| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | Series | Season MVP | Finals MVP |
| 2012-13 | Miami Heat | San Antonio Spurs | 4-3 | LeBron James Miami Heat |
LeBron James Miami Heat |
| 2011-12 | Miami Heat | OKC Thunder | 4-1 | LeBron James Miami Heat |
LeBron James Miami Heat |
| 2010-11 | Dallas Mavericks | Miami Heat | 4-2 | Derrick Rose Chicago Bulls |
Dirk Nowitzki Dallas Mavericks |
| 2009-10 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Lebron James Cleveland Cavaliers |
Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2008-09 | Los Angeles Lakers | Orlando Magic | 4-1 | Lebron James Cleveland Cavaliers |
Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2007-08 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers |
Paul Pierce Boston Celtics |
| 2006-07 | San Antonio Spurs | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 | Dirk Nowitzki Dallas Mavericks |
Tony Parker San Antonio Spurs |
| 2005-06 | Miami Heat | Dallas Mavericks | 4-2 | Steve Nash Phoenix Suns |
Dwyane Wade Miami Heat |
| 2004-05 | San Antonio Spurs | Detroit Pistons | 4-3 | Steve Nash Phoenix Suns |
Tim Duncan San Antonio |
| 2003-04 | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Kevin Garnett Minnesota |
Chauncey Billups Detroit Pistons |
| 2002-03 | San Antonio Spurs | New Jersey Nets | 4-2 | Tim Duncan San Antonio |
Tim Duncan San Antonio |
| 2001-02 | Los Angeles Lakers | New Jersey Nets | 4-0 | Tim Duncan San Antonio |
Shaquille O'Neal Los Angeles |
| 2000-01 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-1 | Allen Iverson Philadelphia |
Shaquille O'Neal Los Angeles |
| 1999-00 | Los Angeles Lakers | Indiana Pacers | 4-2 | Shaquille O'Neal Los Angeles Lakers |
Shaquille O'Neal Los Angeles |
| 1998-99 | San Antonio Spurs | New York Knicks | 4-1 | Karl Malone Utah |
Tim Duncan San Antonio |
| 1997-98 | Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | 4-2 | Michael Jordan Chicago |
Michael Jordan Chicago |
| 1996-97 | Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | 4-2 | Karl Malone Utah |
Michael Jordan Chicago |
| 1995-96 | Chicago Bulls | Seattle SuperSonics | 4-2 | Michael Jordan Chicago |
Michael Jordan Chicago |
| 1994-95 | Houston Rockets | Orlando Magic | 4-0 | David Robinson San Antonio |
Hakeem Olajuwon Houston |
| 1993-94 | Houston Rockets | New York Knicks | 4-3 | Hakeem Olajuwon Houston |
Hakeem Olajuwon Houston |
| 1992-93 | Chicago Bulls | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | Charles Barkley Phoenix |
Michael Jordan Chicago |
| 1991-92 | Chicago Bulls | Portland Trail Blazers | 4-2 | Michael Jordan Chicago |
Michael Jordan Chicago |
| 1990-91 | Chicago Bulls | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Michael Jordan Chicago |
Michael Jordan Chicago |
| 1989-90 | Detroit Pistons | Portland Trail Blazers | 4-1 | Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers |
Isiah Thomas Detroit |
| 1988-89 | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers |
Joe Dumars Detroit |
| 1987-88 | Los Angeles Lakers | Detroit Pistons | 4-3 | Michael Jordan Chicago |
James Worthy Los Angeles |
| 1986-87 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers |
Magic Johnson Los Angeles |
| 1985-86 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4-2 | Larry Bird Boston |
Larry Bird Boston |
| 1984-85 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Larry Bird Boston |
K. Abdul-Jabbar Los Angeles |
| 1983-84 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Larry Bird Boston |
Larry Bird Boston |
| 1982-83 | Philadelphia 76ers | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | Moses Malone Philadelphia |
Moses Malone Philadelphia |
| 1981-82 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | Moses Malone Houston |
Magic Johnson Los Angeles |
| 1980-81 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4-2 | Julius Erving Philadelphia |
Cedric Maxwell Boston |
| 1979-80 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | K. Abdul-Jabbar Los Angeles |
Magic Johnson Los Angeles |
| 1978-79 | Seattle SuperSonics | Washington Bullets | 4-1 | Moses Malone Houston |
Dennis Johnson Seattle |
| 1977-78 | Washington Bullets | Seattle SuperSonics | 4-3 | Bill Walton Portland |
Wes Unseld Washington |
| 1976-77 | Portland Trail Blazers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | K. Abdul-Jabbar Los Angeles |
Bill Walton Portland |
| 1975-76 | Boston Celtics | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | K. Abdul-Jabbar Los Angeles |
Jo Jo White Boston |
| 1974-75 | Golden State Warriors | Washington Bullets | 4-0 | Bob McAdoo Buffalo |
Rick Barry Golden State |
| 1973-74 | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 4-3 | K. Abdul-Jabbar Milwaukee |
John Havlicek Boston |
| 1972-73 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Dave Cowens Boston |
Willis Reed New York |
| 1971-72 | Los Angeles Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-1 | K. Abdul-Jabbar Milwaukee |
Wilt Chamberlain Los Angeles |
| 1970-71 | Milwaukee Bucks | Baltimore Bullets | 4-0 | Lew Alcindor Milwaukee |
K. Abdul-Jabbar Milwaukee |
| 1969-70 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Willis Reed New York |
Willis Reed New York |
| 1968-69 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Wes Unseld Baltimore |
Jerry West Los Angeles |
| 1967-68 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Wilt Chamberlain Philadelphia |
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| 1966-67 | Philadelphia 76ers | San Francisco Warriors | 4-2 | Wilt Chamberlain Philadelphia |
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| 1965-66 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Wilt Chamberlain Philadelphia |
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| 1964-65 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Bill Russell Boston |
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| 1963-64 | Boston Celtics | San Francisco Warriors | 4-1 | Oscar Robertson Cincinnati |
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| 1962-63 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Bill Russell Boston |
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| 1961-62 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Bill Russell Boston |
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| 1960-61 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-1 | Bill Russell Boston |
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| 1959-60 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-3 | Wilt Chamberlain Philadelphia |
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| 1958-59 | Boston Celtics | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-0 | Bob Pettit St. Louis |
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| 1957-58 | St. Louis Hawks | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Bill Russell Boston |
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| 1956-57 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-3 | Bob Cousy Boston |
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| 1955-56 | Philadelphia Warriors | Fort Wayne Pistons | 4-1 | Bob Pettit St. Louis |
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| 1954-55 | Syracuse Nationals | Fort Wayne Pistons | 4-3 | - | - |
| 1953-54 | Minneapolis Lakers | Syracuse Nationals | 4-3 | - | - |
| 1952-53 | Minneapolis Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-1 | - | - |
| 1951-52 | Minneapolis Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-3 | - | - |
| 1950-51 | Rochester Royals | New York Knicks | 4-3 | - | - |
| 1949-50 | Minneapolis Lakers | Syracuse Nationals | 4-2 | - | - |
| 1948-49 | Minneapolis Lakers | Washington Capitols | 4-2 | - | - |
| 1947-48 | Baltimore Bullets | Philadelphia Warriors | 4-2 | - | - |
| 1946-47 | Philadelphia Warriors | Chicago Stags | 4-1 | - | - |