NBA Championships and Records That One Must Know

NBA Championships and Winners

Here is a list of NBA championships won by teams throughout the league’s history as of 2021.

Boston Celtics – 17 championships (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008)

Los Angeles Lakers – 17 championships (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2020)

Chicago Bulls – 6 championships (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)

Golden State Warriors – 6 championships (1947, 1956, 1975, 2015, 2017, 2018)

San Antonio Spurs – 5 championships (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)

Miami Heat – 3 championships (2006, 2012, 2013)

Detroit Pistons – 3 championships (1989, 1990, 2004)

Philadelphia 76ers – 3 championships (1955, 1967, 1983)

Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers – 5 championships (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954) as Minneapolis Lakers and 12 championships (1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2020) as Los Angeles Lakers

New York Knicks – 2 championships (1970, 1973)

Houston Rockets – 2 championships (1994, 1995)

Dallas Mavericks – 1 championship (2011)

Milwaukee Bucks – 1 championship (1971)

Portland Trail Blazers – 1 championship (1977)

Seattle SuperSonics – 1 championship (1979) – the franchise has since relocated and is now known as the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Cleveland Cavaliers – 1 championship (2016)

Toronto Raptors – 1 championship (2019)

Notable NBA Records That You Must Know

The NBA has numerous records across various categories. Here are some notable NBA records as of 2021:

Individual Records:

1. Most points in a game: Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game on March 2, 1962.
2. Most points in NBA history: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 38,387 points in his career.
3. Most assists in NBA history: John Stockton recorded 15,806 assists in his career.
4. Most rebounds in NBA history: Wilt Chamberlain grabbed 23,924 rebounds in his career.
5. Most steals in NBA history: John Stockton recorded 3,265 steals in his career.
6. Most blocks in NBA history: Hakeem Olajuwon blocked 3,830 shots in his career.

Team Records:

1. Longest winning streak: The Los Angeles Lakers won 33 consecutive games during the 1971-72 season.
2. Most wins in a regular season: The Golden State Warriors won 73 games during the 2015-16 season.
3. Most NBA championships: The Boston Celtics have won 17 NBA championships.
4. Highest-scoring game: The Detroit Pistons defeated the Denver Nuggets 186-184 in triple overtime on December 13, 1983.

Other Records:

1. Most valuable player (MVP) awards: LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have both taken home four MVP awards.
2. Most consecutive NBA Finals appearances: From 1957 until 1966, the Boston Celtics participated in 10 consecutive NBA Finals.
3. Most consecutive triple-doubles: During the 2018–19 season, Russell Westbrook had a triple-double in 11 straight games.

Good-to-Know Milestones in the NBA

The NBA has experienced many significant moments during its history. Here are some noteworthy NBA accomplishments made by players and teams:

1. Scoring Milestones:
   • 30,000 Point Club: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dirk Nowitzki are among the players with 30,000 or more points in their NBA careers.
   • 100-Point Game: The legendary 100-point performance by Wilt Chamberlain on March 2, 1962, still stands as the highest scoring record.
2. Triple-Double Milestones:
   • Triple-Double Records: In the 1961–1962 season, Oscar Robertson became the first player to average a triple-double. Since then, Russell Westbrook has established a record for both a season and a career’s worth of triple-doubles.
   • Quadruple-Double: A quadruple-double in an NBA game occurs when a player registers double-digit totals in all four categories (points, rebounds, assists, and blocks or steals) in a single contest.
3. Playoff Milestones:
   • Most Playoff Points: The all-time top scorer in NBA postseason history, LeBron James has surpassed Michael Jordan.
   • Consecutive Playoff Appearances: A record for the most consecutive postseason appearances was set by the San Antonio Spurs, who made the playoffs in 22 straight seasons from 1998 to 2019.
4. Coaching Milestones:
   • Most Wins by a Coach: The NBA head coach with the most victories is Don Nelson.
   • Phil Jackson: With a total of 11 championships, Phil Jackson holds the record for most NBA championships won by a head coach.
5. Team Milestones:
   • Longest Winning Streak: With 33 victories in a row in the 1971–72 season, the Los Angeles Lakers hold the NBA record for the longest winning streak.
   • Unbeaten at Home: In the regular season, the Golden State Warriors went 39-0 at home, breaking the previous mark.
6. Rookie Milestones:
   • Rookie of the Year: Legendary rookies like Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant have won the NBA Rookie of the Year honor.
7. International Milestones:
   • International Players: With players like Dirk Nowitzki, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Giannis Antetokounmpo making a big influence on the league, there has been an influx of international talent in the NBA.

These milestones represent just a fraction of the numerous achievements and historic moments that have shaped the NBA. The league continues to witness new milestones as players, teams, and coaches push the boundaries of the game.