Championships followed that in each of the next seven seasons. The road didnt come without its bumps though. His . The St. Louis (now Atlanta) Hawks won in 1958, and the Philadelphia 76ers broke the string in 1967. Fans in the United States can watch the biggest games of the 2022-23 NBA season on Sling TV. North Dakota State moved up to Division I in 2004, and the Bison have wasted no time making a name for themselves. Kobe Bryant's 81-point game against the Raptors in 2006 is one of the best performances in NBA history. Montreal also won four straight 1975-76 to 1978-79, and they were followed immediately by the New York Islanders who won four straight 1979-80 to 1982-83. Then you make a judgment. Its football team went 14-1 in 2014 -- losing to Wisconsin-Whitewater in the title game -- and the program boasts an impressive 11 national championships. The Chicago Bulls did it twice in the 1990s, while the Lakers have also run off a pair of what Pat Riley copyrighted as three-peats. The first came while the franchise was still in Minneapolis; the second bridged the 20th and 21st centuries. Three franchises did it by playing for different cities: Lakers, Warriors, and 76ers. How much do you know about the NBA's 2003 draft class? TEAM TITLES PO APP. We are reader-supported. The Lakers went on to win the NBA Finals in six games over the Indiana Pacers. The "Three-Peat" Pat Riley had sought to bring Los Angeles all . 11. In fact, these franchises have alone claimed nearly 70 percent of all titles. In the opening round of the Eastern Conference finals, Reggie Miller was awarded a game-tying 3-pointer off a half-court shot against the New Jersey Nets that shouldnt have counted. In the 1980s when legendary Larry Bird was drafted to Boston, he ultimately led them to title in 1981, 1984, and 1986. The first iteration of the Baltimore Bullets joined the BAA in 1947 for the leagues second season, moving over from the old American Basketball Association, a circuit that operated on the east coast from 193355. Learn more and register Most NBA Championships Won Minimum one game played in playoffs. Russell is, quite simply, the greatest winner in NBA history and arguably in all of team sports. 2013-14 Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder. Even in the superteam era, its hard to imagine that record ever falling. The Bison continue to dominate. [2] The NBA Finals is the championship series for the NBA and the conclusion of the sport's postseason. [9] He won the last two championships in 1968 and 1969 as player-coach. The Celtics have won 17 NBA championships, the franchise also holds the record for most consecutive NBA championship wins at 8 from 1959-1966. [20][21] George Mikan won two championships in the NBL before it merged with the BAA to form the NBA, and won five championships in the NBA. List of NBA players with most championships, players who have been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame, "194950 Season Overview: Powerful Lakers Repeat", "Mavs against Cuban's idea not to give title rings", "Debate Over Brady's Place Among the Best Returns to the Shelf", "Championship Misconceptions: Why Rings Don't Define a Player's Greatness", "NBA Players: Gene Guarilia Profile and Basic Stats", "Mitch Kupchak Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more", "Wilkes Waived, Ending an 8-Year Laker Career", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_NBA_players_with_most_championships&oldid=1137401218, Denotes players who are currently active in the NBA, This page was last edited on 4 February 2023, at 12:44. Both franchises have accounted for 34 of the 74 championships (45.9%) in NBA . They were known as Minneapolis Lakers from 1947 to 1960. The Spurs ranks fifth in place with five titles. As of 2022, of the 76 NBA Finalsseries played, the Eastern champions have won 40 titles while the Western champions have won 36 titles. But what team has the most consecutive NBA championships in succession? Both the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers have each won 17 championships, tying the franchises for the most NBA Championship rings all-time. Three franchises did it by playing for different cities: Lakers, Warriors, and 76ers. The Canadiens have taken home the Stanley Cup more times than any other NHL team. Every win has come by double-digits. 1956-1969 is known as the Bill Russell Era, as Russell played a large factor in that winning. The Lakers became the Los Angeles Lakers in 1960, making history by becoming the first NBA team on the west coast. Two of those runs belonged to the venerable Boston Celtics. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal embrace after clinching the 2002 NBA title with a sweep of the New Jersey Nets. [1][2][3] The winning team of the series receives the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. The New York Yankees took five straight World Series crowns from 194953, and the Montreal Canadiens raised the Stanley Cup every year from 195660. The most championships in succession in any other North American sport is five. In the Charlotte Hornets Game 4 matchup against the Orlando Magic, a buzzer-beating 3 by Baron Davis should have counted but was waved off. NHL: the Montreal Canadiens won five straight 1955-56 to 1959-60. ONeal was namedFinals MVPfollowing all three of the Lakers championships, becoming the only player besides Michael Jordan to win the award three consecutive times. The rest of the team to at least go back-to-back include: Teams won consecutive titles over 12 straight years from 198798. Their recent title came in 2008 when Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen would lead Celtics to their glory days once again. Sportszpro.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Will the Warriors Steph Curry play against the Lakers this weekend? An iconic alley-oop from Kobe Bryant to Shaquille ONeal clinched the Lakers' trip to the 2000 Finals. The Riley-coached Lakers were swept by the Detroit Pistons in the1989 NBA Finals, however, and Los Angeles would have to wait 14 years for Rileys vision to be realized. [8] Russell's teammate, Sam Jones, won ten championships from 1959 to 1969, the second most in NBA history. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The Lakers have competed in as many as 32 NBA championship series, most by any team. He also was a leader in the fight for social justice and racial equality. NBAE/Getty Images [16] As of 2022[update], the defending champions are the Golden State Warriors. All Finals have been played in a best-of-seven format, and are contested between the winners of the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference (formerly Divisions before 1970), except in 1950 when the Eastern Division champion faced the winner between the Western and Central Division champions. Coming in at the #2 spot would be the Los Angeles Lakers, who have won 16 championships, 5 as the Minneapolis Lake. T-6. 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2020, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008, Warriors vs Lakers: Times, how to watch on TV, stream online | NBA, Grizzlies at Clippers: Times, how to watch on TV, stream online | NBA, Knicks at Celtics: Times, how to watch on TV, stream online | NBA. There are three other teams (Heat, Pistons, 76ers) who are tied with three titles. With the Philadelphia 76ers poised as the No. And while the Celtics have only put together consecutive championships twice, one of those ran circles around every other franchise in any sport. [26] Both Saul and Kerr won NBA championships for four years in a row, each having participated in three-peats, Saul with the Lakers and Kerr with the Bulls. All rights reserved. The two also have the most Finals meetings with 12; the Celtics own a 9-3 edge over their arch-rivals. With 17 championships apiece, the Lakers and the Boston Celtics share the NBA record for the most titles in history. The 76ers won two NBA championships during their streak. The following is a list of National Basketball Association (NBA) players who won the most championships as a player. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. . Los Angeles Lakers The Grizzlies say their star guard will be away from the team for 'at least' the next 2 games. The duos relationship, which soured over their eight-year partnership, reached a boiling point after the2003-04 season, however, when ONeal demanded a trade following the Lakers messy breakup with Jackson. Some have more immediate championship aspirations than others, but all 30 teams are building toward a shot at one day hoisting the elusive Larry O'Brien Trophy. Shaquille O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers completed their three-peat with a 2002 NBA Championship. Also during the 1996 draft, West would use the Lakers 24th overall pick to select guard Derek Fisher. The Boston Celtics won in 1957, eight in a row from 1959 to 1966, and in 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, and 2008. Without further ado, let's take a look at the 25 greatest winners of all-time. Kane Williamson, David Warner display NBA-style basketball skills in Maldives: WATCH. Championship streaks: 1936-39, 1949-53, 1998-2000. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. In the 2002 NBA Finals, the Lakers easily dismantled the New Jersey Nets 4-0 en route to their third consecutive championship. The Yankees boast an astonishing 27 World Series titles, which is an MLB record. He won a record 11 championships, went 10-0 in Game 7s and won five league MVP awards, among many other accomplishments. Case filed after 'I Love Manish Sisodia' banner hung on school gate, Renee Sen thanks people for reaching out to her after Sushmita Sen suffered heart attack, NBA Championship winners list by year: Full list of NBA championssince 1946, Russell Westbrook triple-double record: How NBA Twitter reacted to Wizards star's feat. Kareem Abdul Jabbar - 6 rings. The Three-Peat Pat Riley had sought to bring Los Angeles all those years before finally arrived. [18][19] Jordan and Pippen are members of the Chicago Bulls team who won three consecutive championships twice in the 1990s. The NBA is a major professional basketball league in North America. Legendary Michael Jordan won all of them in the 1990s. With Pat Summitt at the helm for over three decades, they took home eight national titles, including three in a row from 1996-'98. The 195253 edition of the Baltimore club still holds the NBA record for the worst record for a playoff team. To this day the pair still stand as the on-court leaders of the last Three-Peat in major American professional sports. However, until 1984 the name of this trophy was Walter A. Since 1988, its become more regular, with nine teams winning at least two straight championships in that span. Bill Russell won 11 championships with the Boston Celtics, an NBA record. The Lions are tied for most playoff appearances in Division II history as well. Starting with the George Mikan-led Minneapolis Lakers (1952-54) to Bill Russells legendary Boston Celtics that won eight consecutive titles (1959-1966), through the Jordan era Chicago Bulls (1991-93, 1996-98) only four times had an NBA team won three or more consecutive championships before the Lakers in 2000-02. Fun fact: The Boston Celtics won nine championships in a row. Year Western champion Coach Result Eastern champion Coach Reference Basketball Association of America (BAA) 1947 Chicago Stags(1) (1, 0-1) Harold Olsen 1-4 Philadelphia Warriors(2)(1, 1-0) Eddie Gottlieb [17] 1948 This put them on level for the most NBA championships of all time with the Boston Celtics. Since Riley coined the phrase Three-Peat, only four major professional sports teams have won three consecutive championships. During the 1995-'96 season, the Bulls won 72 games, and they are the only team to ever win more than 70 games in a single season. The Lakers swept the first three rounds of the playoffs, lost in overtime inGame 1of the 2001 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, and then went on to win the next four games to claim their second straight championship. Statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference, Pro Football Reference, Hockey Reference, and Baseball Reference. (Image: Marco Esquondoles/Getty) Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson, and the 1990s Chicago Bulls dominated the 1990s with six NBA titles in eight seasons. Do you know which are the NBA teams with most championships? But unfortunately, they came up short against Toronto Raptors at the finals. The Celtics forward became the most recent player to collect three straight MVPs, doing so from 1984 to 1986 as Boston won two championships. 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954 (As Minneapolis)1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2020, 1947, 1956 (As Philadelphia Warriors)1975, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022. Why doesnt the Grizzlies Dillon Brooks like the Warriors Draymond Green and what did he say about him? ONeal was traded to the Miami Heat, Jackson would take a year off from the game and Kobe would become the face of the new-look Lakers that eventually won two straight titles in 2009 and 2010 with Jackson returning to the sidelines. Data Provided By Chicago Bulls Championship streaks: 1991-93, 1996-98 The 1996 Bulls have been considered one of the best teams in NBA history. DIV. The Lakers' championships have been more spaced out, winning their most recent title in 2020. Over the past 3-plus years, the UConn women are 122-1 with an average victory margin of 38. But despite the unceremonious ending to the era, nothing will ever take away from the brilliance ONeal and Bryant displayed together on the court. But at the turn of the century, the pair would dominate the basketball world in a way few ever have. At halftime, Lakers forward Samaki Walker hit a 3-pointer that was counted by the referees. Only five teams have managed to win more than three championships: The Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, and Golden State Warriors. Their 15-1 postseason record is the greatest in NBA history (Update: Golden State went on to break the record in the 2017 playoffs after going 16-1). Year. Lakers, Celtics, Warriors lead full list, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2020. This past season, they took home the crown, defeating the Raiders 43-34. The recent success of the Warriors is absolutely praiseworthy. To be able to comment you must be registered and logged in. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Learn more and register, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. Charlotte Hornets3. 11 NBA franchises have not been able to make their entry into the NBA Champions list yet. The name of the championship trophy of the NBA is Larry OBrien NBA Championship Trophy. Their streak is the longest consecutive title run of any professional team in U.S. sports history. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. [1] The Celtics won eight NBA championships in a row from 1959 to 1966. Last year, the Milwaukee Bucks took home the title for the first time since 1971, preventing the Phoenix Suns from winning their first ever NBA championship. How are teams selected? They won an astonishing 19 consecutive playoff series during that streak. Television replay showed that the shot clearly should not have counted and the Lakers went on to win the game 100-99 on a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Robert Horry. As of 2022[update], the Eastern Conference/Division led the Western Conference/Division 4036 in championships won. The same can be said about a teams perspective. After the season, West would retire after one of the most prolific careers as a player, coach and manager in professional sports. The Lakers become the fifth team in NBA history to win three-straight championships from 2000-02. The Boston Celtics are one of three original BAA teams still in existence. NBA: the Boston Celtics won eight straight from 1958-59 to 1965-66. As he is rewriting history, this title win very much ensures his place in the NBA. Though since then Celtics would face a championship drought of over 20 years. With 17 championships apiece, the Lakers and the Boston Celtics share the NBA record for the most titles in history. In 2019 the San Antonio Spurs tied the NBA record of 22 consecutive playoff appearances. In 2000-01, the Lakers wouldnt dominate the regular season quite like they had the previous year posting a record of 56-26 but when the postseason rolled around, Los Angeles bulldozed the competition in historic fashion. The Celtics won eight NBA championships in a row from 1959 to 1966. Most successful Big Threes in NBA History. Find out more. [7], Boston Celtics center Bill Russell holds the record for the most NBA championships won with 11 titles during his 13-year playing career. Since 2006, either Mount Union or Wisconsin-Whitewater has taken home the Division III national title. Thisput them on level for the most NBA championships of all timewith the Boston Celtics. Winning a championship is a special feat for any team. That was good enough to finish 3.5 games ahead of the moribund Philadelphia Warriors for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Division. Western Champion. Two of them came as Philadelphia Warriors. Last season, the Warriors won the franchise's seventh title, defeating the Celtics in the 2022 NBA. Robert Horry, John Salley, LeBron James and Danny Green are the only players to have won championships with three different teams. The Bruins won seven consecutive national titles in men's basketball from 1967 to 1973 under head coaching legend John Wooden. Russell is therefore the most decorated player in the NBA. NBA scores and standings: How does the playoffs bracket look with latest results. The Celtics captured most of their championships in the Bill Russell era. The NBA is a major professional basketball league in North America. But perhaps the biggest piece to the puzzle West put together wasnt on the court, but off it. The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics are tied for the most NBA championship titles in NBA history with 17 championships each. Chicago Bulls have won six Titles. Jordan and Jackson pulled off two separate three-peats between 1991-93 and 1996-98. It was founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). Johnson won three MVPs from 1987 to 1990 but was unable to win all three in consecutive seasons. They were a dismal 16-54 (a .229 winning percentage). 2012-13 LeBron James, Miami Heat. Tennessee has been a title contender for over 30 years. Call it a by-product of having eight of 10 teams reach the postseason. The Celtics' dynasty of the 1960s is considered to be among the greatest everas they won eight straightand 11 titles total in 13 years (1957-1969). In total, 19 franchises have won at least one NBA championship. From 1946 through 1949, when the league was known as the Basketball Association of America (BAA), the playoffs were a three-stage tournament where the two semifinal winners played each other in the finals. On the other hand, the Lakers' 17titles- including their most recent 2020 championships - are more evenly spacedas they won four or more championships in a single decade three separate times. So, these are the NBA teams with most titles. With the current 2020-21 NBA regular season coming to an end, here's a look at the NBA Championship winners list by year since its inception. The 2001-02 season will forever be remembered for its controversial playoffs. Jackson guided the LA Lakers to five . Memphis Grizzlies7. Led by Hall of Famer Bill Russell, the Celtics run of titles was part of an incredible 11 championships in 13 seasons. That's 34 for two teams, and the other 41 split among everyone else. The franchise was a dynasty in the 1980s. NBA championships, conference and division titles and playoff appearences for all NBA franchises. Orlando Magic10. A star player is mostly judged by how many championships he has won. According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats.