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Eleazer Gonzales presents the teams that have won the NBA championship during the history of the league.
Winning the NBA championship is a quest all NBA teams try to accomplish every season. Some teams even go extreme distances to reach that goal.
The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics remain tied for most championships won at 17 NBA titles. The Lakers, however, have more NBA Finals appearances (32) than the Celtics' 22 appearances. However, the Celtics have a better winning percentage (77.3%) than the Lakers (53.1%). Boston also holds the record for the most number of consecutive championships won (eight)- a record that will continue to stand the test of time.
Here's a quick list of the teams that have NBA championships, in order from the most to the fewest.
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The Los Angeles Lakers (17)
A team that started as the Minneapolis Lakers, the Purple and Gold have long established themselves as championship winners- winning the title 17 times.
The Lakers became home to some of the all-time greats in the game such as George Mikan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant.
The Lakers' most recent championship came in 2020 inside the Orlando bubble. LeBron James and Anthony Davis led the team in a six-game dance against Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat in a championship battle that, for most people, is the hardest championship to have been won due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Boston Celtics (17)
The Celtics last won the cup in 2008 against the Lakers. That squad had Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett leading the Celtics against the Black Mamba and company.
The Celtics returned to the NBA Finals again in 2010- only to lose to the Lakers in an epic seven-game dance. Boston also managed to reach the championship round in 2022, only to lose against the Golden State Warriors of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
Aside from the trio of Pierce, Allen, and Garnett, other great players won championships for the Celtics. These players include Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, and 11-time champion, Bill Russell.
Golden State Warriors (7)
Yep. The Golden State Warriors have seven NBA championships under their name - including four in the Steph Curry era. They also stand as the team to recently win two consecutive championships from 2017 to 2018 with Kevin Durant taking home the Finals MVP awards in both instances.
The Warriors last hoisted the championship in 2022 in what many believed was one of the greatest comeback seasons as Steph Curry and Klay Thompson endured multiple injuries the seasons before that.
Chicago Bulls (6)
There's a reason why the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan are synonymous with one another: His Airness led the Bulls to six NBA championships built in two separate three-peats. And yes, the Bulls have yet to lose in the championship round.
Sadly, the Bulls have yet to return to the NBA Finals.
Aside from Jordan, the Bulls also have other great players in those championship-winning teams. Those players include Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Horace Grant, Steve Kerr, and Toni Kukoc. They were also coached by Phil Jackson head coach who won the most number of NBA championships as a head coach.
San Antonio Spurs (5)
All five NBA championships won by the San Antonio Spurs were won under one head coach: Gregg Popovich.
Under Pop's tutelage, the Spurs became a primetime-worthy team and established themselves as one of the best front offices due to their ways of conducting business.
Players like David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Bruce Bowen, and Kawhi Leonard all won championships for the Spurs.
And yes, the Spurs were the reason why LeBron James only has two NBA championships as a Miami Heat player. The Spurs last won a championship at the expense of the Heat in 2014.
Philadelphia 76ers (3)
The Philadelphia 76ers have gone to the NBA Finals nine times- winning the championship on three of those occasions.
The last time the Sixers won a championship was in 1983 and this writer wasn't even born yet. The Sixers swept the Lakers in four games with Moses Malone taking home the Finals MVP plum. That Philadelphia team also had Julius Erving, Bobby Jones, and Maurice Cheeks, and was coached by Billy Cunningham.
Sadly, the Sixers lost to the Lakers during the last time they faced each other in the finals in 2001.
Detroit Pistons (3)
The Pistons have been struggling as of late but, they used to be playoff contenders, and in seven NBA Finals appearances, they have won the cup three times.
The last time they won the NBA title was in 2004 against a Lakers super team of Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, and Gary Payton. The Pistons, then coached by Larry Brown, had a solid line-up that included Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Rip Hamilton, and Finals MVP Chauncey Billups.
The Pistons also won back-to-back championships from 1989 to 1990. Those teams had Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Dennis Rodman- creating chaos that translated to wins.
Sadly, Detroit has yet to return to championship form and even lost the last time they were in the Finals in 2005.
Miami Heat (3)
LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade led the Heat to back-to-back championships from 2012 to 2013. Before that, Miami won it all in 2006 with a young Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O'Neal, and Gary Payton against a much-favored Dallas Mavericks 2006.
Miami had two recent trips back to the final round (2020 and 2023) in the Jimmy Butler era but lost in both instances.
New York Knicks (2)
The Knicks won the championships in 1970 and 1973. In 1973, New York faced a Wilt Chamberlain-led Lakers squad in a four-game victory in the finals. The Knicks had Phil Jackson, Wills Read, Jerry Lucas, and Walt Frazier as some of the core players coached by Red Holzman.
Houston Rockets (2)
The Rockets last won the championship when it completed a back-to-back from 1994 to 1995. Since then, Houston has yet to land back to the NBA Finals.
The Rockets, in the 1995 NBA Finals, faced a young Shaquille O'Neal and the Orlando Magic and swept the Magic in four games. Hakeem Olajuwon took home his second Finals MVP award. Aside from The Dream, Clyde Drexler was also a part of the Rockets' championship teams coached by Rudy Tomjanovich.
Milwaukee Bucks (2)
50 years. That's how long the gap had been between the Milwaukee Bucks' most recent championship and the franchise's first in 1971.
In 2021, Giannis Antetokounmpo solidified his status as one of the best players of his generation by leading the Bucks to a championship against the Phoenix Suns.
In 1971, the Bucks also won the championship via a clean sweep of the Baltimore Bullets.
One-Time Champions
Below is the list of teams who have won the NBA championship at least once:
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Atlanta Hawks
- Washington Wizards
- Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle SuperSonics
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Dallas Mavericks
- Baltimore Bullets
- Sacramento Kings
- Toronto Raptors
- Denver Nuggets
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