Helena Frye
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in the world, featuring some of the greatest athletes on the planet. The NBA Finals is the championship series for the NBA, held at the conclusion of its postseason. All NBA Finals have been played in a best-of-seven format, and the winning team of the series receives the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. The Boston Celtics are the most recent NBA champions, defeating the Dallas Mavericks in a five-game series to claim their 18th franchise title. The Celtics' victory was largely due to the performance of their center, Bill Russell, who won a league title in all but two of his 13 seasons with the team.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Championship series | National Basketball Association (NBA) |
| Format | Best-of-seven |
| Contestants | Winners of the Eastern and Western Conferences |
| Current home-and-away format | 2–2–1–1–1 |
| 2024 NBA Finals winner | Boston Celtics |
| 2024 NBA Finals loser | Dallas Mavericks |
| Boston Celtics' number of franchise titles | 18 |
| Player with the most NBA points | LeBron James |
| Team with the most post-season games, wins, and losses | Lakers |
| Team with the highest post-season winning percentage | San Antonio Spurs |
| Team with the lowest post-season winning percentage | Charlotte Hornets |
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What You'll Learn
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 were founded in 1946 as one of the league's original eight teams and play their home games at the TD Garden, sharing the arena with the NHL's Boston Bruins.
The Celtics are widely regarded as the most successful team in NBA history, having won the most NBA championships of any franchise. They have claimed 18 titles since the 1956-57 season, with their most recent victory in 2024 against the Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics' dynasty was built by Bob Cousy, revolutionised by coach Red Auerbach, and put on a pedestal by player and coach Bill Russell. The team's success continued with stars such as Tom Heinsohn, Don Nelson, Kevin McHale, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo.
The Celtics' rise to dominance began in the late 1950s, with their first NBA championship win in 1957. The 1986 and 2008 Celtics teams are particularly notable, and the 2023-24 Celtics have the potential to distinguish themselves among the most successful teams in franchise history. The Celtics have consistently performed well, with their 16th win by 25+ points setting a new NBA record. They are positioned to break the NBA record for offensive efficiency, topping the league in offensive rating while scoring an impressive 122.6 points per 100 possessions.
The Boston Celtics' logo, designed by Zang Auerbach, features a leprechaun named Lucky spinning a basketball. The logo was initially in green, white, and black but received a full-colour treatment for the team's 50th anniversary in the 1996-97 season. The team's success and rich history have made them one of the most renowned and feared franchises in the NBA.
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LeBron James: the NBA's leading scorer
LeBron James is the NBA's leading scorer, with a total of over 50,000 career points. In February 2023, James broke the NBA all-time points record, scoring 38 points in the LA Lakers' 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The previous record holder was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who scored 38,387 points over a 20-year career spanning from 1969 to 1989. James, who is in his 19th season, also holds the record for the most points scored in NBA playoffs, which stood at 8,023 points as of 2024.
Before breaking the all-time points record, James was already a record-holder in many important statistical categories, including points, assists, rebounds, steals, and games played, for the Cleveland Cavaliers, for whom he played a total of 11 seasons. James has also been dominant off the court, being the highest-paid player in the NBA, with total earnings of nearly $130 million in the 2024/25 season.
James is not the first player to break a scoring record. Joe Fulks held the career scoring record from the league's inaugural season in 1946 to 1952 and was the first player to pass 5,000 career points. George Mikan took the record from Fulks in 1952 and held it until 1958, becoming the first player to pass 10,000 career points. Wilt Chamberlain then held the record from 1966 to 1984 and was the first player to pass 25,000 and 30,000 career points.
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Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy: awarded to the winning team
The Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy is awarded to the winning team of the NBA Finals series. The NBA Finals is the championship series for the National Basketball Association (NBA) held at the end of its postseason. The Larry O'Brien Trophy was first awarded in 1977, replacing the Walter A. Brown Trophy, which had been awarded to the NBA champions since the league's inception in 1949. The trophy was renamed in 1984 to honour former NBA commissioner Larry O'Brien, who served from 1975 to 1984.
The current design, depicting a basketball over a hoop and basket, was first awarded in 1977 and has remained largely unchanged since. The trophy is manufactured by Tiffany & Co., and made of sterling silver. It stands two feet tall and weighs approximately 14.5 pounds, with an estimated value of $13,500. The championship team maintains permanent possession of the trophy, with the year and winning team's name engraved on it. The trophy is often prominently displayed in the winning team's arena.
The Boston Celtics were the inaugural winners of the renamed trophy in 1984, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have since lifted the Larry O'Brien Trophy more than any other franchise, with 11 titles. The Portland Trail Blazers were the first team to win the newly designed trophy in 1977, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers.
In recent years, the NBA has actively promoted the O'Brien Trophy to generate more recognition and iconic status for the award. The trophy has appeared on logos for the NBA Finals and has been showcased in various cities for fans to see. The Larry O'Brien Trophy has become a symbol of excellence and achievement in the sport of basketball.
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NBA play-in tournaments: a route to the playoffs
The NBA play-in tournament is a preliminary tournament that occurs before the NBA playoffs, which is the main tournament of the postseason. The play-in tournament determines the final two playoff seeds in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference. Teams finishing the regular season in positions 7 through 10 in the standings for each conference compete to determine the number 7 and 8 seeds in each conference's bracket tournament.
The NBA play-in tournament was first introduced in the 2019-20 season as part of the NBA's plans for a bubble during its return to play amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 22, 2022, the NBA Board of Governors approved the format for the 2020-21 season, making it permanent. The format is similar to the first two rounds of the Page-McIntyre system for a four-team playoff.
In the play-in tournament, the 9th place team hosts the 10th place team, with the loser being eliminated. The 7th place team hosts the 8th place team, with the winner advancing as the 7-seed. The loser of the 7/8 game hosts the winner of the 9/10 game, with the winner receiving the 8-seed. The NBA's regular playoff format then proceeds as normal.
The play-in tournament has allowed more franchises to have a chance to play their way into the postseason. Teams like the New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta Hawks, and Los Angeles Lakers have won the most play-in games, with three each. The 2022-23 Miami Heat had the best performance by any play-in team in the playoffs after reaching the 2023 NBA Finals.
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NBA win-loss records: the San Antonio Spurs have the highest percentage
The San Antonio Spurs have the highest win-loss record percentage in the NBA, with a record of 2305-1562 (.596). This percentage does not include their time in the American Basketball Association (ABA), during which they played 744 games with a record of 378-366 (.508). If these games were included, their record would be 2683-1928, and their win percentage would be slightly lower at (.580).
The Spurs began life as the Dallas Chaparrals in the 1967-68 ABA season and were one of the league's founding members. They changed their name to the Texas Chaparrals in 1970-71 before reverting to their original name the following season. In 1973-74, the team relocated to San Antonio and rebranded as the San Antonio Spurs. They then joined the NBA following the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.
The Spurs have had a rich history in the NBA, winning five championships and making 47 playoff appearances. Their regular-season record in the NBA is 2333-1600 (.593), and their playoff record is 222-181 (.551).
It is worth noting that the NBA's win-loss records include wins and losses recorded during a team's time in the BAA, the predecessor to the NBA. However, records from other leagues, such as the ABA, are not included in a team's NBA statistics. This can make it difficult to compare teams with a long history, such as the Spurs, to more recent franchises.
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Frequently asked questions
The Lakers have the most post-season games played (782), wins (465), and losses (317), and the highest post-season winning percentage. The San Antonio Spurs have the highest win-loss record percentage, with 2,305–1,562 (.596).
The Charlotte Hornets have the lowest post-season winning percentage with 23–40 (.365). The Pelicans have the fewest post-season games played (59), wins (22), and losses (37). The Denver Nuggets have the lowest win-loss record percentage, with (.177).
Some of the greatest basketball players of all time include Bill Russell, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Magic Johnson.
The NBA Finals is the championship series for the National Basketball Association (NBA) held at the conclusion of its postseason. All NBA Finals have been played in a best-of-seven format, and the winning team of the series receives the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.
The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in a five-game series to claim its 18th franchise title.
