History
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1946–1956: Beginnings and Lakers dynasty
editThe beginning era of modern professional basketball was dominated by the Minneapolis Lakers, who won five of the first ten titles. The Philadelphia 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, the Basketball Association of America completed its inaugural season in April 1947 with the Philadelphia Warriors defeating the Chicago Stags in the 1947 BAA Finals in five games. The following season the Warriors again reached the Finals, however they fell short to the now defunct Baltimore Bullets. To date the Baltimore Bullets are the only defunct team to win a championship.
In 1948, the Minneapolis Lakers won the championship of the rival National Basketball League before joining the BAA. Led by future Hall of Famer George Mikan, the Lakers won the third and final BAA championship in 1949 over the Red Auerbach-coached Washington Capitals. The BAA then merged with the NBL to form the National Basketball Association before the 1949–50 season. The Lakers won the inaugural NBA championship in 1950 to become the first team to repeat as champions.
In 1951, the Rochester Royals defeated the New 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 The Lakers won three straight Finals from 1952 to 1954 to become the first team to three-peat while also winning their fifth title in six seasons.
Of the five franchises to win a championship from 1947 to 1956, one (the Bullets) folded and the other four (the Warriors, Lakers, Royals, and Syracuse Nationals) all relocated by 1964.
1957–1969: Celtics Dynasty
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The Boston Celtics won 11 of the 12 NBA Finals they reached during 13 seasons (1956–57 to 1968–69), including eight straight NBA championships from 1959 through 1966.[1] During this time the St. Louis Hawks also won their only title before moving to Atlanta and the Philadelphia 76ers won their first title since relocating from Syracuse.
With the establishment of the Celtics dynasty in 1957, spearheaded by center Bill Russell, the team saw great success. Despite encountering some difficulty when up against teams led by Wilt Chamberlain, for most of the late 1950s and 1960s, the Celtics and Russell managed to have an upper hand on Chamberlain's teams.
In 1964, Chamberlain, who had moved to the state of California alongside his team, led the San Francisco Warriors to a Western Division championship, but again failed to conquer the Celtics. The following season, he returned to the Eastern Division to join the Philadelphia 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 coach Alex 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. They went on to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals to again become NBA champions.
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 stars Jerry West and Elgin 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 owner Jack 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.
As many stars either declined or retired following this win, it is largely recognized as the last NBA Finals conducted by the Celtics dynasty.
1970–1979: Decade of parity
editThe 1970s saw ten different teams reach the Finals and eight different teams win a championship, the most of any decade in the NBA, with the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks winning twice.
In 1970, a classic final 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 which became one of the most famous ever. However, the Knicks won in overtime and continued their momentum for a 4–3 win. The Milwaukee Bucks also won their first title, defeating the Baltimore Bullets in 1971.
Two seasons after losing in the Finals, the Lakers won 33 straight games, the longest winning streak in NBA history. By season's end, they broke the record for most wins in a season with 69, one more than the 1966–67 Philadelphia 76ers, before taking home the championship for the first time since relocating to Los Angeles, beating the Knicks. The Knicks returned to win the Finals again a season later, followed by the Celtics’ 12th title in 1974.
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 Washington Bullets 4–0 in the 1975 NBA Finals. In 1976, the Phoenix Suns, after only eight years of existence, overcame a losing record early in the season to build a remarkable win streak to finish 42–40. They achieved upset victories over the Seattle 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. 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 the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971, the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977, the Washington Bullets in who defeated the SuperSonics in 1978. The SuperSonics exacted revenge on the Bullets the following season, as they won their first title in 1979.
1980–1990: Celtics–Lakers rivalry and "Bad Boys" Pistons
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The 1980s were mostly known for the rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, who combined to win eight titles in the decade. Rookie Magic Johnson led the Showtime Lakers to the 1980 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, who were led by Julius Erving. The Lakers took a 3–2 lead, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar could not play in Game 6 due to injury. Johnson, a natural point guard, was shifted to center, and ended up playing every position on the court during the game, scoring 42 points, while also attaining 15 rebounds and 7 assists[2] to win his first championship and Finals MVP honors, becoming the first and only rookie to win the award.
Boston reached the 1981 NBA Finals led by the "Big Three" of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish. They met the Houston Rockets, who carried practically single-handedly by Moses Malone and upset the Lakers and Johnson 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 in 1982, this time led by new coach Pat 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 Lakers in 6 games. The76ers responded by trading for Malone, who was also the league's reigning MVP. With the new duo of Malone and Erving, the 76ers won the 1983 NBA Finals in a sweep over the Lakers.
The Celtics and Lakers met in the Finals in 1984, 1985, and 1987. 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 the 1979 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 time, winning in 6 games despite each time, despite losing Game 1 in 1985 by 34 points in the Memorial Day Massacre. The 1987 Finals included Johnson hit a hook shot with two seconds left to give the Lakers a 107–106 win and a 3–1 series lead after Game 4.
In the following two seasons, the Celtics failed to reach the Finals, becoming overshadowed by the rise of the Detroit Pistons. The Lakers defended their title in the 1988 NBA Finals, winning the series in 7 games against the Pistons. They then became the first team to win back-to-back NBA titles since 1969.[3] Seeking a three-peat in 1989, the Lakers were swept by the Pistons in a rematch of the previous year's Finals. In 1990, the Pistons then went back-to-back after defeating the Clyde Drexler-led Portland Trail Blazers in five games, attaining the nickname "Bad Boys" due to their rough, physical play led by a Hall of Fame back court in Joe Dumars and Isiah Thomas and a rugged front court in Dennis Rodman and Bill Laimbeer.
1991–1998: Bulls dynasty
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The majority of the 1990s was marked by the supremacy of the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls, led by head coach Phil Jackson and star players Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, won six titles in six Finals appearances from 1991 to 1998. The only other team to win a title during this time was the Houston Rockets who won titles in 1994 and 1995.
The first championship came at the expense of the Los Angeles Lakers, which also saw the last appearance in the Finals for Magic Johnson. Billed[by whom?] as a showdown between the aging Johnson and the upstart Jordan, the Lakers won the first game, 93–91. For the rest of the series, Pippen guarded Johnson, allowing Jordan to primarily focus on scoring, and Chicago won the next four games. The Bulls returned to the Finals the next year, pitted against Clyde Drexler and the Portland Trail Blazers. Throughout the 1991–1992 season, Jordan and Drexler led their teams to the best records in their respective conferences, leading to several comparisons between the two players in anticipation of a postseason match-up. 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. Game 2 went into overtime, with the Trail Blazers outscoring the Bulls 18–7 in the final period to win the game, even with Drexler fouling out in the 4th quarter. Games 3 and 4 were split between Chicago and Portland, respectively, but the Bulls won the final two games, clinching their second championship.
In 1993, Jordan was matched against close friend Charles Barkley, who was the league's reigning MVP of the Phoenix Suns. The Bulls won the first two games in Phoenix, 100–92 and 111–108. The Suns, rallying behind Barkley, won Game 3, 129–121 in Chicago in triple overtime. The Bulls won Game 4, 111–105, with Jordan scoring 55 points and tying Rick Barry for the second-most points in an NBA Finals game. The Suns won Game 5, 108–98, sending the series back to Phoenix. Chicago clinched the series in Game 6, 99–98, on John Paxson's three-pointer, as the Bulls became the third team in history to three-peat. After this win, Jordan retired from basketball to pursue a career in baseball.
Following Jordan's departure, the Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, won the 1994 and 1995 NBA titles. During this time, Olajuwon became the only player in history to win the NBA MVP, NBA Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP awards in the same season. That was the only year that both the NBA and NHL Finals went to seven games, with the Rockets facing the New York Knicks in 1994. With their win in Game 7, the Rockets denied New York from winning both the NBA and NHL titles in the same year, as the New York Rangers won the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. After trading for Clyde Drexler midseason, the Rockets later swept an Orlando Magic team consisting of Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway in the 1995 Finals; Olajuwon was again named Finals MVP, and the Rockets became the fifth franchise to win back-to-back titles and became the first 6th-seeded team to win the title without enjoying home court advantage on any of their playoff series. The Houston Rockets also beat teams with at least 50 regular season wins in every round of the playoffs, with "Road Court" advantage. No other team in NBA History has done that. The Houston Rockets were down 3 games to 1 to the Phoenix Suns in the Semi-Finals and won 2 out of 3 games on the road, including game 7 to advance to the Conference Finals.
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 champion Dennis Rodman. The 1995–96 Bulls finished the regular season 72–10, attaining, at the time, the best regular season record in NBA history. They dominated in the playoffs, with series records of 3–0, 4–1 and 4–0, before facing the Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA Finals. After the Bulls took a 3–0 series lead, Seattle won the next two games after point guard Gary Payton asked his coach George Karl to be switched onto Jordan, leading to a sixth game. Jordan altered his game to deal with Payton, and the Bulls won Game 6 to win their fourth title.
In 1997 and 1998, the Bulls met the Utah Jazz in the Finals twice. Led by Dream Team 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 game, the first by Steve Kerr in 1997 in Chicago, and the second by Jordan in Utah in 1998. This saw Chicago winning their sixth NBA championship, and winning their second three-peat. Before the lockout shortened 1998–99 season, Jackson decided to retire, 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 a lottery-bound team for the next six seasons.
1999–2010: Spurs and Lakers dominance
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The 2000s were largely dominated by the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers, who appeared in a combined eleven Finals to win nine championships in 12 seasons.
Between the years of 1999 to 2010, the Spurs won four championships, in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007. During the 1999 NBA playoffs, the Spurs finished with a 15–2 mark, including sweeps of the Blazers and Lakers. With a defensive squad led by David Robinson and Tim 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 the Finals that year, the Spurs held the New York Knicks, the first eight seed team to reach the finals in NBA history, to an average of 79.8 points per game. During the 2003 NBA Finals, the Spurs defeated the New Jersey Nets in 6 games, which also marked the first championship contested between two former ABA teams. In Game 6, Duncan was two blocks short of recording the first quadruple-double in NBA Finals history, finishing with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 blocks. The Spurs also defeated the Detroit Pistons 4–3 in 2005 and swept the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007. Duncan won the Finals MVP in 1999, 2003 and 2005, while Tony Parker won 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 by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. Their 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 against the Allen Iverson-led Philadelphia 76ers in 5 games, finishing with an unprecedented 15–1 record, the best postseason record in NBA history at the time. In 2002, the Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets, leading almost the entire time in each game. During the Laker's three-peat champion run, O'Neal earned finals MVP honors all three times.
In the 2003 off-season, 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 and were the favorites to win the championship in 2004. However, the Detroit Pistons, under coach Larry Brown, defeated the Lakers in 5 games. Chauncey Billups was named the Finals MVP. Now established as one of the powerhouses of the East, the Pistons returned to the NBA Finals the following year, before losing to the Spurs in seven games.
Following bad blood and eventual fallout with former Laker's teammate Kobe Bryant,[4] O'Neal was traded from the Lakers to the Miami Heat in 2004, where he teamed up with young phenom Dwyane Wade. Together they led the Heat to the 2006 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, who won the first two games at home, but Miami won the next four straight after multiple fourth quarter comebacks led by Wade, who won the Finals MVP award.
The Lakers returned to the Finals in 2008 against the Boston Celtics, renewing the teams' rivalry marking the 11th Finals matchup between them. The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4–2, led by their "Big Three" superstars of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Finals MVP Paul Pierce. The Lakers bounced back from the loss and returned to the Finals the following year in 2009, where they defeated the Dwight Howard-led Orlando Magic, in five games. The Lakers met the Celtics once again in 2010, trailing 3–2 before winning the last two at home, marking the first time in history that the Celtics lost a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant was named Finals MVP both years, as head coach Phil Jackson surpassed Red Auerbach's record for most NBA titles of all time with eleven.
2011–2022: LeBron James dominance and the Warriors dynasty
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The 2010s were distinguished by the continued excellence of LeBron James, who appeared in nine NBA Finals in ten seasons, winning four titles, while playing for three different franchises. The decade also saw the ascent of the Golden State Warriors, emerging as a dominant force in the Western Conference with six NBA finals appearances including five straight from 2015 to 2019, along with four titles.
During the 2010 off-season, the Miami Heat re-signed team captain Dwyane Wade and added free agents LeBron James and Chris Bosh to form a new "Big Three."[5] The Heat were subsequently considered heavy title favorites and appeared four straight finals, starting in 2011 against the Dallas Mavericks in a rematch from five years earlier. Despite being heavy underdogs on paper, the Mavericks won the series 4–2. The Heat returned to the Finals in the following year against a young Oklahoma City Thunder team featuring future MVPs Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Kevin Durant. Miami won the series in five games, with James winning his first championship and Finals MVP honors by unanimous vote. The Heat repeated as champions in 2013, this time over the San Antonio Spurs, featuring a Heat comeback in Game 6 that is widely regarded one of the greatest playoff games ever played.[6] Miami sought a three-peat in a 2014 rematch with the Spurs, but this time San Antonio prevailed in five games, winning their first title since 2007 and the fifth and final title of Tim Duncan's career.
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In the 2014 off-season, James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers where he teamed up with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to form a new "Big Three" in Cleveland. The Cavaliers appeared in the next four Finals, all against the upstart Golden 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 the 2015 NBA Finals, coming back from a 2–1 deficit to win the series 4–2. This series was marked by injuries to Love and Irving, while James became the first player to lead both teams in points, rebounds, and assists in a Finals series.James also became the first player in NBA Finals history to lead both teams in points, assists, and rebounds for the entire series.[7] The Warriors inserted Andre Iguodala into the starting lineup after Game 3, leading to the series turning around, and Iguodala won NBA Finals MVP for his efforts in containing James on defense. 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 the 2016 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 memorable chase-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's championship drought.[8] In the subsequent off-season, the Warriors acquired Kevin Durant through free agency, forming what many considered to be one of the greatest teams ever assembled.[9] In 2017, the Warriors set a playoff record of 15 consecutive wins en route to a five-game series win over the Cavs, followed by a dominant sweep in 2018, with Durant earned Finals MVP honors both years.[10]
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In 2018, James left the Cavaliers and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. Without James, the Cavaliers struggled and did not return to the playoffs until 2023. In 2019, made their fifth consecutive Finals appearance. However, after injuries to stars Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, the Warriors were ousted by the Kawhi Leonard-led Toronto Raptors 4–2, resulting in the first NBA title for a team based outside the United States.[11]
James returned to his tenth Finals with the Los Angeles Lakers against the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals, marking the first time in NBA history that two teams that missed the playoffs the year before met in the Finals.[12] The Lakers won the series 4–2, claiming their 17th title to tie the Boston 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.[13] 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.[14]
After missing the playoffs two years in a row largely due to injuries, the Warriors returned to the 2022 NBA Finals for their sixth appearance in eight seasons.[15] They defeated the Boston Celtics in six games for their fourth championship in eight seasons,[16]
2023–present
editThe Denver Nuggets reached their first Finals in franchise history in 2023, defeating the Miami Heat in five games. Nikola Jokić was named Finals MVP, becoming the lowest-drafted player (41st overall) to win the award.[17] The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals, marking the sixth straight year with a different championship team, the longest such streak since the 1970s.[18] Boston won its record 18th NBA title, breaking a tie with their longtime rival Los Angeles Lakers.[19]
- ^ "Boston Celtics History". Boston Celtics. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
- ^ "NBA.com: Magic Fills in at Center". nba.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
- ^ "NBA Season Recaps". NBA.com. July 1, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
- ^ "A Complete Timeline of the Shaq and Kobe Feud". Lakers Nation. April 2, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
- ^ Team Stream Now. "LeBron James and the Ghost of 23". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
- ^ Jones, Michael C. (June 19, 2013). "NBA Finals 2013, Spurs vs. Heat Game 6: The greatest game ever played?". Archived from the original on June 23, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ^ Rosenberg, Michael (June 17, 2015). "LeBron James sets NBA Finals record in losing effort to Warriors - NBA". SI.com. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ^ Johnson, Jared. "NBA Finals Live: Cavs vs. Warriors in Game 7". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
- ^ "G.O.A.T. Grade: Definitive proof the 2017 Warriors are the Greatest Team of All Time". Retrieved June 13, 2017.
- ^ "Powered by Kevin Durant, Warriors roll to second NBA title in three years". Retrieved June 13, 2017.
- ^ "Raptors top Warriors for 1st title in team history". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ Reynolds, Tim (September 27, 2020). "The Finals are set: LeBron, Lakers will meet Butler, Heat". Associated Press. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "LeBron James makes history, wins Finals MVP with 3 different franchises". NBA.com. October 11, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
- ^ "No prior champions in NBA Finals for first time in 50 years". NBC Sports. July 6, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
- ^ "Dubs beat Mavs in five games, head to sixth Finals in eight years". NBCSports.com. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
- ^ "Warriors beat Celtics 103–90 to win 4th NBA title in 8 years". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
- ^ "Nuggets star Nikola Jokic named NBA Finals MVP". ESPN.com. June 13, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
- ^ "NBA Will Feature New Champion For Sixth-Straight Year". May 21, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ Quinn, Sam (June 18, 2024). "2024 NBA Finals MVP: Celtics' Jaylen Brown edges Jayson Tatum as Boston wins historic title". cbssports.com. Retrieved June 18, 2024.