Andrew Pace
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven series to determine the league champion. The 2023 NBA Finals concluded on June 12, with the Denver Nuggets defeating the Miami Heat in five games to win their first championship in franchise history. The 2024 NBA Finals concluded on June 17, with the Boston Celtics defeating the Dallas Mavericks four games to one, winning their first championship since 2008. So yes, the basketball finals are over for now, but stay tuned for the next season of the NBA!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 2024 |
| Winner | Boston Celtics |
| Winner's score | 4-1 |
| Runner-up | Dallas Mavericks |
| MVP | Jaylen Brown |
| MVP's average points | 20.8 |
| MVP's average rebounds | 5.4 |
| MVP's average assists | 5.0 |
| Winner's highest scorer | Jayson Tatum |
| Winner's highest scorer's points | 22 |
| Runner-up's highest scorer | Luka Dončić |
| Runner-up's highest scorer's points | 30 |
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What You'll Learn
Who won the 2024 NBA finals?
The Boston Celtics won the 2024 NBA Finals, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4 games to 1. This was the Celtics' 18th championship, the most of any NBA franchise, and their first since 2008.
The series began on June 6 and concluded on June 17. The Celtics were led by Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, who averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. Jayson Tatum and Al Horford also played pivotal roles in the Celtics' championship run. Tatum joined elite company, leading the team in points, rebounds, and assists, while Horford won his first title in his 17th season, the most playoff games played before a first championship in NBA history.
The Mavericks struggled to find easy shots throughout the series, despite the efforts of Luka Dončić, who led the team with 30 points and 10 rebounds in Game 1. Kristaps Porzingis missed much of the 2024 playoffs, and the Mavericks fell short in their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011.
The Celtics' victory cemented their season-long dominance, as they finished the regular season with the best record in the league at 64-18. They carried this momentum into the playoffs, defeating the Miami Heat in the first round and the Mavericks in the NBA Finals.
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Boston Celtics: the most successful NBA team
The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The Celtics are regarded as the most successful team in NBA history, with 18 NBA championship wins, the most of any franchise.
The Celtics were founded in 1946 as one of the original eight teams in the league. They play their home games at TD Garden, sharing the arena with the NHL's Boston Bruins. The Celtics' rise to dominance began in the late 1950s, after the team, led by coach Red Auerbach, acquired Bill Russell in 1956. Russell, along with future Hall of Famers Bob Cousy and Tom Heinsohn, led the Celtics to their first NBA championship in 1957. The Celtics dynasty was further solidified with Russell as its cornerstone, winning multiple championships throughout his career.
The Celtics continued their success over the years, with notable players such as Paul Pierce and Jayson Tatum contributing to the team's legacy. They have had several notable rivalries, including with the Los Angeles Lakers, whom they met in the Finals in 1984, 1985, and 1987. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is one of the most well-known in NBA history, with the 1984 Finals attracting the largest TV audience for an NBA game at the time.
In the 2023-24 season, the Boston Celtics further cemented their status as one of the best teams in NBA history. They excelled with a historically great offense and a standout defense, outscoring their opponents by an average of 10.7 points per game. The Celtics won their 18th championship, defeating the Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks four games to one. This victory solidified their position as the most successful NBA franchise, with Jaylen Brown being named the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP).
The Boston Celtics' long-standing success, coupled with their record-breaking number of championships, solidifies their place as one of the most dominant and revered teams in NBA history.
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Past winners of the NBA finals
The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals, earning their first championship since 2008 and their record-breaking 18th overall. The Celtics' Jaylen Brown was voted the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) after averaging 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5 assists per game.
The Minneapolis Lakers dominated the beginning era of modern professional basketball, winning five of the first ten titles. They won the inaugural NBA championship in 1950, becoming the first team to win back-to-back championships. The Lakers continued their success in the 1980s, facing off against the Celtics in the Finals in 1984, 1985, and 1987. The Celtics won in 1984, but the Lakers took the title in the following two meetings.
The Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, won consecutive NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. During this time, Olajuwon became the only player to win the NBA MVP, NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP awards in the same season.
The Philadelphia Warriors won the inaugural BAA championship in 1947, defeating the Chicago Stags in five games. The Warriors also won the 1956 championship, bookending the NBA's first decade.
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Rules of the NBA finals
The NBA Finals is the final stage of the NBA Playoffs, which is a tournament held to determine the league champion. The tournament features a number of rounds, with each round progressively narrowing the field of competitors.
The first round, or Conference Quarterfinals, involves 16 qualified teams, eight from each of the NBA's two conferences (East and West). Each matchup in this round is a best-of-seven series, with the first team to win four games advancing to the next round. The eight winners from the first round move on to the Conference Semi-finals, which follows the same format. The winners of the Conference Semi-finals then advance to the Conference Finals.
The Conference Finals determine the champions of the Eastern and Western Conferences. The two remaining teams in each conference compete in a best-of-seven series, with the winners moving on to the NBA Finals. The NBA Finals is a best-of-seven series that determines the league champion, with the first team to secure four wins claiming the NBA title.
In each round, the team with the better regular-season record is rewarded with home-court advantage. The games in each series are distributed in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, meaning the team with home-court advantage hosts games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while their opponent hosts games 3, 4, and 6. Games 5, 6, and 7 are played if needed.
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Most Valuable Players of the NBA finals
The NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is given annually to the best-performing player of the regular season. The winner is decided by a panel of eleven media members who cast votes after the conclusion of the Finals. The person with the highest number of votes wins the award. The award was originally a black trophy with a gold basketball-shaped sphere at the top, similar to the Larry O'Brien Trophy, until a new trophy was introduced in 2005. Since its inception, the award has been given 55 times to 34 players.
Michael Jordan is a record six-time MVP award winner. He is also the only player to win the award despite his team not making the playoffs, in the 1975-76 season. Jordan and O'Neal are the only players to win the award in three consecutive seasons, with Jordan accomplishing this feat twice. Other notable winners include LeBron James, who has won the award four times in his career, and Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, and Tim Duncan, who won three times each.
The 2024 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player was Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, who averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. This was the Celtics' first championship since 2008 and their 18th overall, giving them the most NBA championships of any franchise.
Other notable NBA Finals MVPs include:
- Luka Dončić, who led the Mavericks with 30 points and 10 rebounds in Game 6 of the 2024 NBA Finals.
- Hakeem Olajuwon, the only player in history to win the NBA MVP, NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP awards in the same season (1994).
- Cedric Maxwell, the only Finals MVP winner eligible for the Hall of Fame who has not been voted in.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the 2024 NBA Finals concluded on June 17, with the Boston Celtics defeating the Dallas Mavericks.
The Celtics' Jaylen Brown was voted the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (FMVP) in 2024.
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It is held at the conclusion of the postseason and features a best-of-seven playoff series between the Eastern and Western Conference champions.
