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 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. 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.[1][2][3] The winning team of the series receives the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, which is awarded since 1977 (between 1947 and 1976 the winning team received the Walter A. Brown Trophy).[4]
The current home-and-away format in the NBA Finals is 2–2–1–1–1 (the team with the better regular season record plays on its home court in games 1, 2, 5, and 7), which has been used in 1947, 1948,[5] 1950–1952,[6][7][8] 1957–1970, 1972–1974, 1976, 1977, 1979–1984, and since 2014. It was previously in a 2–3–2 format (the team with the better regular season record plays on its home court in games 1, 2, 6, and 7) during 1949, 1953–1955, and 1985–2013,[9][10] in a 1–1–1–1–1–1–1 format in 1956 and 1971,[11][12] and in a 1–2–2–1–1 format in 1975 and 1978.[13][14]
As of 2024[update], the Eastern champions have a 41–37 advantage in NBA titles over the Western champions, with their most recent being the Boston Celtics who have won 18 titles, the most of any team in the league.[15]
- ^ Rosen, Charley (2008). The First Tip-Off: The Incredible Story of the Birth of the NBA. Mc-Graw Hill. pp. 211–212. ISBN 978-0-07-148785-6.
- ^ Anderson, Corrie; Reheuser, Rob; et al. (2006). Sporting News Official 2006–2007 NBA Guide. Sporting News Books. ISBN 978-0-89204-854-0.
- ^ Brown, Donald H. (2007). A Best of Basketball Story. AuthorHouse. pp. 4–5. ISBN 978-1-4343-4193-8.
- ^ Rice, Nicholas (July 8, 2021). "What to Know About the NBA's Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, Created by Tiffany & Co". People. New York: Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
- ^ "1948–49 Minneapolis Lakers Schedule and Results Summary". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
- ^ "1952–53 Minneapolis Lakers Schedule and Results Summary". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
- ^ "1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers Schedule and Results Summary". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
- ^ "1954–55 Syracuse Nationals Schedule and Results Summary". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
- ^ Ryan, Bob (June 23, 2005). "Time to turn back clock on format". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2008.
- ^ Windhorst, Brian (October 23, 2013). "Vote is unanimous to change Finals". ESPN. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
- ^ "1955–56 Philadelphia Warriors Schedule and Results Summary". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
- ^ "1970–71 Milwaukee Bucks Schedule and Results Summary". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
- ^ "1974–75 Golden State Warriors Schedule and Results Summary". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
- ^ "1977–78 Washington Bullets Schedule and Results Summary". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
- ^ Lafferty, Scott. "Lakers vs. Celtics: Which team full of all time greats would prevail?". The Sporting News. Charlotte, North Carolina. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.