Amanda Knapp
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The NBA Finals is played between the winners of the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. The winner of the NBA Finals is awarded the Larry O'Brien Trophy, named after former league commissioner Larry O'Brien. While the championship series is officially called the NBA Finals, it has had several names in the past, including the BAA Finals, the NBA World Championship Series, and Showdown in the 1980s.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the championship series | NBA Finals |
| Previous names | BAA Finals, NBA World Championship Series, Showdown |
| Current name and reason | NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV (since 2018) for sponsorship reasons |
| Championship trophy | Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy |
| Previous championship trophy | Walter A. Brown Trophy |
| Year of the first championship | 1949-50 |
| First NBA champions | Minneapolis Lakers |
| Recent champions | Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Warriors |
| Championship winners in 2024 | Boston Celtics |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The NBA Finals
The winning team of the NBA Finals receives the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, awarded since the 1976-77 season. Previously, from 1947 to 1976, the winning team was awarded the Walter A. Brown Trophy.
Understanding the SEC Basketball Schedule: A Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Larry O'Brien Trophy
The Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy is awarded annually to the winner of the NBA Finals, the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The NBA Finals sees the Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven series to determine the league champion. The Larry O'Brien Trophy was first awarded in 1977, but it was known as the Walter A. Brown Trophy until 1984 when it was renamed to honour former NBA commissioner Larry O'Brien, who served from 1975 to 1984.
The trophy, depicting a basketball over a hoop and basket, is created anew each year and awarded permanently to the winning team, similar to the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The inaugural winners of the trophy under its new name were the Boston Celtics, who defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games in the 1984 NBA Finals. The most recent champions as of August 2025 are the Oklahoma City Thunder, who won their first championship since 1979 when they were known as the Seattle SuperSonics.
The Larry O'Brien Trophy has been toured around the state of the winning team, starting with the Detroit Pistons in 2004. It has also been showcased in various cities as part of the NBA Legends Tour, including in New York City and Hong Kong. The NBA has been actively promoting the O'Brien Trophy in recent years to generate more recognition and an iconic status for the award. This has included featuring the trophy on logos for the NBA Finals and launching social media accounts for the award itself.
The trophy's design was changed as part of the NBA's 75th anniversary season. The new design, by Victor Solomon, features two discs that replace the previous square foundation. Solomon stated that he thought the former square base was awkward to hold and prop up in the hand. The two discs also function as the metal bands of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup.
Social Media's Impact on Basketball Training
You may want to see also
Explore related products
History of name changes
The championship series for the National Basketball Association (NBA) has undergone several name changes since its inception. From 1946 to 1949, the league was known as the Basketball Association of America (BAA), and the championship series was called the BAA Finals.
In 1949, the BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a result, the championship series name changed to the NBA World Championship Series, starting with the 1949-1950 season. During this inaugural NBA season, the Minneapolis Lakers won the championship, becoming the first team to repeat as champions.
The championship series underwent another name change from 1950 to 1985, still known as the NBA World Championship Series. However, there was a brief period during this time when it was referred to simply as "The Showdown."
Finally, in 1986, the championship series settled on the name "NBA Finals," which has endured with some minor variations. For example, since 2018, it has been officially known as the "NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV" for sponsorship reasons.
Throughout these name changes, the format of the championship series has remained consistent. It has always been played in a best-of-seven format, with the Eastern and Western Conference champions competing to determine the league champion.
Mastering the Art of Finishing in Basketball
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Past winners
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The championship series is held at the conclusion of the NBA postseason and is played in a best-of-seven format. The winners of the Eastern and Western Conference champions play against each other to determine the league champion.
The NBA Finals were initially known as the BAA Finals before the 1949-50 season when the Basketball Association of America (BAA) merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the NBA. The Minneapolis Lakers won the inaugural NBA championship in 1950, becoming the first team to repeat as champions.
The Lakers went on to win three straight Finals from 1952 to 1954, claiming their fifth title in six seasons. The Rochester Royals defeated the New York Knicks in 1951 in the only Finals contested between two teams from the same state. The Knicks faced three consecutive losses in the Finals from 1951 to 1953, while the Lakers established their dominance in the league.
In the 1984, 1985, and 1987 NBA Finals, the Lakers and the Boston Celtics faced off, with the Celtics winning in 1984 and the Lakers coming out on top in the latter two series. The Lakers defended their title in 1988, winning against the Detroit Pistons.
More recently, the Los Angeles Lakers, led by LeBron James, won the 2020 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, claiming their 17th title. In 2021, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Phoenix Suns, featuring no previous champions on either team. The Golden State Warriors made their sixth appearance in the 2022 NBA Finals, defeating the Boston Celtics and claiming their fourth championship in eight seasons.
Ferrell's Naked Basketball: Unfiltered and Unmissable
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Conference champions
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The championship series sees the winners of the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference face off in a best-of-seven series to determine the league champion. The NBA has had this two-conference format since the 1970-71 season. Before this, the NBA Finals were played between division playoff winners.
The NBA Finals were known as the BAA Finals before the 1949-50 season when the Basketball Association of America (BAA) merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the NBA. The competition underwent several name changes, including the NBA World Championship Series from 1950 to 1985, and a brief stint as the Showdown, before settling on NBA Finals in 1986. Since 2018, for sponsorship reasons, it has been officially known as the NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV.
The winning team of the series receives the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, which has been awarded since the 1976-77 season. Before this, from 1947 until 1976, the winning team received the Walter A. Brown Trophy.
Some notable NBA Finals include the 1984 series between the Celtics and Lakers, which attracted the largest TV audience for an NBA game. The Lakers also made history in 1950 when they became the first team to win consecutive championships. The 2020 NBA Finals marked the first time in NBA history that two teams who missed the playoffs the previous year, the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, met in the Finals.
CIAA Basketball Tournament: History, Teams, and More
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The name of the basketball championship is the NBA Finals, or the National Basketball Association Finals. It was known as the BAA Finals from 1947 to 1949 and then the NBA World Championship Series from 1950 to 1982.
Many people have asked this question, and some have suggested alternatives such as the O'Brien Trophy Finals, the Bill Russell Championship, or the NBA Craig Sager Memorial Series. However, others appreciate the simplicity of the name, and it has been pointed out that "Super Bowl" and "World Series" are not much more exciting.
The Boston Celtics have won the most championships, with 35 out of 78 wins since their first title in 1957. The Los Angeles Lakers are close behind with 20 titles overall, including 5 in the first 10 years.
