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NBA playoff finals
The NBA (which stands for National Basketball Association) playoffs take place at the end of the regular season between the top 8 teams from each of the 2 conferences. The playoffs are a knockout tournament with the 2 teams drawn against each other playing best of 7 games. The first team to 4 wins progresses to the nest stage.
The NBA finals take place between the winning team of the eastern conference playoffs and the winning team of the western conference playoffs. Again the finals are played over a best of 7 game format. The eventual winning team is crowned NBA Champions for that season and are awarded the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
The following table lists the past winners of the NBA playoff finals and also the runner-ups, the score being the number of games (best of 7) each team won. The year refers to the year the playoffs were held but for example the champion of 2004 is actually the champion of the 2003-2004 season.
| Year | NBA Champions | Score | Losing Basketball Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Detroit Pistons | 4-1 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2003 | San Antonio Spurs | 4-2 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2001 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2000 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1999 | San Antonio Spurs | 4-1 | New York Knicks |
| 1998 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 | Utah Jazz |
| 1997 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 | Utah Jazz |
| 1996 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1995 | Houston Rockets | 4-0 | Orlando Magic |
| 1994 | Houston Rockets | 4-3 | New York Knicks |
| 1993 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1992 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1991 | Chicago Bulls | 4-1 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1990 | Detroit Pistons | 4-1 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1989 | Detroit Pistons | 4-0 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1988 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1987 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Boston Celtics |
| 1986 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Houston Rockets |
| 1985 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Boston Celtics |
| 1984 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1983 | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-0 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1982 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1981 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Houston Rockets |
| 1980 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1979 | Seattle SuperSonics | 4-1 | Washington Bullets |
| 1978 | Washington Bullets | 4-3 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1977 | Portland Trail Blazers | 4-1 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1976 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1975 | Golden State Warriors | 4-0 | Washington Bullets |
| 1974 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1973 | New York Knicks | 4-1 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1972 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | New York Knicks |
| 1971 | Milwaukee Bucks | 4-0 | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1970 | New York Knicks | 4-3 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1969 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1968 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1967 | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | San Francisco Warriors |
| 1966 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1965 | Boston Celtics | 4-1 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1964 | Boston Celtics | 4-1 | San Francisco Warriors |
| 1963 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1962 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1961 | Boston Celtics | 4-1 | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1960 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1959 | Boston Celtics | 4-0 | Minneapolis Lakers |
| 1958 | St. Louis Hawks | 4-2 | Boston Celtics |
| 1957 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1956 | Philadelphia Warriors | 4-1 | Fort Wayne Pistons |
| 1955 | Syracuse Nationals | 4-3 | Fort Wayne Pistons |
| 1954 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-3 | Syracuse Nationals |
| 1953 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-1 | New York Knicks |
| 1952 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-3 | New York Knicks |
| 1951 | Rochester Royals | 4-3 | New York Knicks |
| 1950 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-2 | Syracuse Nationals |
| 1949 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-2 | Washington Capitols |
| 1948 | Baltimore Bullets | 4-2 | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1947 | Philadelphia Warriors | 4-1 | Chicago Stags |