.svg){kind=logo} The NBA Finals logo used since 2022 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Basketball |
| Month played | June |
| Established | 1947 (1947) |
| Administrator | National Basketball Association |
| Format | Best-of-seven series |
| Teams | 2 |
| Defending champions | Oklahoma City Thunder (2nd title) |
| Most championships | Boston Celtics (18 titles) |
| Broadcast | ABC/ESPN |
| Most recent tournament | |
| 2025 NBA Finals | |
TheNBA Finals is the annual championship series of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). TheEastern andWestern Conference champions play abest-of-seven series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awarded theLarry O'Brien Championship Trophy, which replaced the originalWalter A. Brown Trophy in 1976–77, though under the same name until 1984.
The series was initially known as theBAA Finals prior to the 1949–50 season when theBasketball Association of America (BAA) merged with theNational Basketball League (NBL) to form the NBA. The competition oversaw further name changes toNBA World Championship Series from 1950 to 1985, as well as a brief stint as the Showdown, before settling on NBA Finals in 1986.[1] Since 2018, it has been officially known as theNBA Finals presented byYouTube TV forsponsorship reasons.[2][3]
The NBA Finals was initially structured in a 2–2–1–1–1 format.[4] In1985, to ease the amount of cross-country travel, it was changed to a 2–3–2 format, in which the first two and last two games of the series were played at the arena of the team who earnedhome-court advantage by having the better record during the regular season.[5][6] In 2014, the 2–2–1–1–1 format was restored. The team with the better regular season record hosts the first two games and the other team hosts the next two games. If needed, the remaining three are played at each team's home arena alternately, starting with the arena of the team with the better regular season record.[7][8]
A total of 21 franchises have won the NBA Finals, with theOklahoma City Thunder winning the most recent and earning their first title since relocating to Oklahoma City, and second overall.
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The beginning era of modern professional basketball was dominated by theMinneapolis Lakers, who won five of the first ten titles. ThePhiladelphia Warriors also won multiple championships, including the inaugural title in 1947 and another in 1956 to bookend the NBA's first decade.
After being founded in 1946, theBasketball Association of America completedits inaugural season in April 1947 with the Philadelphia Warriors defeating theChicago Stags in the1947 BAA Finals in five games. Thefollowing season the Warriors again reachedthe Finals, however they fell short to the now defunctBaltimore Bullets.[9] To date the Baltimore Bullets are the only defunct team to win a championship.
In 1948, the Minneapolis Lakers won the championship of the rivalNational Basketball League before joining the BAA. Led by future Hall of FamerGeorge Mikan, the Lakers won the third and final BAA championship in1949 over theRed Auerbach-coached Washington Capitals.[10][11] The BAA then merged with the NBL to form theNational Basketball Association before the1949–50 season. The Lakers won the inaugural NBA championship in1950 to become the first team to repeat as champions.
In1951, theRochester Royals defeated theNew York Knicks in the only Finals contested between two teams from the same state (something not possible under the current NBA alignment). This was the first of three consecutive losses in the Finals for the Knicks. Meanwhile, the Lakers won three straight Finals from1952 to1954 to become the first team tothree-peat while also winning their fifth title in six seasons.[12]
Of the five franchises to win a championship from 1947 to 1956, one (the Bullets) folded and the other four (the Warriors, Lakers, Royals, andSyracuse Nationals) all relocated by1964.[13][14]
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TheBoston Celtics won 11 of the 12 NBA Finals they reached during 13 seasons (1956, 1959–66, 1968–69), including eight straight NBA championships from 1959 through 1966.[15] During this time theSt. Louis Hawks also won their only title before moving to Atlanta and thePhiladelphia 76ers won their first title since relocating from Syracuse.
With the establishment of the Celtics dynasty in 1957, spearheaded by centerBill Russell, the team saw great success. Despite encountering some difficulty when up against teams led byWilt Chamberlain, for most of the late 1950s and 1960s, the Celtics and Russell managed to have an upper hand on Chamberlain's teams.[16]
In 1964, Chamberlain, who had moved to the state of California alongsidehis team, led theSan Francisco Warriors to aWestern Division championship, but again failed to conquer the Celtics. The following season, he returned to theEastern Division to join thePhiladelphia 76ers after the former Syracuse Nationals relocated to the city to cover the vacancy created by the Warriors.
The first clash between the two stars in the playoffs was in 1966, with Boston winning the series 4–1. In the following season, Philadelphia coachAlex Hannum instructed Chamberlain to provide an increased focus on playing a team game, to avoid drawing the double-teams that troubled Chamberlain during the Finals. This tactical change brought the team to a new record of 68 wins the following season, as well as defeating the Celtics before winning the 1967 Finals. In 1968, Boston overcame a 3–1 deficit against Philadelphia to once again arrive in the Finals.[17] They went on to defeat theLos Angeles Lakers in the Finals to again become NBA champions.[18]
In 1969, the Celtics faced great difficulty entering the postseason, as they had an aging team and multiple injuries to a number of players. They qualified for the playoffs as the fourth and final seed in the East, while the Lakers, who had added Chamberlain in the off-season to join starsJerry West andElgin Baylor, won the West and were prohibitive favorites to become champions for the first time since relocating to Los Angeles. Despite holding a 2–1 advantage going into Game 4, the Lakers led 87–86 and had the ball with 10 seconds to play. But after a turnover,Sam Jones scored to give the Celtics a narrow 88–87 win and tying the series. The series was eventually tied 3–3 going into Game 7 in Los Angeles, with Lakers ownerJack Cooke hanging balloons in the arena in anticipation of a Lakers victory. West also picked up injuries to his thigh and hamstring during the series, but returned to play for the final game. Russell utilized this newly lacking mobility in West to organize fast breaks at every opportunity for the Celtics, which allowed them to gain an early lead. They held off a furious Lakers comeback to win 108–106 and win the series, and win their eleventh championship in 13 years.[19][20]
As many stars either declined or retired following this win, it is largely recognized as the last NBA Finals conducted by the Celtics dynasty.
The 1970s saw ten different teams reach the Finals and eight different teams win a championship, the most of any decade in the NBA, with theBoston Celtics andNew York Knicks winning twice.
In1970, a classic Finals featured the 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 that became one of the most famous ever.[21] However, the Knicks won inovertime and eventually won the series in 7 games. Game 7 featured an injuredWillis Reed returning to action for the Knicks and inspiring his team to victory, though Reed scored only 4 points.[22] The following season had another first-time champion, as theMilwaukee Bucks, led byOscar Robertson andKareem Abdul-Jabbar, defeated theBaltimore Bullets.
Two seasons after losing in the Finals, the Lakers won 33 straight games, the longest winning streak in NBA history.[23] By season's end, they broke the record for most wins in a season with 69, one more than the1966–67 Philadelphia 76ers, before taking home thechampionship for the first time since relocating toLos Angeles, beating the Knicks. The Knicks returned to win the Finals again a season later, followed by the Celtics’ 12th title in1974.
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, theGolden State Warriors swept theWashington Bullets 4–0 in the1975 NBA Finals. In 1976, thePhoenix Suns, after only eight years of existence, overcame an 18–27 losing record early in the regular season to build a remarkable run to finish 42–40.[24] The team, nicknamed the "Sunderella Suns," achieved upset victories over theSeattle SuperSonics and the Warriors, before facing the Celtics in the Finals. The teams split the first four games, before Game 5 went into three overtimes, and Boston won 128–126.[25] The Celtics quickly managed to secure their 13th championship, and second in three years, defeating the Suns 87–80 in Game 6.
Franchises that won their first titles in the 1970s included theNew York Knicks in 1970,Milwaukee Bucks in1971, thePortland Trail Blazers in1977, and theWashington Bullets, who defeated theSeattle SuperSonics, in1978. The Sonics exacted revenge on the Bullets the following season, beating Washington in five games in1979 to win their first title.
The 1980s were mostly known for the rivalry between theBoston Celtics and theLos Angeles Lakers, who combined to win eight titles in the decade. RookieMagic Johnson led theShowtime Lakers to the1980 NBA Finals against thePhiladelphia 76ers, who were led byJulius Erving. The Lakers took a 3–2 lead, butKareem Abdul-Jabbar could not play in Game 6 due to injury. Johnson, a natural point guard, was shifted to center and played every position on the court during the game, scoring 42 points, with 15 rebounds and 7 assists to win his first championship and Finals MVP honors, becoming the first and only rookie to win the award.[26]
Boston reached the1981 NBA Finals led by the "Big Three" ofLarry Bird,Kevin McHale, andRobert Parish. They met theHouston Rockets, who were carried practically single-handedly byMoses Malone and upset the Lakers in the first round. The Rockets were only the second team in NBA history to make the Finals after posting a losing record in the regular season, and the Celtics had an NBA best record of 62–20. The Celtics won the Finals in 6 games.
The Lakers returned to the Finals in1982, this time led by new coachPat Riley, in a rematch against the 76ers. The 76ers defeated the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals in a 7-game series, but were defeated by the Lakers in 6 games. The 76ers responded by trading for Moses Malone, the league's reigning MVP. With the new duo of Malone and Erving, the 76ers won the1983 NBA Finals in a sweep of the Lakers.
The Celtics and Lakers met in the Finals in1984,1985, and1987. In 1984, the Celtics toppled the Lakers 4–3. The final game of this series attracted the largest ever TV audience for an NBA game, and the second-largest ever for a basketball game, with only the1979 NCAA Championship game between Johnson and Bird having a larger audience. The teams faced off again in 1985 and 1987, but the Lakers came up on top both times, winning in 6 games despite each time, despite losing Game 1 in 1985 by 34 points in theMemorial Day Massacre.[27] The 1987 Finals included Johnson hitting a hook shot with two seconds left in Game 4 to give the Lakers a 107–106 win and a 3–1 series lead.
In the following two seasons, the Celtics failed to reach the Finals, becoming overshadowed by theDetroit Pistons. The Lakers defended their title in the1988 NBA Finals, winning the series in 7 games against the Pistons. They became the first team to win back-to-back NBA titles since 1969.[28] Seeking a three-peat in1989, the Lakers were swept by the Pistons in a rematch of the previous year's Finals. The Pistons were nicknamed the "Bad Boys" due to their rough, physical play led by futureHall of Fame guardsJoe Dumars andIsiah Thomas and a rugged front court withBill Laimbeer andDennis Rodman.[29] In1990, the Pistons went back-to-back, defeating theClyde Drexler-ledPortland Trail Blazers in five games.[30]
The majority of the 1990s was marked by the supremacy of theChicago Bulls. The Bulls, led by head coachPhil Jackson and star playersMichael Jordan andScottie Pippen, won six titles in six Finals appearances from 1991 to 1998. The only other team to win a title during this time was theHouston Rockets, who won titles in 1994 and 1995.
The Bulls'first championship came at the expense of theLos Angeles Lakers, in the last Finals appearance forMagic Johnson. The series was billed[by whom?] as a showdown between the aging Johnson and the upstart Jordan. The Lakers won the first game, however, for the rest of the series, Pippen guarded Johnson allowing Jordan to primarily focus on scoring, until Game 5 when Jordan switched back to Johnson, forcing 6 critical turnovers.[31] The Bulls won the next four games to win the series 4–1. The Bulls returned to the Finals the next year, pitted againstClyde Drexler and thePortland Trail Blazers.[32] Chicago defeated the Trail Blazers in Game 1 by 33 points, a game notable for Jordan breaking the record for the most three-pointers in a first half, with six. The Bulls went on to win the series in six games.
In1993, The Bulls were matched against thePhoenix Suns, led byCharles Barkley, who was the league's reigning MVP of thePhoenix Suns.[33] After dropping the first two games at home, The Suns won Game 3 in Chicago in triple overtime. The Bulls came back to win Game 4 with Jordan scoring 55 points and tyingRick Barry for the second-most points in an NBA Finals game. Chicago clinched the series in Game 6, 99–98, onJohn Paxson's three-pointer, as the Bulls became the third team in history tothree-peat.[34] After this win, Jordan retired from basketball to pursue a career in baseball.
Following Jordan's departure, theHouston Rockets, led byHakeem Olajuwon, won the1994 and1995 NBA titles. During this time, Olajuwon became the only player in history to win theNBA MVP,NBA Defensive Player of the Year andFinals MVP awards in the same season.[35]
After his short stint with baseball, Jordan returned to basketball late in the 1994–95 season. Although he did not lead the Bulls to the Finals for that season, he returned to pre-retirement form the next season while the team acquired perennial rebounding championDennis Rodman.[36] The1995–96 Bulls finished the regular season 72–10, attaining, at the time, the best regular season record in NBA history.[37] They dominated in the playoffs, going 11–1 in the first three rounds, before facing theSeattle SuperSonics in the NBA Finals. After the Bulls took a 3–0 series lead, Seattle won the next two games after point guardGary Payton asked his coachGeorge Karl to be switched onto Jordan. Jordan altered his game to deal with Payton, and the Bulls won Game 6 to win their fourth title.[38]
In 1997 and 1998, the Bulls met theUtah Jazz in the Finals twice. Led byDream Team OlympiansJohn Stockton andKarl 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 game, the first bySteve Kerr in 1997 in Chicago, and the second by Jordan in Utah in 1998.[39] This saw Chicago winning their sixth NBA championship, and winning their second three-peat. Jordan retired following this season, which set 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 became alottery-bound team for the next six seasons.
The 2000s were largely dominated by theSan Antonio Spurs andLos Angeles Lakers, who appeared in a combined eleven Finals to win nine championships in twelve seasons.
The Spurs won four championships, in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007. During the1999 NBA playoffs, the Spurs finished with a 15–2 mark. With a defensive squad led byDavid Robinson andTim Duncan, San Antonio's 84.7 points allowed per game was the fewest average points allowed in the postseason in the last 30 years. In theFinals, the Spurs held theNew York Knicks, the first 8-seed team to reach the Finals in NBA history, to an average of 79.8 points per game. During the2003 NBA Finals, the Spurs defeated theNew Jersey Nets in six games, which also marked the first championship contested between two former ABA teams. In Game 6, Duncan was two blocks short of recording the firstquadruple-double in NBA Finals history, finishing with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 blocks. The Spurs also defeated theDetroit Pistons 4–3 in2005 and swept theLeBron James-ledCleveland Cavaliers in2007.[40]Tony Parker won the Finals MVP award in 2007, becoming the first European-born player to do so.
The Lakers won five championships in the same period, including a three-peat from 2000 to 2002, led byShaquille O'Neal andKobe Bryant. Most notably, during their2001 postseason run, the Lakers swept their first three series and won the Finals against theAllen Iverson-ledPhiladelphia 76ers in five games, finishing with an unprecedented 15–1 record, the best postseason record in NBA history at the time.[41] The Lakers also defeated theIndiana Pacers in2000, and swept theNew Jersey Nets in2002.[42][43]
In the 2003 off-season, veteran starsGary Payton andKarl 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 and were heavy favorites to win the championship in 2004.[44] However, theDetroit Pistons, coached byLarry Brown, defeated the Lakers in five games. Now established as one of the powerhouses of the East, the Pistons returned to the NBA Finals the following year, losing to the Spurs in seven games.
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Following bad blood and eventual fallout with former Lakers teammateKobe Bryant,[45] O'Neal was traded from the Lakers to theMiami Heat in 2004, where he teamed up with rising starDwyane Wade. Together they led the Heat to a championship in2006 at the expense of theDallas Mavericks, who were favorites to win, after trailing 0–2 in the series.[46]
The Lakers returned to the Finals in2008 against theBoston Celtics, renewing the teams' rivalry marking the 11th Finals matchup between them. The Celtics defeated the Lakers in six games, led by their "Big Three" superstars ofRay Allen,Kevin Garnett, andPaul Pierce. The Lakers bounced back from the loss by winning the2009 NBA Finals, where they beatOrlando Magic in five games. The Lakers met the Celtics once again in2010, trailing 3–2 before winning the last two games at home. Head coachPhil Jackson surpassedRed Auerbach's record for most NBA titles of all time with eleven.
The 2010s were distinguished by the continued excellence ofLeBron James, who appeared in nine NBA Finals in ten seasons, winning four titles, while playing for three franchises. The decade also saw the ascent of theGolden State Warriors, emerging as a dominant force in the Western Conference with six NBA Finals appearances and four titles in eight seasons.
During the 2010 off-season, theMiami Heat re-signed team captainDwyane Wade and added James andChris Bosh via free agency to form a new "Big Three."[47] The Heat were subsequently considered heavy title favorites and appeared four straight finals, starting in2011 against theDallas Mavericks. Despite being heavy underdogs on paper, the Mavericks won the series in six games.Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas was named Finals MVP, becoming the first and only German to do so.[48] The Heat returned to the Finals in thefollowing year against a youngOklahoma City Thunder team featuring future MVPsRussell Westbrook,James Harden, andKevin Durant. Miami won the series in five games, with James winning his first championship. The Heat repeated as champions in2013, this time over theSan Antonio Spurs, featuring a Heat comeback in Game 6 that is widely regarded one of the greatest playoff games ever played.[49] Miami sought a three-peat in a2014 rematch with the Spurs, but this time San Antonio prevailed in five games, winning the fifth and final title ofTim Duncan's career.
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In the 2014 off-season, James returned to theCleveland Cavaliers where he teamed up withKyrie Irving andKevin Love to form a new "Big Three". The Cavaliers appeared in the next four Finals, all against theGolden State Warriors. The Cavaliers and Warriors became the first two teams to square off in more than two consecutive Finals. The Warriors drew first blood in the2015 NBA Finals, coming back from a 2–1 deficit to win the series 4–2, despite James' historic efforts.[50] The following season, the Warriors broke the record for most regular season wins with a record of 73–9. The Warriors opened up a 3–1 series lead in the2016 NBA Finals, but James and Irving led the Cavaliers to two straight victories to force a deciding Game 7. In a key sequence with two minutes remaining in Game 7, LeBron James made a memorablechase-down block on Iguodala to keep the game tied, while Irving hit a 3-point shot a minute later to take the lead. Cleveland held on to win the title and end the city'schampionship drought.[51] In the subsequent off-season, the Warriors acquiredKevin Durant through free agency, forming what many considered to beone of the greatest teams ever assembled.[52] In2017, the Warriors set a playoff record of 15 consecutive wins en route to a five-game victory in the Finals, followed by a dominant sweep in2018.[53]
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The Warriors made their fifth consecutive Finals appearance in2019 against theKawhi Leonard-ledToronto Raptors. Toronto prevailed in six games after season-ending injuries to stars Kevin Durant andKlay Thompson, resulting in the first NBA title for a team based outside the United States.[54]
LeBron James joined theLos Angeles Lakers in 2018, and subsequently led them to the2020 NBA Finals against theMiami Heat, marking the first time in NBA history that two teams that missed the playoffs the year before met in the Finals.[55] The Lakers won the series 4–2, claiming their 17th title to tie theBoston Celtics' franchise record;LeBron James was named Finals MVP for the fourth time in his career, becoming the first player to win the award with three different franchises.[56]
After missing the playoffs two years in a row due to injuries and roster changes, the Warriors returned to the2022 NBA Finals for their sixth appearance in eight seasons.[57] They defeated theBoston Celtics in six games for their fourth championship in eight seasons.[58]
The2021 NBA Finals saw theMilwaukee Bucks defeat thePhoenix Suns in six games after trailing 0–2 in the series while being the first Finals since 1971 to feature no players who had previously won a championship.[59]
TheDenver Nuggets reached their first Finals in franchise history in2023, defeating theMiami Heat in five games.Nikola Jokić was named Finals MVP, becoming the lowest-drafted player (41st overall) to win the award.[60]
TheBoston Celtics defeated theDallas Mavericks in2024, claiming their record of 18 NBA titles and breaking a tie with their longtime rival, theLos Angeles Lakers.[61]
TheOklahoma City Thunder defeated theIndiana Pacers in seven games in2025, marking the seventh unique champion in as many years, the longest such streak in NBA history.[62]
As part of a multiyear partnership that began in 2018, internet television serviceYouTube TV became thepresenting sponsor of the NBA Finals.[3]
The statistics below refer to series wins and losses, not individual games won and lost. For individual game statistics, seeIndividual games records.
| No. | Team | W | L | Win% | Most recent appearance | Most recent title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers | 17 | 15 | .531 | 2020 | 2020 | 5–1 in Minneapolis and 12–14 in Los Angeles. Currently hold the record for the most appearances in the NBA Finals and have appeared in the Finals in every decade since the 1940s. They also attained a three-peat in Minneapolis from 1952 to 1954, and another in Los Angeles from 2000 to 2002. The Lakers have defeated nine different NBA franchises in the NBA Finals and lost to five, both records. One of five franchises to reach four consecutive NBA Finals. |
| 23 | Boston Celtics | 18 | 5 | .783 | 2024 | 2024 | Won eight straight titles from 1959 to 1966, and are the most successful team in the NBA Finals, winning 18 championships. Three of their five Finals losses occurred against the rival Lakers. Appeared in a record 10 consecutive NBA Finals. |
| 12 | Philadelphia/San Francisco/Golden State Warriors | 7 | 5 | .583 | 2022 | 2022 | 2–1 in Philadelphia and 5–4 in California. Won the first championship and another title in Philadelphia, before eventually winning five more as the Golden State Warriors, including four in eight years between 2015 and 2022. Second franchise to appear in five consecutive NBA Finals. |
| 9 | Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers | 3 | 6 | .333 | 2001 | 1983 | 1–2 in Syracuse and 2–4 in Philadelphia. Won one title inSyracuse, before winning another two following the move toPhiladelphia. Five of their six losses occurred against the Lakers. |
| 8 | New York Knicks | 2 | 6 | .250 | 1999 | 1973 | In theirmost recent appearance, they became the first eighth seed to ever reach the Finals. Five of their appearances and both titles occurred against the Lakers. |
| 7 | Fort Wayne/Detroit Pistons | 3 | 4 | .429 | 2005 | 2004 | 0–2 in Fort Wayne and 3–2 in Detroit. Appeared in three straight NBA Finals, winning back-to-back in 1989 and 1990. Both losses in Detroit came in Game 7s. |
| 7 | Miami Heat | 3 | 4 | .429 | 2023 | 2013 | Udonis Haslem featured in all Finals appearances. CoachErik Spoelstra featured in six Finals as head coach and one finals as assistant coach. One of five franchises to reach four consecutive Finals. In theirmost recent appearance, they became the first team to reach the Finals after qualifying in theplay-in tournament. |
| 6 | Chicago Bulls | 6 | 0 | 1.000 | 1998 | 1998 | All six titles were with head coachPhil Jackson and playersMichael Jordan andScottie Pippen. The titles were won via two three-peats, in1991–1993 and1996–1998. They are the only active NBA franchise with multiple Finals appearances and no losses. |
| 6 | San Antonio Spurs | 5 | 1 | .833 | 2014 | 2014 | All five titles were withTim Duncan andGregg Popovich. They were the first franchise to move from theABA to the NBA, and subsequently win a championship. |
| 5 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 1 | 4 | .200 | 2018 | 2016 | LeBron James featured in all five Finals appearances. The Cavaliers appeared in four straight Finals from 2015 to 2018, all against the Golden State Warriors, winning in 2016. One of five franchises to reach four consecutive Finals. |
| 5 | Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder | 2 | 3 | .400 | 2025 | 2025 | 1–2 asSeattle SuperSonics and 1–1 asOklahoma City Thunder. They remain the only franchise since 1977 to win a title in one city and later relocate. |
| 4 | Houston Rockets | 2 | 2 | .500 | 1995 | 1995 | Won back-to-back championships withHakeem Olajuwon and coachRudy Tomjanovich. Their 1995 triumph was done as the 6-seed, the lowest seeded team in NBA History to win a championship. Both losses against the Boston Celtics. |
| 4 | St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks | 1 | 3 | .250 | 1961 | 1958 | All appearances when the team was inSt. Louis. Reached four NBA Finals in five years, all against the Boston Celtics. |
| 4 | Baltimore/Washington Bullets/Washington Wizards | 1 | 3 | .250 | 1979 | 1978 | 0–1 as the Baltimore Bullets, and 1–2 as the Washington Bullets. All appearances in the Finals came between 1971 and 1979, featuringWes Unseld. |
| 3 | Milwaukee Bucks | 2 | 1 | .667 | 2021 | 2021 | Won in the1971 and2021 Finals.1971 and1974 appearances were by teams that featuredOscar Robertson andKareem Abdul-Jabbar. |
| 3 | Portland Trail Blazers | 1 | 2 | .333 | 1992 | 1977 | Their only title was won withBill Walton. The team lost two finals withClyde Drexler. |
| 3 | Dallas Mavericks | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2024 | 2011 | 1-1 against the Miami Heat and 0-1 against the Boston Celtics. First championship team led byDirk Nowitzki. |
| 3 | Phoenix Suns | 0 | 3 | .000 | 2021 | None | Lost in the1976,1993 and2021 Finals to the Celtics, Bulls and Bucks, respectively. Best historical win–loss record and most Finals appearances amongst all franchises to have not won a title. |
| 2 | Utah Jazz | 0 | 2 | .000 | 1998 | None | Both appearances were with coachJerry Sloan and playersKarl Malone andJohn Stockton, and losses to the Bulls in six games. |
| 2 | New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2003 | None | All appearances when the team was in New Jersey. |
| 2 | Orlando Magic | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2009 | None | They lost both of their Finals appearances, winning just one game between the two series. |
| 2 | Indiana Pacers | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2025 | None | First appearance in2000 was led byReggie Miller and coachLarry Bird, losing toShaquille O'Neal,Kobe Bryant and theLakers. Second appearance in2025 was led byTyrese Haliburton andPascal Siakam againstShai Gilgeous-Alexander and theThunder. |
| 1 | Baltimore Bullets | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 1948 | 1948 | Team folded in 1954 and is the only championship-winning team to fold. |
| 1 | Rochester Royals/Kansas City/Sacramento Kings | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 1951 | 1951 | Only appearance in NBA Finals as the Rochester Royals. |
| 1 | Toronto Raptors | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2019 | 2019 | Only appearance in NBA Finals. The first and only team based outside the United States to win an NBA title or reach the NBA Finals. |
| 1 | Denver Nuggets | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2023 | 2023 | Only appearance as of 2023. |
| 1 | Chicago Stags | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1947 | None | Team folded in 1950. |
| 1 | Washington Capitols | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1949 | None | Team folded in 1951. |
| Team | No. of seasons | Founded | Other achievements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Braves/San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers | 55 | 1970 | Reached the Western Conference finals in2021. Oldest active franchise with no Finals appearance. |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 36 | 1989 | Reached the Western Conference finals in2004,2024, and2025. |
| Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets* | 35 | 1988 | Never reached the Eastern Conference finals. Reached the second round four times, in1993,1998,2001, and2002. |
| Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies | 30 | 1995 | Reached the Western Conference finals in2013. |
| New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets/Pelicans* | 23 | 2002 | Never reached the Western Conference finals. Reached the second round twice, in2008 and2018. |
(*) As a result of the original Hornets franchise's relocation toNew Orleans, the NBA team inCharlotte suspended operations for the 2002–03 and the 2003–04 seasons, before a new team, named the Bobcats, was established for the 2004–05 season. In 2013, the original Hornets were renamed the Pelicans and retained the history and records during their time in New Orleans andOklahoma City from 2002 to 2013. In 2014, the Bobcats became the second incarnation of the Charlotte Hornets, and obtained the history and records of the Hornets organization from 1988 to 2002.
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| No. | Team | W | L | Win% | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 185 | Los Angeles Lakers | 93 | 92 | .503 | Holds the record for the most games in the Finals, with a record of 20–15 in Minneapolis and 73–77 while in Los Angeles. Won 4–2 in their last Finals appearance in 2020. |
| 129 | Boston Celtics | 81 | 53 | .604 | Recorded the first ever sweep in the Finals. Won 4–1 in their last Finals appearance in 2024. |
| 65 | Golden State Warriors | 38 | 27 | .585 | Includes records of 10–6 while in Philadelphia, 3–8 while in San Francisco, and 25–13 in their current incarnation. Won 4–2 in their last Finals appearance in 2022. |
| 53 | Philadelphia 76ers | 24 | 29 | .453 | Includes a record of 9–11 while in Syracuse, and 15–18 while in Philadelphia. Lost 4–1 in their last Finals appearance in 2001. |
| 48 | New York Knicks | 20 | 28 | .417 | Lost 4–1 in their last Finals appearance in 1999. |
| 41 | Miami Heat | 18 | 23 | .439 | Lost 4–1 in their last Finals appearance in 2023. |
| 40 | Detroit Pistons | 22 | 18 | .550 | Includes a record of 4–8 while in Fort Wayne, and 18–10 while in Detroit. Lost 4–3 their last Finals appearance in 2005. |
| 35 | Chicago Bulls | 24 | 11 | .686 | Won 4–2 in their last Finals appearance in 1998. |
| 34 | San Antonio Spurs | 23 | 11 | .676 | Won 4–1 in their last Finals appearance in 2014. |
| 30 | Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder | 14 | 16 | .467 | Includes a record of 9–9 while in Seattle, and 1–4 while in Oklahoma City. Lost 1–4 their last Finals appearance in 2012. Won 4-3 in 2025. |
| 26 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 7 | 19 | .269 | Lost 4–0 in their last Finals appearance in 2018, as well as becoming the only team in the Finals to overcome a 3–1 deficit in 2016. |
| 25 | Atlanta Hawks | 11 | 14 | .440 | All appearances in the Finals occurred while the team was in St. Louis. |
| 23 | Houston Rockets | 12 | 11 | .522 | Won 4–0 in their last Finals appearance in 1995. |
| 20 | Washington Wizards | 5 | 15 | .250 | Includes a record of 0–4 in Baltimore and 5–11 in Washington, all as the Bullets. |
| 18 | Phoenix Suns | 6 | 12 | .333 | Lost 4–2 in their last Finals appearance in 2021. |
| 17 | Milwaukee Bucks | 11 | 6 | .647 | Won 4–2 in their last Finals appearance in 2021. |
| 17 | Portland Trail Blazers | 7 | 10 | .412 | Lost 4–2 in their last Finals appearance in 1992. |
| 17 | Dallas Mavericks | 7 | 10 | .412 | Lost 4–1 in their last finals appearance in 2024. |
| 13 | Indiana Pacers | 5 | 8 | .385 | Lost 4–2 in their only Finals appearance in 2000. Lost 4-3 in their second appearance in 2025. |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | 4 | 8 | .333 | Lost 4–2 in both Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998, both times against the Bulls. |
| 10 | Brooklyn Nets | 2 | 8 | .200 | All Finals appearances have occurred while the team was in New Jersey, and lost 4–2 in their last Finals appearance in 2003. |
| 9 | Orlando Magic | 1 | 8 | .111 | Lost 4–1 in their last Finals appearance in 2009. |
| 7 | Sacramento Kings | 4 | 3 | .571 | All appearances have occurred while the team was in Rochester. |
| 6 | Baltimore Bullets | 4 | 2 | .667 | Franchise defunct. Only championship-winning team to fold. |
| 6 | Toronto Raptors | 4 | 2 | .667 | Won 4–2 in their only Finals appearance in 2019. |
| 6 | Washington Capitols | 2 | 4 | .333 | Franchise defunct. |
| 5 | Denver Nuggets | 4 | 1 | .800 | Won 4–1 in their only Finals appearance in 2023. |
| 5 | Chicago Stags | 1 | 4 | .200 | Franchise defunct. |
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See also:WNBA Finals | ||
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