey Billups, upset the Lakers in 5 to become the first Eastern Conference team since the 1998 Bulls to win the NBA championship.

The Spurs would go on to win two more titles in 2005 and 2007. In the 2005 series, the Spurs defeated the Pistons, in a battle of the previous two NBA champions, in seven games. Tim Duncan won his third Finals MVP award that year. The Spurs dominated the 2007 Finals, sweeping the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers. Tony Parker was named MVP of this series, becoming the first European-born player to win NBA Finals MVP.

Between these two Spurs' titles, the 2006 NBA Finals featured the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks. It was the first NBA Finals since 1971 that had both Western and Eastern Conference champions making their first Finals appearance in franchise history. Led by upcoming star and Finals MVP Dwyane Wade, legendary coach Pat Riley and veteran superstar Shaquille O'Neal, most agree that the turning point of the series was in Game 3, when the Heat overcame a 13-point deficit with less than 6 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to win 98–96. The comeback was led by Dwyane Wade's 12 points in the final six minutes and a clutch outside jumpshot by once-perennial all-star Gary Payton, who was appearing in his third NBA finals.

In 2008, the Eastern Conference was represented by the revamped Boston Celtics, and the Western Conference by the Los Angeles Lakers. Renewing the teams' fierce rivalry of the 1980s, this marks the 11th time that these two teams have met in the Finals, the last such meeting happening in 1987. The Celtics were led by their "Big Three" superstars: Long-time Celtic and Finals MVP Paul Pierce, and first year Celtics Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.

The Lakers would bounce back from their 2008 loss to win the title the in and . The 2010 series was a re-match against the Celtics. The Lakers trailed this series 3-2 before winning the final two games at home. This marked the first time in the history of the Celtics franchise that they lost a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant was named Finals MVP for both series, and this marked head coach Phil Jackson's unprecedented 10th and 11th NBA title, passing Red Auerbach for the most NBA titles all time, and passing Auerbach and NHL coach Scotty Bowman for the most championships for a head coach in any major American sport.

The 2011 NBA Finals were a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals, pitting the Miami Heat against the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks defeated the Heat in six games, winning the title for the first time in franchise history. Dirk Nowitzki was named the Finals MVP.

Finals appearances

The statistics below refer to series wins and losses, not individual games won and lost. Los Angeles Lakers align="center" 1 NBL title and 5 NBA titles as Los Angeles LakersBoston Celtics align="center"Philadelphia 76ers align="center"New York Knicks align="center"Detroit Pistons align="center"Chicago Bulls align="center" All with head coach Phil Jackson and players Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Two three-peats: 1991 NBA FinalsGolden State Warriors align="center" [[San Antonio Spurs">Golden State Warriors#Philadelphia Warriors [[San Antonio Spurs align="center"Houston Rockets align="center"Atlanta Hawks align="center"Washington Wizards align="center"Portland Trail Blazers align="center"Seattle SuperSonics align="center"Dallas Mavericks align="center"Miami Heat align="center"Milwaukee Bucks align="center"Phoenix Suns align="center"Utah Jazz align="center"New Jersey Nets align="center"Orlando Magic align="center"Sacramento Kings align="center"Baltimore Bullets (1944–1954) align="center"Indiana Pacers align="center"Cleveland Cavaliers align="center"Chicago Stags align="center"Washington Capitols align="center"

!Num!!Team!!W!!L!!PCT!!Most recent appearance!!Most recent title!!Notes
align="center"	32	|	16	15	.516	2010||	2010	Minneapolis Lakers; 2 three-peats: one as Minneapolis from 1952–54 and one as Los Angeles from 2000–02. The Lakers have won 11 and lost 14 NBA Championships in Los Angeles.
align="center"	21	|	17	4	.809	2010||align="center"|2008||Won 8 straight titles from 1959–66. The first 13 of their 17 championships were Brown Trophies, the rest being Larry O'Brien Championship Trophies.
align="center"	9	|	3	6	.333	2001||align="center"|1983||1–2 as Syracuse Nationals.
align="center"	8	|	2	6	.250	1999||align="center"|1973|| In 1999, became first 8th playoff seed to ever reach Finals.
align="center"	7	|	3	4	.428	2005||align="center"|2004||0–2 as Ft. Wayne Pistons.
align="center"	6	|	6	0	1.000	1998||	1998	1991–93 and 1996–98. All championships won without losing the Finals.
align="center"	6	|	3	3	.500	1975||	1975	2–1 as 4
align="center"	4	|	4	0	1.000	2007||	2007	All with head coach Gregg Popovich and Power Forward/Center Tim Duncan. Undefeated in 4 NBA Finals appearances.
align="center"	4	|	2	2	.500	1995||	1995	2 championships with center Hakeem Olajuwon (named MVP in both championship series) and coach Rudy Tomjanovich, championships were back to back.
align="center"	4	|	1	3	.250	1961||align="center"|1958||All appearances as St. Louis franchise.
align="center"	4	|	1	3	.250	1979||align="center"|1978||0–1 as Baltimore Bullets (see note below), 1–2 as Washington Bullets.
align="center"	3	|	1	2	.333	1992||align="center"|1977||Lost games 1 and 2 in Philadelphia, won four straight, three of those coming in Portland, led by UCLA legend and NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton.
align="center"	3	|	1	2	.333	1996||align="center"|1979||Lost to Washington Bullets in 1978 Finals, then beat Washington Bullets in 1979 Finals rematch. Relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, but official franchise records remain in Seattle.
align="center"	2	|	1	1	.500	2011||align="center"|2011||Lost in the 2006 Finals and won in the 2011 Finals versus the Heat.
align="center"	2	|	1	1	.500	2011||align="center"|2006||Won in the 2006 Finals and lost in the 2011 Finals versus the Mavericks.
align="center"	2	|	1	1	.500	1974||align="center"|1971||
align="center"	2	|	0	2	.000	1993||	Never
align="center"	2	|	0	2	.000	1998||	Never	Both with coach Jerry Sloan and players Karl Malone and John Stockton and against the Bulls.
align="center"	2	|	0	2	.000	2003||	Never	Won 2 ABA titles in 1974 and 1976. Also appeared in 1972 ABA Finals.
align="center"	2	|	0	2	.000	2009||	Never	Lost both NBA Finals appearances. Swept by the Rockets in 1995 and defeated in 2009 by the Lakers in a 4–1 series.
align="center"	1	|	1	0	1.000	1951||	1951	Won one NBLtitle in 1946. Won first appearance in NBA Finals as Rochester Royals.
align="center"	1	Baltimore Bullets||	1	0	1.000	1948||	1948	Team folded in 1954 and is not the same franchise as the current Washington Wizards.
align="center"	1	|	0	1	.000	2000||	Never	Team won three ABA championships (1970, 1972, 1973) and made two other ABA Finals appearances (1969, 1975).
align="center"	1	|	0	1	.000	2007||	Never	Were swept in their first and only appearance in the NBA Finals.
align="center"	1	|	0	1	.000	1947||	Never	Team folded in 1950.
align="center"	1	|	0	1	.000	1949||	Never	Team folded in 1951.

Active franchises with no Finals appearances

41 35 23 Founded as the Charlotte Hornets, moved to New Orleans in 2002-03 NBA season 22 16 16 7

!Team!!#Seasons!!Founded!!Notes
	Buffalo Braves / San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers	|	1970-71 NBA season>1970	Buffalo Braves, moved to San Diego in 1978-79 NBA season>1978 and became Clippers before moving to Los Angeles in 1984–85 NBA season
	[[Denver Nuggets	|	1976-77 NBA season>1976	American Basketball Association>ABA seasons (1967–76). Denver played in the 1976 ABA Championship, losing to the New York Nets. Played in the 1977–1978 Conference Finals, losing to the Seattle SuperSonics. Played in the 1984–1985 and 2008–2009 Conference Finals, losing both times to the Los Angeles Lakers.
	Charlotte / New Orleans Hornets	|	1988-89 NBA season>1988	2002, split home schedule with Oklahoma City from 2005–07 (due to effects of Hurricane Katrina), during which time they were the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, before returning to New Orleans full time in 2007. Reached the conference semi-finals twice in Charlotte and once in New Orleans.
	Minnesota Timberwolves	|	1989-90 NBA season>1989	Played in the 2003–2004 Conference Finals, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers.
	Vancouver / Memphis Grizzlies	|	1995-96 NBA season>1995	Reached the 2011 NBA Playoffs
	[[Toronto Raptors	|	1995-96 NBA season>1995	2000–01 NBA season>2000–01 season. In the 2006–07 NBA season
	[[Charlotte Bobcats	|	2004-05 NBA season>2004	2009–10 NBA season>2009–10 season in the 2010 NBA Playoffs but were swept by the Orlando Magic in a 4–0 series.

Most common matchups

12 times: Boston Celtics (9) vs. Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (3)

6 times: Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (5) vs. Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1)

5 times: Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (3) vs. New York Knicks (2)

4 times: Boston Celtics (3) vs. St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks (1) (Such a meeting is now impossible due to current conference alignment.)

3 times: Detroit Pistons (2) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (1)

2 times: Seattle SuperSonics (1) vs. Washington Bullets/Wizards (1)

2 times: Boston Celtics (2) vs. Houston Rockets (0)

2 times: Chicago Bulls (2) vs. Utah Jazz (0)

2 times: Miami Heat (1) vs. Dallas Mavericks (1)

Individual games records

San Antonio SpursChicago BullsBaltimore Bullets (1944–1954)Milwaukee BucksBoston CelticsSacramento KingsDetroit PistonsGolden State WarriorsHouston RocketsLos Angeles LakersSeattle SuperSonicsDallas MavericksMiami HeatPhiladelphia 76ersAtlanta Hawks**New York KnicksPortland Trail BlazersPhoenix SunsUtah JazzIndiana PacersWashington CapitolsWashington WizardsNew Jersey NetsChicago StagsOrlando MagicCleveland Cavaliers

!Num!!Team!!W!!L!!PCT!!Notes
	22	|	16	6	.727	Swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in their last appearance.
	35	|	24	11	.686	4–2 in their last finals appearance against the Utah Jazz.
	6	Baltimore Bullets||	4	2	.667	Franchise defunct.
	11	|	7	4	.636	3–4 in their last finals appearance, lost to the Boston Celtics.
	122	|	74	48	.607	3–4 in their last finals appearance against the Los Angeles Lakers.
	7	|	4	3	.571	Rochester, New York>Rochester Royals. The Cincinnati Royals and Kansas City Kings both made zero Finals appearances.
	40	|	22	18	.550	Fort Wayne, Indiana>Fort Wayne franchise.
	31	|	17	14	.548	Includes 10–6 as Philadelphia franchise and 3–8 as San Francisco franchise.
	23	|	12	11	.522	Swept the Orlando Magic in their last finals appearance.
	167	|	85	83	.503	Includes 20–15 as Minneapolis franchise. 4–3 in their last finals appearance against the Boston Celtics.
	18	|	9	9	.500	2–4 in their last finals appearance, lost to the Chicago Bulls. Moved and became the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have zero Finals appearances at this time.
	12	|	6	6	.500	All versus Miami in both appearances.
	12	|	6	6	.500	All versus Dallas in both appearances.
	53	|	24	29	.453	Includes 9–11 as Syracuse Nationals.
	25	|	11	14	.440	All as St. Louis franchise.
	48	|	20	28	.417	1–4 in their last appearance against the San Antonio Spurs.
	17	|	7	10	.412	2–4 in their last finals appearance, lost to the Chicago Bulls.
	12	|	4	8	.333	2–4 in their last finals appearance, lost to the Chicago Bulls.
	12	|	4	8	.333	2–4 in both their finals appearances, both to the Chicago Bulls.
	6	|	2	4	.333	2–4 in their only finals appearance, lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.
	6	|	2	4	.333	Franchise defunct.
	20	|	5	15	.250	All as Baltimore Bullets (0–4) and Washington Bullets (5–11).
	10	|	2	8	.200	2–4 in their last finals appearance, lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
	5	|	1	4	.200	Franchise defunct.
	9	|	1	8	.111	1–4 in their last finals appearance, lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.
	4	|	0	4	.000	Swept by the San Antonio Spurs in their only appearance.

See also

List of NBA players with most championships

List of NBA champions

References

External links

NBA Finals: All-Time Champions

The Historical Records Section of the NBA official site

The Greatest Game Ever (Game 5, 1976 Finals)

NBA.com: Greatest Finals Moments

Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1947

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