Complete List of NBA Finals Winners

The teams with the most NBA championships are as follows:

1. Boston Celtics - 17 championships
2. Los Angeles Lakers - 17 championships
3. Chicago Bulls - 6 championships
4. Golden State Warriors - 6 championships
5. San Antonio Spurs - 5 championships

Read more about List of NBA Career Scoring Leaders.

These are the players with the most NBA championships, as of December 2023:

There are in total 10 NBA teams who never won an NBA championship, as of 2023. The NBA is a league that thrives on narratives, and each franchise has its own unique story filled with triumphs, heartbreaks, and unfinished tales. Let's delve into the histories of some notable teams and their journeys through the highs and lows of the NBA. These 10 NBA teams without the championship banner include:

1. Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns have reached three NBA finals but they failed to win a championship in each finals appearance. In the 2022 NBA Finals, the Suns led by Devin Booker and Chris Paul faced an agonizing defeat against Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday's Milwaukee Bucks in 6 games. This loss echoed previous heartbreaks including the 1976 Finals loss against the Boston Celtics and the 1993 Finals against the Chicago Bulls, led by the legendary Michael Jordan. Almost every decade since their formation, the Suns have been on the cusp of a championship, but fell just short when it mattered the most.

2. Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies were formed in 1995 as Vancouver Grizzlies and ever since their formation, their best performance in the playoffs has been only one Western Conference Finals in 2013. During the "Grit 'n' Grind" era led by Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley, and Tony Allen, the Memphis Grizzlies found success in the 2013 playoffs, although their dream run was halted by the formidable San Antonio Spurs, led by "Big-3" of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginóbili.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves

Led by the NBA MVP 2003-04 Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves went all the way to the 2004 Western Conference Finals which was their best playoff run in history. Despite their great efforts, the 2004 Timberwolves lost to the powerhouse duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal in a challenging six-game series.

4. Brooklyn Nets

The early 2000s saw the Brooklyn Nets, then the New Jersey Nets, reach consecutive NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003 under the leadership of two-way superstar point guard Jason Kidd. However, they faced disappointment against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002 and the San Antonio Spurs (2003). In the 2002 NBA finals, the Nets lost to the Lakers in a sweep, while they lost to the Spurs in six games.

5. Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers have been a consistent force in the Eastern Conference, reaching the ECF seven times, but they reached the NBA finals only once. Their lone NBA Finals appearance came in 2000 when they were led by Jalen Rose, Reggie Miller, and Rik Smits. Their championship pursuit ended in a hard-fought six-game series loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Shaq and Kobe duo.

6. Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets never went beyond the Eastern Conference Semifinals round. They have made four appearances in the Eastern Semis, losing all four. They faced a particularly heart-wrenching defeat in the 2001 East Semis. Led by explosive guard Baron Davis and Jamal Mashburn, the Hornets held a 3-2 series lead against the Milwaukee Bucks, led by Ray Allen and Glen Robinson but they faltered 7 games.

7. New Orleans Pelicans

In their 21 years of existence, the New Orleans Pelicans are yet to advance beyond the conference semifinals. They experienced a great 2008 playoff run led by Chris Paul and David West, where they lost in seven games against the San Antonio Spurs after leading the series 3-2.

8. Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz, led by the iconic duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton, faced back-to-back NBA Finals defeats against the Chicago Bulls in 1997 and 1998.

9. Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic has experienced two NBA finals heartbreaks in their history. In 1995, the Magic led by the young duo of Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway lost to Hakeem Olajuwon-led "Clutch City" Houston Rockets. Then in the year 2009, with superstar Dwight Howard at the helm, Orlando Magic lost against Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol led the Los Angeles Lakers.

10. Los Angeles Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers are often deemed as the NBA's perennial underachievers. After their formation in 1970, they have never reached the Western Conference Finals only once. In 2021, they reached the Western Conference Finals behind the stellar performances of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.

Until last season, there was another NBA team, Denver Nuggets in this list. However, in 2023, the Denver Nuggets, led by star duo Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray won the NBA title dominantly and ended Denver's championship drought. Similarly, the Toronto Raptors are another team that ended their title drought recently as they won an iconic 2019 finals against the Golden State Warriors.