The 15 Greatest NBA Finals Teams of All Time

By YPB Team

Dynasty squads and underdog champions, record-setting regular seasons and clutch playoff runs — the greatest NBA Finals teams ever assembled. Where do you stand?

2013-14 San Antonio Spurs

Gregg Popovich's Spurs dismantled the Heat with beautiful unselfish basketball, averaging over 28 assists per game in one of the most aesthetically pleasing Finals runs.

1000pts

1995-96 Chicago Bulls

Michael Jordan's return season produced an NBA-record 72-win regular season before the Bulls steamrolled through the playoffs to win the championship.

964pts

2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered a performance for the ages in the Finals with 50 points in the decisive Game 6, delivering Milwaukee its first title in 50 years.

922pts

2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James led the Cavaliers from 3-1 down to beat the 73-win Warriors, delivering Cleveland's first major sports championship in 52 years.

856pts

2025-26 New York Knicks

The Knicks' 2026 NBA championship capped the most watched NBA Finals since 1998, ending New York's 56-year title drought with an emotional run.

807pts

2012-13 Miami Heat

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh's Heat repeated as champions after Ray Allen's iconic corner three in Game 6 forced overtime against the Spurs.

749pts

2016-17 Golden State Warriors

Kevin Durant joined Stephen Curry on a team that went 73-9 the previous season; the Warriors dominated the Finals with historic offensive basketball.

749pts

2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers

Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant's Lakers went 15-1 in the playoffs, the greatest postseason record in NBA history at the time.

749pts

1987 Los Angeles Lakers

Magic Johnson's Showtime Lakers defeated the Celtics in the Finals, capping a run of five championships in nine years with dazzling fast-break basketball.

681pts

1969-70 New York Knicks

Willis Reed limping onto the court inspired the Knicks to their first championship in franchise history, one of the most iconic moments in NBA Finals lore.

681pts

2022-23 Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic led Denver to its first-ever NBA championship with an MVP performance, ushering in a new era of big-man basketball dominance.

599pts

1988-89 Detroit Pistons

The Bad Boys Pistons won back-to-back titles with a physical defensive style under Chuck Daly, led by Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Dennis Rodman.

599pts

1986 Boston Celtics

Larry Bird's dominant team went 67-15 and swept through the playoffs, widely regarded as one of the greatest collections of basketball talent ever assembled.

499pts

1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers

Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor's Lakers won an NBA-record 33 consecutive games en route to the franchise's first title in LA.

499pts

2007-08 Boston Celtics

The Big Three of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett came together for an emotionally charged championship run that ended the Lakers' dynasty hopes.