NBA Champions and Finals MVPs
See a complete list of NBA Champions and Finals MVPs. The New York Knicks won the 2025-26 NBA championship, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the Finals. Jalen Brunson was named Finals MVP as New York captured its first championship since 1973 and third NBA title in franchise history.
Fast Facts:
- The New York Knicks are the reigning NBA champions after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the 2026 NBA Finals. Jalen Brunson earned Finals MVP honors as the Knicks captured their third NBA championship and first since 1973.
- The Boston Celtics hold the record for the most NBA championships with 18 titles, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers with 17 and the Golden State Warriors with seven.
- Michael Jordan holds the record for the most NBA Finals MVP awards with six. LeBron James ranks second with four and is the only player to win Finals MVP with three different franchises.
- Jerry West won the inaugural NBA Finals MVP award in 1969 and remains the only player to receive the honor while playing for the losing team.
- The NBA recognizes championship results dating back to the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which began play in 1946. The BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949 to form the NBA.
- The NBA also recognizes an All-Star Game MVP each season. See the complete list of NBA All-Star Game Champions and MVPs.
- The 2026-27 NBA regular season is scheduled to end April 11, 2027, followed by the Play-In Tournament from April 13-16 and the NBA Playoffs beginning April 17. The playoff winners will advance to the 2027 NBA Finals.
NBA Finals Game 5 HIGHLIGHTS: New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs
NBA Champions and Finals MVPs
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Series | Finals MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | New York Knicks | San Antonio Spurs | 4-1 | Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks |
| 2024-25 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Indiana Pacers | 4-3 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2023-24 | Boston Celtics | Dallas Mavericks | 4-1 | Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics |
| 2022-23 | Denver Nuggets | Miami Heat | 4-1 | Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets |
| 2021-22 | Golden State Warriors | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors |
| 2020-21 | Milwaukee Bucks | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2019-20 | Los Angeles Lakers | Miami Heat | 4-2 | LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2018-19 | Toronto Raptors | Golden State Warriors | 4-2 | Kawhi Leonard, Toronto Raptors |
| 2017-18 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 | Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors |
| 2016-17 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-1 | Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors |
| 2015-16 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Golden State Warriors | 4-3 | LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2014-15 | Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-2 | Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors |
| 2013-14 | San Antonio Spurs | Miami Heat | 4-1 | Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs |
| 2012-13 | Miami Heat | San Antonio Spurs | 4-3 | LeBron James, Miami Heat |
| 2011-12 | Miami Heat | Oklahoma City Thunder | 4-1 | LeBron James, Miami Heat |
| 2010-11 | Dallas Mavericks | Miami Heat | 4-2 | Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks |
| 2009-10 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2008-09 | Los Angeles Lakers | Orlando Magic | 4-1 | Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2007-08 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics |
| 2006-07 | San Antonio Spurs | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 | Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs |
| 2005-06 | Miami Heat | Dallas Mavericks | 4-2 | Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat |
| 2004-05 | San Antonio Spurs | Detroit Pistons | 4-3 | Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs |
| 2003-04 | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons |
| 2002-03 | San Antonio Spurs | New Jersey Nets | 4-2 | Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs |
| 2001-02 | Los Angeles Lakers | New Jersey Nets | 4-0 | Shaquille O’Neal, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2000-01 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-1 | Shaquille O’Neal, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1999-00 | Los Angeles Lakers | Indiana Pacers | 4-2 | Shaquille O’Neal, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1998-99 | San Antonio Spurs | New York Knicks | 4-1 | Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs |
| 1997-98 | Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | 4-2 | Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls |
| 1996-97 | Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | 4-2 | Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls |
| 1995-96 | Chicago Bulls | Seattle SuperSonics | 4-2 | Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls |
| 1994-95 | Houston Rockets | Orlando Magic | 4-0 | Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets |
| 1993-94 | Houston Rockets | New York Knicks | 4-3 | Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets |
| 1992-93 | Chicago Bulls | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls |
| 1991-92 | Chicago Bulls | Portland Trail Blazers | 4-2 | Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls |
| 1990-91 | Chicago Bulls | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls |
| 1989-90 | Detroit Pistons | Portland Trail Blazers | 4-1 | Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons |
| 1988-89 | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | Joe Dumars, Detroit Pistons |
| 1987-88 | Los Angeles Lakers | Detroit Pistons | 4-3 | James Worthy, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1986-87 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1985-86 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4-2 | Larry Bird, Boston Celtics |
| 1984-85 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1983-84 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Larry Bird, Boston Celtics |
| 1982-83 | Philadelphia 76ers | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1981-82 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1980-81 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4-2 | Cedric Maxwell, Boston Celtics |
| 1979-80 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1978-79 | Seattle SuperSonics | Washington Bullets | 4-1 | Dennis Johnson, Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1977-78 | Washington Bullets | Seattle SuperSonics | 4-3 | Wes Unseld, Washington Bullets |
| 1976-77 | Portland Trail Blazers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | Bill Walton, Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1975-76 | Boston Celtics | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | Jo Jo White, Boston Celtics |
| 1974-75 | Golden State Warriors | Washington Bullets | 4-0 | Rick Barry, Golden State Warriors |
| 1973-74 | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 4-3 | John Havlicek, Boston Celtics |
| 1972-73 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Willis Reed, New York Knicks |
| 1971-72 | Los Angeles Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-1 | Wilt Chamberlain, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1970-71 | Milwaukee Bucks | Baltimore Bullets | 4-0 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1969-70 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Willis Reed, New York Knicks |
| 1968-69 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Jerry West, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1967-68 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | |
| 1966-67 | Philadelphia 76ers | San Francisco Warriors | 4-2 | |
| 1965-66 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | |
| 1964-65 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | |
| 1963-64 | Boston Celtics | San Francisco Warriors | 4-1 | |
| 1962-63 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | |
| 1961-62 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | |
| 1960-61 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-1 | |
| 1959-60 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-3 | |
| 1958-59 | Boston Celtics | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-0 | |
| 1957-58 | St. Louis Hawks | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | |
| 1956-57 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-3 | |
| 1955-56 | Philadelphia Warriors | Fort Wayne Pistons | 4-1 | |
| 1954-55 | Syracuse Nationals | Fort Wayne Pistons | 4-3 | |
| 1953-54 | Minneapolis Lakers | Syracuse Nationals | 4-3 | |
| 1952-53 | Minneapolis Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-1 | |
| 1951-52 | Minneapolis Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-3 | |
| 1950-51 | Rochester Royals | New York Knicks | 4-3 | |
| 1949-50 | Minneapolis Lakers | Syracuse Nationals | 4-2 | |
| 1948-49 | Minneapolis Lakers | Washington Capitols | 4-2 | |
| 1947-48 | Baltimore Bullets | Philadelphia Warriors | 4-2 | |
| 1946-47 | Philadelphia Warriors | Chicago Stags | 4-1 |
The NBA Finals MVP award was first presented in 1969. A dash indicates that no award was given.
