The NBA is currently in the early stages of the 2026-27 regular season, with teams settling into their rotations and adjusting to early-season injury challenges.
Last NBA Finals
2025-26 season
🏆 New York Knicks def. San Antonio Spurs · 4–1
Finals MVP: Not specified
The New York Knicks secured the championship by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in a five-game series.
Next NBA Finals
To be determined · June 2027
To be determined
The 2027 NBA Finals are scheduled to begin in June 2027 following the conclusion of the 2026-27 regular season and playoffs.
2026-27 season
The league is navigating the opening weeks of the season with significant attention on early injury reports and the performance of teams following the 2026 offseason.
Recent champions, 2013-14 – 2025-26
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Result | Finals MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 🏆New York Knicks | San Antonio Spurs | 4–1 | Jalen Brunson |
| 2024-25 | 🏆Oklahoma City Thunder | Indiana Pacers | 4–3 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander |
| 2023-24 | 🏆Boston Celtics | Dallas Mavericks | 4–1 | Jaylen Brown |
| 2022-23 | 🏆Denver Nuggets | Miami Heat | 4–1 | Nikola Jokić |
| 2021-22 | 🏆Golden State Warriors | Boston Celtics | 4–2 | Stephen Curry |
| 2020-21 | 🏆Milwaukee Bucks | Phoenix Suns | 4–2 | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| 2019-20 | 🏆Los Angeles Lakers | Miami Heat | 4–2 | LeBron James |
| 2018-19 | 🏆Toronto Raptors | Golden State Warriors | 4–2 | Kawhi Leonard |
| 2017-18 | 🏆Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4–0 | Kevin Durant |
| 2016-17 | 🏆Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4–1 | Kevin Durant |
| 2015-16 | 🏆Cleveland Cavaliers | Golden State Warriors | 4–3 | LeBron James |
| 2014-15 | 🏆Golden State Warriors | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4–2 | Andre Iguodala |
| 2013-14 | 🏆San Antonio Spurs | Miami Heat | 4–1 | Kawhi Leonard |
All-time NBA titles, 1947 – 2026
1957 · 1959 · 1960 · 1961 · 1962 · 1963 · 1964 · 1965 · 1966 · 1968 · 1969 · 1974 · 1976 · 1981 · 1984 · 1986 · 2008 · 2024
Includes the record eight straight championships from 1959 to 1966.
1949 · 1950 · 1952 · 1953 · 1954 · 1972 · 1980 · 1982 · 1985 · 1987 · 1988 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2009 · 2010
Five of them were won as the Minneapolis Lakers.
1947 · 1956 · 1975 · 2015 · 2017 · 2018 · 2022
1947 and 1956 as the Philadelphia Warriors.
1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998
Two three-peats in eight years around Michael Jordan.
1999 · 2003 · 2005 · 2007 · 2014
1955 · 1967 · 1983
1955 won as the Syracuse Nationals.
2006 · 2012 · 2013
1989 · 1990 · 2004
1971 · 2021
1970 · 1973 · 2026
The 2026 title ended a 53-year championship drought.
1994 · 1995
2016
The first 3–1 Finals comeback, ending Cleveland's 52-year drought.
2025
2023
2019
The first championship won by a team based outside the United States.
2011
1978
Won as the Washington Bullets.
1977
1958
Won as the St. Louis Hawks.
1951
Won as the Rochester Royals.
1948
Defunct franchise — unrelated to the later Washington Bullets.
How it's played
Basketball is five-a-side with a hoop at each end: players advance by dribbling and shoot for 2 points, 3 from beyond the arc, or 1 from the free-throw line. A 24-second shot clock keeps the game moving. After four 12-minute quarters the team with the most points wins.
A brief history of the NBA
Eleven teams tip off the Basketball Association of America, with the first game played in Toronto in November 1946 — later adopted by the NBA as its own origin.
The BAA merges with the rival National Basketball League to form the National Basketball Association. George Mikan's Minneapolis Lakers win five of the first seven titles.
Bill Russell and coach Red Auerbach deliver 11 championships in 13 seasons, including a record eight straight from 1959 to 1966 — unmatched in major American sport.
Four ABA franchises — the Nets, Nuggets, Pacers and Spurs — join the NBA, bringing the three-point shot's spiritual home and Julius Erving's flair with them.
Larry Bird's Celtics and Magic Johnson's Lakers revive the league, meeting three times in the Finals and splitting eight titles between them across the decade.
Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls win six championships in six Finals appearances across two three-peats, turning the NBA into a global phenomenon.
Stephen Curry's three-point revolution leads Golden State to five Finals wins in eight seasons, while player movement and superteams reshape the league.
Season leaders
Luka Dončić has emerged as the early-season scoring leader for the 2026-27 NBA campaign, maintaining a dominant offensive pace while other stars like Domantas Sabonis and Victor Wembanyama lead in rebounding and defensive metrics.
Luka Dončić
Los Angeles Lakers · Points per game
Dončić continues to lead the league in scoring as he adjusts to his new role with the Lakers.
Stephen Curry
Golden State Warriors · Points per game
Curry recently showcased his scoring prowess by outdueling Luka Dončić in a comeback victory.
Tyrese Maxey
Philadelphia 76ers · Points per game
Maxey has been a vital offensive engine for a 76ers team that has started the season with a strong 5-1 record.
Domantas Sabonis
Sacramento Kings · Rebounds per game
Despite the Kings' winless start to the season, Sabonis remains the league's most prolific rebounder.
Trae Young
Washington Wizards · Assists per game
Young has transitioned into a primary playmaking role for the Wizards, leading the league in assists.
Victor Wembanyama
San Antonio Spurs · Blocks per game
Wembanyama continues to dominate defensively, leading the NBA in blocks per game.
Karl-Anthony Towns
New York Knicks · Rebounds per game
Towns is providing significant interior presence and rebounding support for the Knicks early in the season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Miami Heat · Rebounds per game
Antetokounmpo is performing at an elite level for the Heat, contributing heavily in both scoring and rebounding.
Top 100 + 52-card playing deck — open the collector's box set on its own Legends page: the card deck, the Top 100 and every box-set game.
Current Top 100 + 52-card playing deck — open the collector's box set on its own Legends page: the card deck, the Top 100 and every box-set game.