History of NBA Finals in Timeline

The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA), where the Eastern and Western Conference champions compete in a best-of-seven series to determine the league champion. The winning team is awarded the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.

1946: Basketball Association of America Founded

In 1946, the Basketball Association of America was founded, marking the beginning of a new era in professional basketball.

April 1947: Philadelphia Warriors Win 1947 BAA Finals

In April 1947, the Philadelphia Warriors defeated the Chicago Stags in five games to win the 1947 BAA Finals, marking the conclusion of the Basketball Association of America's inaugural season.

1947: Championship Franchises

From 1947 to 1956, five franchises won a championship.

1948: Minneapolis Lakers Win NBL Championship

In 1948, led by George Mikan, the Minneapolis Lakers won the championship of the rival National Basketball League (NBL) before joining the BAA.

1949: Minneapolis Lakers Win BAA Championship

In 1949, the Minneapolis Lakers, led by George Mikan, won the third and final BAA championship, defeating the Washington Capitals coached by Red Auerbach.

1949: BAA Finals

Prior to the 1949–50 season, the NBA Finals were known as the BAA Finals.

1950: Minneapolis Lakers Win Inaugural NBA Championship

In 1950, after the BAA merged with the NBL to form the NBA, the Minneapolis Lakers won the inaugural NBA championship, becoming the first team to repeat as champions.

1950: NBA Formation and Name Change

In 1950, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the NBA, leading to a name change of the finals to NBA World Championship Series.

1951: Rochester Royals Defeat New York Knicks

In 1951, the Rochester Royals defeated the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, marking the only time teams from the same state competed in the Finals under the NBA's current alignment.

1952: Lakers Win First of Three Straight Finals

In 1952, the Lakers won the first of three consecutive NBA Finals.

1954: Lakers Complete Three-Peat

In 1954, the Lakers completed their three-peat, also securing their fifth title in six seasons.

1956: Championship Franchises

From 1947 to 1956, five franchises won a championship.

1956: Celtics Dynasty Begins

From 1956-57 to 1968-69, the Boston Celtics won 11 of the 12 NBA Finals they reached.

1956: Philadelphia Warriors Win Championship

In 1956, the Philadelphia Warriors won another NBA championship to bookend the NBA's first decade.

1957: Establishment of Celtics Dynasty

In 1957, the establishment of the Celtics dynasty, spearheaded by center Bill Russell, led to great success for the team.

1959: Celtics win first of eight straight NBA Championships

From 1959 through 1966, the Boston Celtics won eight straight NBA championships.

1964: Relocation of Franchises

By 1964, of the five franchises that had won a championship from 1947 to 1956, one (the Bullets) folded, and the other four (the Warriors, Lakers, Royals, and Syracuse Nationals) had all relocated.

1964: Chamberlain Leads Warriors

In 1964, Wilt Chamberlain led the San Francisco Warriors to a Western Division championship, but they failed to conquer the Celtics.

1966: Celtics win eighth straight NBA Championships

From 1959 through 1966, the Boston Celtics won eight straight NBA championships.

1966: First Playoff Clash Between Russell and Chamberlain

In 1966, the first clash between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain in the playoffs resulted in a 4–1 series win for Boston.

1966: Philadelphia 76ers Record

The 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers team won one more game than the Lakers in 1972 to set the wins record.

1967: 76ers Win Finals

In 1967, the Philadelphia 76ers, led by coach Alex Hannum and Wilt Chamberlain, won the NBA Finals after a record-breaking 68-win season and defeating the Celtics.

1968: Celtics Dynasty Era

From 1956-57 to 1968-69, the Boston Celtics won 11 of the 12 NBA Finals they reached.

1968: Celtics Overcome Deficit and Win Finals

In 1968, the Boston Celtics overcame a 3–1 deficit against Philadelphia to reach the Finals, where they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA championship.

1969: Celtics Defeat Lakers in Game 7

In 1969, despite being underdogs, the Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 108-106 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to win their eleventh championship in 13 years.

1969: Last Back-to-Back NBA Titles Before 1988

The 1988 Lakers were the first team to win back-to-back NBA titles since 1969.

1970: Knicks vs Lakers Finals

In 1970, the New York Knicks faced the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, with the Knicks winning in 7 games after Jerry West's famous 60-foot shot in Game 3 and Willis Reed's inspiring return in Game 7.

1970: New York Knicks win first title

The New York Knicks won their first title in 1970.

1971: Milwaukee Bucks win first title

The Milwaukee Bucks won their first title in 1971.

1974: Celtics Win 12th Title

In 1974, the Boston Celtics secured their 12th NBA title.

1975: Golden State Warriors Win 1975 NBA Finals

In 1975, the Golden State Warriors, with a 48–34 regular-season record, swept the Washington Bullets 4–0 in the NBA Finals.

1976: Boston Celtics Secure Championship

In 1976, the Boston Celtics secured their 13th NBA championship, defeating the Phoenix Suns 87–80 in Game 6 after a remarkable Finals series.

1976: Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy introduced

In 1976, the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy replaced the Walter A. Brown Trophy as the trophy awarded to the NBA champions.

1977: Portland Trail Blazers win first title

The Portland Trail Blazers won their first title in 1977.

1978: Washington Bullets win first title

The Washington Bullets won their first title in 1978, defeating the Seattle SuperSonics.

1979: NCAA Championship game TV audience

In 1979, the NCAA Championship game between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird had a larger audience than the NBA final game in 1984.

1979: Seattle SuperSonics Win First Title

In 1979, the Seattle SuperSonics avenged their loss and won their first NBA title, defeating the Washington Bullets in five games.

1980: Magic Johnson Leads Lakers to Championship

In 1980, rookie Magic Johnson led the Showtime Lakers to the NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, winning his first championship and Finals MVP honors after scoring 42 points while playing every position in Game 6 due to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's injury.

1981: Celtics Win Finals Against Rockets

In 1981, led by the "Big Three" of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, the Boston Celtics won the NBA Finals in 6 games against the Houston Rockets, who were led by Moses Malone.

1982: Lakers Beat 76ers in Finals Rematch

In 1982, the Los Angeles Lakers, led by new coach Pat Riley, faced the Philadelphia 76ers in a Finals rematch, ultimately defeating them in 6 games.

1983: 76ers Sweep Lakers in Finals

In 1983, the Philadelphia 76ers, led by Moses Malone and Julius Erving, won the NBA Finals by sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers.

1984: Celtics Defeat Lakers in 1984 NBA Finals

In 1984, the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 4–3 in the NBA Finals, with the final game attracting a large TV audience.

1984: Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy name recognized

In 1984, the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, which had been introduced in 1976, was officially recognized by its new name after being called Walter A. Brown Trophy.

1985: Lakers Beat Celtics in 1985 NBA Finals

In 1985, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in 6 games in the NBA Finals, despite losing Game 1 by 34 points in the Memorial Day Massacre.

1985: NBA Finals Format Change

In 1985, the NBA Finals format changed to 2–3–2 to reduce cross-country travel, with the first two and last two games at the team with home-court advantage's arena.

1985: NBA World Championship Series

In 1985, the competition was known as NBA World Championship Series.

1986: NBA Finals Name Settled

In 1986, the NBA Finals officially settled on the name "NBA Finals" after a brief stint as 'The Showdown'.

1987: Lakers Win 1987 NBA Finals

In 1987, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, with Magic Johnson hitting a hook shot with two seconds left in Game 4 to give the Lakers a 107–106 win.

1988: Lakers Defend Title

In 1988, the Los Angeles Lakers defended their title in the NBA Finals, winning the series in 7 games against the Detroit Pistons, becoming the first team to win back-to-back NBA titles since 1969.

1988: Charlotte Hornets Origins

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, marking a significant period for the franchise's early development.

1989: Pistons Sweep Lakers

In 1989, the Detroit Pistons swept the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch of the previous year's Finals.

1990: Pistons Win Back-to-Back Titles

In 1990, the Detroit Pistons won back-to-back NBA titles, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers in five games.

1991: Bulls' Dominance Begins

From 1991 to 1998, the Chicago Bulls, led by Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen, won six NBA titles in six Finals appearances.

1993: Bulls Three-peat

In 1993, the Chicago Bulls faced the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals. After winning Game 6 with a score of 99–98, the Bulls secured their third consecutive championship. Following this victory in 1993, Michael Jordan retired from basketball to pursue a baseball career.

1994: Rockets Win Title

In 1994, the Houston Rockets were the only team other than the Chicago Bulls to win a title during the 1990s.

1994: Jordan Returns to Basketball

Late in the 1994–95 season, Michael Jordan returned to basketball after his stint in baseball, though he did not lead the Bulls to the Finals that season.

1995: Rockets Win Title

In 1995, the Houston Rockets were the only team other than the Chicago Bulls to win a title during the 1990s.

1995: Bulls Acquire Dennis Rodman

In the 1995-96 season, the Bulls acquired Dennis Rodman and finished the regular season with a record of 72-10. Jordan returned to pre-retirement form.

1997: Bulls Defeat Jazz in Game 6

In 1997, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz in six games in the NBA Finals. Steve Kerr hit the winning shot in Game 6 in Chicago.

1998: Bulls Win Sixth Title

From 1991 to 1998, the Chicago Bulls, led by Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen, won six NBA titles in six Finals appearances.

1998: Bulls Defeat Jazz for Sixth Championship

In 1998, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz in six games in the NBA Finals, securing their sixth NBA championship. Michael Jordan hit the winning shot in Game 6 in Utah.

1999: Spurs Win Championship

In 1999, the San Antonio Spurs won the NBA championship, finishing the playoffs with a 15-2 record and allowing the fewest average points per game in the postseason in 30 years.

2000: Lakers Defeat Pacers

In 2000, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers to win the NBA Championship.

2001: Lakers Win Championship with 15-1 Record

In 2001, the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Finals against the Allen Iverson-led Philadelphia 76ers in five games, finishing the postseason with a 15-1 record.

2002: Lakers Sweep Nets in NBA Finals

In 2002, the Los Angeles Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets in the NBA Finals.

2002: Hornets Relocation to New Orleans

In 2002, the original Hornets franchise relocated to New Orleans. The NBA team in Charlotte suspended operations for the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons.

2003: Charlotte Hornets Suspend Operations

As a result of the Hornets franchise's relocation to New Orleans, the NBA team in Charlotte suspended operations for the 2002–03 and the 2003–04 seasons.

2003: Spurs Defeat Nets in NBA Finals

In the 2003 NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the New Jersey Nets in six games. During Game 6, Tim Duncan nearly recorded a quadruple-double.

2003: Payton and Malone Sign with Lakers

In the 2003 off-season, veteran stars Gary Payton and Karl Malone signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

2004: O'Neal Traded to Heat

In 2004, Shaquille O'Neal was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Miami Heat.

2004: Charlotte Bobcats Established

In 2004, a new team, named the Bobcats, was established for the 2004–05 season after the original Hornets franchise relocated to New Orleans.

2004: Pistons Defeat Lakers

In 2004, the Detroit Pistons defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the NBA Finals.

2005: Spurs defeat Pistons in NBA Finals

In 2005, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Detroit Pistons 4-3 in the NBA Finals.

2006: Heat Win Championship

In 2006, Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade led the Miami Heat to a championship victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

2007: Spurs Sweep Cavaliers in NBA Finals

In 2007, the San Antonio Spurs swept the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. Tony Parker won the Finals MVP award, becoming the first European-born player to do so.

2008: Celtics Defeat Lakers in NBA Finals

In 2008, the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in six games in the NBA Finals, led by Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce.

2009: Lakers Beat Magic in NBA Finals

In 2009, the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Finals, defeating the Orlando Magic in five games.

2010: Miami Heat Form "Big Three"

During the 2010 off-season, the Miami Heat re-signed Dwyane Wade and added LeBron James and Chris Bosh to form a new "Big Three."

2010: Lakers Defeat Celtics in NBA Finals

In 2010, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals in seven games. Phil Jackson surpassed Red Auerbach's record for most NBA titles of all time.

2011: Mavericks Defeat Heat in NBA Finals

In 2011, the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games in the NBA Finals.

2013: Heat Defeat Spurs for Championship

In 2013, the Miami Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs to win the NBA Championship, featuring a comeback in Game 6.

2013: Hornets Renamed Pelicans

In 2013, the original Hornets were renamed the Pelicans and retained the history and records during their time in New Orleans and Oklahoma City from 2002 to 2013.

2014: Bobcats Become Charlotte Hornets

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.

2014: NBA Finals Format Restored

In 2014, the NBA Finals format was restored to the 2–2–1–1–1 format, where the team with the better regular-season record hosts the first two games.

2014: Spurs Defeat Heat in NBA Finals

In 2014, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Miami Heat in five games in the NBA Finals.

2014: LeBron Returns to Cavaliers

In the 2014 off-season, LeBron James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers, teaming up with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

2015: Warriors Defeat Cavaliers in NBA Finals

In 2015, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games in the NBA Finals.

2016: Cavaliers Win Championship

In 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors in seven games in the NBA Finals, ending the city's championship drought.

2017: Warriors Win Championship

In 2017, the Warriors set a playoff record of 15 consecutive wins en route to a five-game victory in the NBA Finals.

2018: LeBron James Joins Lakers

In 2018, LeBron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers.

2018: YouTube TV Becomes NBA Finals Sponsor

In 2018, YouTube TV became the presenting sponsor of the NBA Finals as part of a multiyear partnership.

2018: Warriors Sweep Finals

In 2018, the Golden State Warriors completed a dominant sweep in the NBA Finals.

2018: NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV

Since 2018, the NBA Finals have been officially known as the NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV due to sponsorship reasons.

2019: Raptors Win First NBA Title

In 2019, the Toronto Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors in six games to win their first NBA title.

2020: Lakers Win NBA Finals

In 2020, LeBron James led the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, winning the series 4-2. It was the first time in NBA history that two teams that missed the playoffs the year before met in the Finals.

2021: Bucks Defeat Suns in NBA Finals

The 2021 NBA Finals saw the Milwaukee Bucks defeat the Phoenix Suns in the first Finals since 1971 to feature no players who had previously won a championship.

2022: Warriors Defeat Celtics in NBA Finals

In 2022, the Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics in six games for their fourth championship in eight seasons.

2023: Nuggets Win First NBA Title

In 2023, the Denver Nuggets reached their first NBA Finals in franchise history, defeating the Miami Heat in five games. Nikola Jokić was named Finals MVP.

2024: Celtics Claim Record 18th Title

In the 2024 NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks, claiming its record 18th NBA title and breaking a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers.

2025: NBA Finals Parity Streak

The 2025 NBA Finals will crown a seventh unique champion in as many years, marking the longest parity streak in NBA history. The Oklahoma City Thunder will face the Indiana Pacers in the championship series.