** indicates that the 2019-20 regular season went on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 22 teams returned to play to determine playoff seeding, and the playoffs were in a "bubble" at Disney World; the 2020-21 regular season was shortened to 72 games (instead of 82) and was the first season to feature the play-in tournament for teams ranked 7th - 10th in each conference.
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Series | Winning Coach | MVP | Losing Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Boston Celtics 4 | Dallas Mavericks 1 | (WWWLW) | Joe Mazzulla | Jaylen Brown, Boston, F/G | Jason Kidd |
| 2022-23 | Denver Nuggets 4 | Miami Heat 1 | (WLWWW) | Michael Malone | Nikola Jokic, Denver, C | Erik Spoelstra |
| 2021-22 | Golden St. Warriors 4 | Boston Celtics 2 | (LWLWWW) | Steve Kerr | Stephen Curry, Golden State, G | Ime Udoka |
| 2020-21** | Milwaukee Bucks** 4 | Phoenix Suns 2 | (LLWWWW) | Mike Budenholzer | Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee, F | Monty Williams |
| 2019-20** | Los Angeles Lakers** 4 | Miami Heat 2 | (WWLWLW) | Frank Vogel | LeBron James, LA Lakers, F | Erik Spoelstra |
| 2018-19 | Toronto Raptors 4 | Golden St. Warriors 2 | (WLWWLW) | Nick Nurse | Kawhi Leonard, Toronto, F | Steve Kerr |
| 2017-18 | Golden St. Warriors 4 | Cleveland Cavaliers 0 | (WWWW) | Steve Kerr | Kevin Durant, Golden State, F | Tyronn Lue |
| 2016-17 | Golden St. Warriors 4 | Cleveland Cavaliers 1 | (WWLWW) | Steve Kerr | Kevin Durant, Golden State, F | Tyronn Lue |
| 2015-16 | Cleveland Cavaliers 4 | Golden St. Warriors 3 | (LLWLWWW) | Tyronn Lue | LeBron James, Cleveland, F | Steve Kerr |
| 2014-15 | Golden St. Warriors 4 | Cleveland Cavaliers 2 | (WLLWWW) | Steve Kerr | Andre Iguodala, Golden State, F/G | David Blatt |
| 2013-14 | San Antonio Spurs 4 | Miami Heat 1 | (WLWWW) | Gregg Popovich | Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio, F | Erik Spoelstra |
| 2012-13 | Miami Heat 4 | San Antonio Spurs 3 | (LWLWLWW) | Erik Spoelstra | LeBron James, Miami, F | Gregg Popovich |
| 2011-12 | Miami Heat 4 | Oklahoma City Thunder 1 | (LWWWW) | Erik Spoelstra | LeBron James, Miami, F | Scott Brooks |
| 2010-11 | Dallas Mavericks 4 | Miami Heat 2 | (LWLWWW) | Rick Carlisle | Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas, F | Erik Spoelstra |
| 2009-10 | Los Angeles Lakers 4 | Boston Celtics 3 | (WLWLLWW) | Phil Jackson | Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers, G | Doc Rivers |
| 2008-09 | Los Angeles Lakers 4 | Orlando Magic 1 | (WWLWW) | Phil Jackson | Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers, G | Stan Van Gundy |
| 2007-08 | Boston Celtics 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 2 | (WWLWLW) | Doc Rivers | Paul Pierce, Boston, F | Phil Jackson |
| 2006-07 | San Antonio Spurs 4 | Cleveland Cavaliers 0 | (WWWW) | Gregg Popovich | Tony Parker, San Antonio, G | Mike Brown |
| 2005-06 | Miami Heat 4 | Dallas Mavericks 2 | (LLWWWW) | Pat Riley | Dwayne Wade, Miami, G | Avery Johnson |
| 2004-05 | San Antonio Spurs 4 | Detroit Pistons 3 | (WWLLWLW) | Gregg Popovich | Tim Duncan, San Antonio, F/C | Larry Brown |
| 2003-04 | Detroit Pistons 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 1 | (WLWWW) | Larry Brown | Chauncey Billups, Detroit, G | Phil Jackson |
| 2002-03 | San Antonio Spurs 4 | New Jersey Nets 2 | (WLWLWW) | Gregg Popovich | Tim Duncan, San Antonio, F/C | Byron Scott |
| 2001-02 | Los Angeles Lakers 4 | New Jersey Nets 0 | (WWWW) | Phil Jackson | Shaquille O'Neal, LA Lakers, C | Byron Scott |
| 2000-01 | Los Angeles Lakers 4 | Philadelphia 76ers 1 | (LWWWW) | Phil Jackson | Shaquille O'Neal, LA Lakers, C | Larry Brown |
| 1999-00 | Los Angeles Lakers 4 | Indiana Pacers 2 | (WWLWLW) | Phil Jackson | Shaquille O'Neal, LA Lakers, C | Larry Bird |
| 1998-99 | San Antonio Spurs 4 | New York Knicks 1 | (WWLWW) | Gregg Popovich | Tim Duncan, San Antonio, F/C | Jeff Van Gundy |
| 1997-98 | Chicago Bulls 4 | Utah Jazz 2 | (LWWWLW) | Phil Jackson | Michael Jordan, Chicago, G | Jerry Sloan |
| 1996-97 | Chicago Bulls 4 | Utah Jazz 2 | (WWLLWW) | Phil Jackson | Michael Jordan, Chicago, G | Jerry Sloan |
| 1995-96 | Chicago Bulls 4 | Seattle Supersonics 2 | (WWWLLW) | Phil Jackson | Michael Jordan, Chicago, G | George Karl |
| 1994-95 | Houston Rockets 4 | Orlando Magic 0 | (WWWW) | Rudy Tomjanovich | Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston, C | Brian Hill |
| 1993-94 | Houston Rockets 4 | New York Knicks 3 | (WLWLLWW) | Rudy Tomjanovich | Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston, C | Pat Riley |
| 1992-93 | Chicago Bulls 4 | Phoenix Suns 2 | (WWLWLW) | Phil Jackson | Michael Jordan, Chicago, G | Paul Westphal |
| 1991-92 | Chicago Bulls 4 | Portland Trailblazers 2 | (WLWLWW) | Phil Jackson | Michael Jordan, Chicago, G | Rick Adelman |
| 1990-91 | Chicago Bulls 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 1 | (LWWWW) | Phil Jackson | Michael Jordan, Chicago, G | Mike Dunleavy |
| 1989-90 | Detroit Pistons 4 | Portland Trailblazers 1 | (WLWWW) | Chuck Daly | Isiah Thomas, Detroit, G | Rick Adelman |
| 1988-89 | Detroit Pistons 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 0 | (WWWW) | Chuck Daly | Joe Dumars, Detroit, G | Pat Riley |
| 1987-88 | Los Angeles Lakers 4 | Detroit Pistons 3 | (LWWLLWW) | Pat Riley | James Worthy, LA Lakers, F | Chuck Daly |
| 1986-87 | Los Angeles Lakers 4 | Boston Celtics 2 | (WWLWLW) | Pat Riley | Magic Johnson, LA Lakers, G | K.C. Jones |
| 1985-86 | Boston Celtics 4 | Houston Rockets 2 | (WWLWLW) | K.C. Jones | Larry Bird, Boston, F | Bill Fitch |
| 1984-85 | Los Angeles Lakers 4 | Boston Celtics 2 | (LWWLWW) | Pat Riley | K. Abdul-Jabbar, LA Lakers, C | K.C. Jones |
| 1983-84 | Boston Celtics 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 3 | (LWLWWLW) | K.C. Jones | Larry Bird, Boston, F | Pat Riley |
| 1982-83 | Philadelphia 76ers 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 0 | (WWWW) | Billy Cunningham | Moses Malone, Philadelphia, C | Pat Riley |
| 1981-82 | Los Angeles Lakers 4 | Philadelphia 76ers 2 | (WLWWLW) | Pat Riley | Magic Johnson, LA Lakers, G | Billy Cunningham |
| 1980-81 | Boston Celtics 4 | Houston Rockets 2 | (WLWLWW) | Bill Fitch | Cedric Maxwell, Boston, F | Del Harris |
| 1979-80 | Los Angeles Lakers 4 | Philadelphia 76ers 2 | (WLWLWW) | Paul Westhead | Magic Johnson, LA Lakers, G/C | Billy Cunningham |
| 1978-79 | Seattle Supersonics 4 | Washington Bullets 1 | (LWWWW) | Lenny Wilkens | Dennis Johnson, Seattle, G | Dick Motta |
| 1977-78 | Washington Bullets 4 | Seattle Supersonics 3 | (LWLWLWW) | Dick Motta | Wes Unseld, Washington, C | Lenny Wilkens |
| 1976-77 | Portland Trailblazers 4 | Philadelphia 76ers 2 | (LLWWWW) | Jack Ramsay | Bill Walton, Portland, C | Gene Shue |
| 1975-76 | Boston Celtics 4 | Phoenix Suns 2 | (WWLLWW) | Tommy Heinsohn | Jo Jo White, Boston, G | John MacLeod |
| 1974-75 | Golden St. Warriors 4 | Washington Bullets 0 | (WWWW) | Al Attles | Rick Barry, Golden State, F | K.C. Jones |
| 1973-74 | Boston Celtics 4 | Milwaukee Bucks 3 | (WLWLWLW) | Tommy Heinsohn | John Havlicek, Boston, F | Larry Costello |
| 1972-73 | New York Knicks 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 1 | (LWWWW) | Red Holzman | Willis Reed, New York, C | Bill Sharman |
| 1971-72 | Los Angeles Lakers 4 | New York Knicks 1 | (LWWWW) | Bill Sharman | Wilt Chamberlain, LA Lakers, C | Red Holzman |
| 1970-71 | Milwaukee Bucks 4 | Baltimore Bullets 0 | (WWWW) | Larry Costello | Lew Alcindor, Milwaukee, C | Gene Shue |
| 1969-70 | New York Knicks 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 3 | (WLWLWLW) | Red Holzman | Willis Reed, New York, C | Joe Mullaney |
| 1968-69 | Boston Celtics 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 3 | (LLWWLWW) | Bill Russell | Jerry West, LA Lakers, G | B.van Breda Kolff |
| 1967-68 | Boston Celtics 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 2 | (WLWLWW) | Bill Russell | B.van Breda Kolff | |
| 1966-67 | Philadelphia 76ers 4 | San Francisco Warriors 2 | (WWLWLW) | Alex Hannum | Bill Sharman | |
| 1965-66 | Boston Celtics 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 3 | (LWWWLLW) | Red Auerbach | Fred Schaus | |
| 1964-65 | Boston Celtics 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 1 | (WWLWW) | Red Auerbach | Fred Schaus | |
| 1963-64 | Boston Celtics 4 | San Francisco Warriors 1 | (WWLWW) | Red Auerbach | Alex Hannum | |
| 1962-63 | Boston Celtics 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 2 | (WWLWLW) | Red Auerbach | Fred Schaus | |
| 1961-62 | Boston Celtics 4 | Los Angeles Lakers 3 | (WLLWLWW) | Red Auerbach | Fred Schaus | |
| 1960-61 | Boston Celtics 4 | St. Louis Hawks 1 | (WWLWW) | Red Auerbach | Paul Seymour | |
| 1959-60 | Boston Celtics 4 | St. Louis Hawks 3 | (WLWLWLW) | Red Auerbach | Ed Macauley | |
| 1958-59 | Boston Celtics 4 | Minneapolis Lakers 0 | (WWWW) | Red Auerbach | John Kundla | |
| 1957-58 | St. Louis Hawks 4 | Boston Celtics 2 | (WLWLWW) | Alex Hannum | Red Auerbach | |
| 1956-57 | Boston Celtics 4 | St. Louis Hawks 3 | (LWLWWLW) | Red Auerbach | Alex Hannum | |
| 1955-56 | Philadelphia Warriors 4 | Fort Wayne Pistons 1 | (WLWWW) | George Senesky | Charley Eckman | |
| 1954-55 | Syracuse Nationals 4 | Fort Wayne Pistons 3 | (WWLLLWW) | Al Cervi | Charley Eckman | |
| 1953-54 | Minneapolis Lakers 4 | Syracuse Nationals 3 | (WLWLWLW) | John Kundla | Al Cervi | |
| 1952-53 | Minneapolis Lakers 4 | New York Knicks 1 | (LWWWW) | John Kundla | Joe Lapchick | |
| 1951-52 | Minneapolis Lakers 4 | New York Knicks 3 | (WLWLWLW) | John Kundla | Joe Lapchick | |
| 1950-51 | Rochester Royals 4 | New York Knicks 3 | (WWWLLLW) | Les Harrison | Joe Lapchick | |
| 1949-50 | Minneapolis Lakers 4 | Syracuse Nationals 2 | (WLWWLW) | John Kundla | Al Cervi | |
| 1948-49 | Minneapolis Lakers 4 | Washington Capitols 2 | (WWWLLW) | John Kundla | Red Auerbach | |
| 1947-48 | Baltimore Bullets 4 | Philadelphia Warriors 2 | (LWWWLW) | Buddy Jeannette | Eddie Gottlieb | |
| 1946-47 | Philadelphia Warriors 4 | Chicago Stags 1 | (WWWLW) | Eddie Gottlieb | Harold Olsen |