The NBA was born on June 6, 1946 in New York as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). On August 3, 1949, the league adopted the name National Basketball Association following its merger with rival league the National Basketball League (NBL). In 1976, the NBA and the American Basketball Association (ABA) merged, adding four franchises to the NBA. Further expansions have brought the number of teams in the championship to the current 30 (of which 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada).
The headquarters of the NBA was located, and still is today, in the Olympic Tower at 645 Fifth Avenue in New York. NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are located in Secaucus, New Jersey. Its logo, an icon known throughout the world, was designed by Alan Siegel and represents the silhouette of Jerry West while, in an athletic position, he performs a penetration. The logo has remained unchanged since 1971. The 2024-25 season opens on October 22, 2024.
MVP title. The 1968 NBA World Championship Series between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers was the last NBA Finals without a Finals MVP named as the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award. The title was introduced the following year and was awarded to Jerry West.
Year – Champion – Runner-up – Finals MVP
2024 Boston Celtics-Dallas Mavericks 4-1, Jaylen Brown
2023 Denver Nuggets-Miami Heat 4-1, Nikola Jokic
2022 Golden State Warriors-Boston Celtics 4-2, Steph Curry
2021 Milwaukee Bucks-Phoenix Suns 4-2, Giannis Antetokounmpo
2020 Los Angeles Lakers-Miami Heat 4-2, LeBron James
2019 Toronto Raptors-Golden State Warriors 4-2, K. Leonard
2018 Golden State Warriors-Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0, K. Durant
2017 Golden State Warriors-Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1, K. Durant
2016 Cleveland Cavaliers-Golden State Warriors 4-3, L. James
2015 Golden State Warriors-Cleveland Cavaliers 4-2, A. Iguodala
2014 San Antonio Spurs-Miami Heat 4-1, K. Leonard
2013 Miami Heat-San Antonio Spurs 4-3, L. James
2012 Miami Heat-Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1, L. James
2011 Dallas Mavericks-Miami Heat 4-2, D. Nowitzki
2010 Los Angeles Lakers-Boston Celtics 4-3, K. Bryant
2009 Los Angeles Lakers-Orlando Magic 4-1, K. Bryant
2008 Boston Celtics- Los Angeles Lakers 4-2, P. Pierce
2007 San Antonio Spurs-Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0, T. Parker
2006 Miami Heat-Dallas Mavericks 4-2, D. Wade
2005 San Antonio Spurs-Detroit Pistons 4-3, T. Duncan
2004 Detroit Pistons-Los Angeles Lakers 4-1, C. Billups
2003 San Antonio Spurs-New Jersey Nets 4-2, T. Duncan
2002 Los Angeles Lakers-New Jersey Nets 4-0, S. O’Neal
2001 Los Angeles Lakers-Philadelphia 76ers 4-1, S. O’Neal
2000 Los Angeles Lakers-Indiana Pacers 4-2, S. O’Neal
1999 San Antonio Spurs-New York Knicks 4-1, T. Duncan
1998 Chicago Bulls-Utah Jazz 4-2, M. Jordan
1997 Chicago Bulls-Utah Jazz 4-2, M. Jordan
1996 Chicago Bulls-Seattle SuperSonics 4-2, M. Jordan
1995 Houston Rockets-Orlando Magic 4-0, H. Olajuwon
1994 Houston Rockets-New York Knicks 4-3, H. Olajuwon
1993 Chicago Bulls-Phoenix Suns 4-2, M. Jordan
1992 Chicago Bulls-Portland Trail Blazers 4-2, M. Jordan
1991 Chicago Bulls-Los Angeles Lakers 4-1, M. Jordan
1990 Detroit Pistons-Portland Trail Blazers 4-1, I. Thomas
1989 Detroit Pistons-Los Angeles Lakers 4-0, J. Dumars
1988 Los Angeles Lakers-Detroit Pistons 4-3, J. Worthy
1987 Los Angeles Lakers-Boston Celtics 4-2, M. Johnson
1986 Boston Celtics-Houston Rockets 4-2, L. Bird
1985 Los Angeles Lakers-Boston Celtics 4-2, K. Abdul-Jabbar
1984 Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers 4-3, L. Bird
1983 Philadelphia 76ers-Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 M. Malone
1982 Los Angeles Lakers-Philadelphia 76ers 4-2, M. Johnson
1981 Boston Celtics-Houston Rockets 4-2, C. Maxwell
1980 Los Angeles Lakers-Philadelphia 76ers 4-2 M. Johnson
1979 Seattle SuperSonics-Washington Bullets 4-1, D. Johnson
1978 Washington Bullets-Seattle SuperSonics 4-3, W. Unseld
1977 Portland Trail Blazers-Philadelphia 76ers 4-2, B. Walton
1976 Boston Celtics-Phoenix Suns 4-2, J. White
1975 Golden State Warriors-Washington Bullets 4-0, R. Barry
1974 Boston Celtics-Milwaukee Bucks 4-3, J. Havlicek
1973 New York Knicks-Los Angeles Lakers 4-1, W. Reed
1972 Los Angeles Lakers-New York Knicks 4-1, W. Chamberlain
1971 Milwaukee Bucks-Baltimore Bullets 4-0, K. Abdul-Jabbar
1970 New York Knicks-Los Angeles Lakers 4-3, Reed
1969 Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers 4-3, J. West
1968 Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
1967 Philadelphia 76ers-San Francisco Warriors 4-2
1966 Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers 4-3
1965 Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers 4-1
1964 Boston Celtics-San Francisco Warriors 4-1
1963 Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
1962 Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers 4-3
1961 Boston Celtics-St. Louis Hawks 4-1
1960 Boston Celtics-St. Louis Hawks 4-3
1959 Boston Celtics-Minneapolis Lakers 4-0
1958 St. Louis Hawks-Boston Celtics 4-2
1957 Boston Celtics-St. Louis Hawks 4-3
1956 Philadelphia Warriors-Fort Wayne Pistons 4-1
1955 Syracuse Nationals-Fort Wayne Pistons 4-3
1954 Minneapolis Lakers-Syracuse Nationals 4-3
1953 Minneapolis Lakers-New York Knicks 4-1
1952 Minneapolis Lakers-New York Knicks 4-3
1951 Rochester Royals-New York Knicks 4-3
1950 Minneapolis Lakers-Syracuse Nationals 4-2
1949 Minneapolis Lakers-Washington Capitols 4-2 (BAA)
1948 Baltimore Bullets-Philadelphia Warriors 4-2 (BAA)
1947 Philadelphia Warriors-Chicago Stags 4-1 (BAA)
