The Boston Celtics are the team with the most NBA championships, with 18. They last won the NBA championship in 2024.
progresifjaya.co.id, JAKARTA – Basketball is a sport with a wide following worldwide. This large ball game is played by two teams of five players each. The sport was invented by a physical education teacher named James Naismith at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, in 1891.
Because it was first introduced in the United States and became a mainstream sport, basketball grew rapidly in the country. This led to the birth of the Basketball Association of America (BBA) in 1946, which later changed its name to the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1949.
Since its founding in 1946, the NBA men’s basketball league has set numerous records, including being the most successful team in history.
The competition has 30 teams, each based in a single city, except for Los Angeles, where two teams are based: the LA Lakers and the LA Clippers.
And for 80 NBA seasons through 2026, the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers remain the two dominant franchises with the most championships. Meanwhile, of the 30 NBA teams, only 10 have tasted championship glory and won the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The Los Angeles Lakers franchise holds the second-highest NBA championship record. The last title was won in 2020.
Here, the author has compiled a list of the 10 most successful NBA teams in history, based on championship titles:
- Boston Celtics – 18 Championships
The Boston Celtics top the list with the most NBA championships. Founded in 1946, the original NBA team has won a total of 18 trophies in 23 appearances in the Finals. They won the title in 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008, and 2024.
To this day, The Green Machine remains the most successful team in NBA history. In addition to holding the record for most titles, they also hold the record for most wins of any NBA franchise.
- Los Angeles Lakers – 17 Championships
In second place, the Los Angeles Lakers are the most successful team, with just one title less than the Boston Celtics. The LA Lakers have won a total of 17 titles in 32 Finals appearances: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, and 2020.
The LA Lakers also hold the NBA record for the longest winning streak, with 33 consecutive games, set in 1971-1972.
- Golden State Warriors – 7 Championships
The Golden State Warriors are the third most successful team with 7 championships. In 32 appearances in the Finals, the Dubs have won in 1947, 1956, 1975, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022.
The team also holds several other NBA records, including best regular season, most wins in a single season, and best postseason performance. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, known as the “Splash Brothers,” are considered the greatest defensive backs of all time.
- Chicago Bulls – 6 Championships
Similar to the Golden State Warriors, the Chicago Bulls are the fourth most successful team in NBA history, having won 6 championships. In their 6 appearances in the Finals, the Bulls won the tournament in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998.
Their success began in the 1990s and they are known as one of the NBA’s greatest dynasties, winning championships from 1991 to 1998. This success was achieved by Hall of Fame legends such as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Phil Jackson.
- San Antonio Spurs – 5 Championships
The San Antonio Spurs are the fifth most successful franchise with 5 championships in 6 Finals appearances. This team won the NBA championship in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014.
As of May 2017, the Spurs had the best winning streak of any franchise in the United States and Canada over the previous three decades. From 1999-2000 to 2016-2017, the Spurs won 50 games each season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, officially founded in 2008 and a reincarnation of the Seattle Supersonics franchise, were the last team to win an NBA championship, in 2025. In the current 2026 season, the team is still the favorite to win the title and sits atop the Western Conference standings.
- Philadelphia 76ers – 3 Championships
Next in line is the Philadelphia 76ers, who have won a total of 3 championships in 9 Finals appearances. The team won the championship in 1955, 1967, and 1983.
With this illustrious history, the Philadelphia 76ers boast numerous Hall of Fame players, including Dolph Schayes, Hal Greer, Wilt Chamberlain, Chet Walker, Billy Cunningham, George McGinnis, and Allen Iverson.
- Detroit Pistons – 3 Championships
Like the Philadelphia 76ers, the Detroit Pistons have also won a total of 3 championships. The Bad Boys have won three NBA championships in 1989, 1990, and 2004.
- Miami Heat – 3 Championships
Like the Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons, the Miami Heat have also won 3 championships. They won them in 2006, 2012, and 2013.
The Heatles also held the third-longest winning streak in the NBA, with a 27-game winning streak during the 2012-13 season.
- New York Knicks – 2 Championships
The New York Knickerbockers, also known as the New York Knicks, are based in Manhattan, New York. This team won a total of two championships, in 1970 and 1973.
In 1950, the Knicks made three consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals, although they lost all three.
- Oklahoma City Thunder – 2 Championships
Like the New York Knicks, the Oklahoma City-based team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, also won two championships after being reincarnated as the Seattle SuperSonics on September 3, 2008. The team won the NBA championship in 1979 and 2025.
In their last victory, the OKC Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in seven games, marking their first NBA victory since moving to Oklahoma City, having previously been based in Seattle. (Bembo)
