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NBA HISTORY

NBA Season Recaps


Posted Mar 4 2013 8:08AM

A look back at every season from the league's inception in 1946 to today.

Season Champion Runner-up Result Season MVP Finals MVP
2011-12 Miami Heat OKC Thunder 4-1 LeBron James
Heat		 LeBron James
Heat
2010-11 Dallas Mavericks Miami Heat 4-2 Derrick Rose
Bulls		 Dirk Nowitzki
Mavs
2009-10 L.A. Lakers Boston Celtics 4-3 LeBron James
Cavs		 Kobe Bryant
Lakers
2008-09 L.A. Lakers Orlando Magic 4-1 LeBron James
Cavs		 Kobe Bryant
Lakers
2007-08 Boston Celtics L.A. Lakers 4-2 Kobe Bryant
Lakers		 Paul Pierce
Celtics
2006-07 San Antonio Spurs Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 Dirk Nowitzki
Mavs		 Tony Parker
Spurs
2005-06 Miami Heat Dallas Mavericks 4-2 Steve Nash
Suns		 Dwyane Wade
Heat
2004-05 San Antonio Spurs Detroit Pistons 4-3 Steve Nash
Suns		 Tim Duncan
Spurs
2003-04 Detroit Pistons L.A. Lakers 4-1 Kevin Garnett
Timberwolves		 Chauncey Billups
Pistons
2002-03 San Antonio Spurs New Jersey Nets 4-2 Tim Duncan
Spurs		 Tim Duncan
Spurs
2001-02 L.A. Lakers New Jersey Nets 4-0 Tim Duncan
Spurs		 Shaquille O'Neal
Lakers
2000-01 L.A. Lakers Philadelphia 76ers 4-1 Allen Iverson
76ers		 Shaquille O'Neal
Lakers
1999-00 L.A. Lakers Indiana Pacers 4-2 Shaquille O'Neal
Lakers		 Shaquille O'Neal
Lakers
1998-99 San Antonio Spurs New York Knicks 4-1 Karl Malone
Jazz		 Tim Duncan
Spurs
1997-98 Chicago Bulls Utah Jazz 4-2 Michael Jordan
Bulls		 Michael Jordan
Bulls
1996-97 Chicago Bulls Utah Jazz 4-2 Karl Malone
Jazz		 Michael Jordan
Bulls
1995-96 Chicago Bulls Seattle Sonics 4-2 Michael Jordan
Bulls		 Michael Jordan
Bulls
1994-95 Houston Rockets Orlando Magic 4-0 David Robinson
Spurs		 Hakeem Olajuwon
Rockets
1993-94 Houston Rockets New York Knicks 4-3 Hakeem Olajuwon
Rockets		 Hakeem Olajuwon
Rockets
1992-93 Chicago Bulls Phoenix Suns 4-2 Charles Barkley
Suns		 Michael Jordan
Bulls
1991-92 Chicago Bulls Portland Trail Blazers 4-2 Michael Jordan
Bulls		 Michael Jordan
Bulls
1990-91 Chicago Bulls L.A. Lakers 4-1 Michael Jordan
Bulls		 Michael Jordan
Bulls
1989-90 Detroit Pistons Portland Trail Blazers 4-1 Magic Johnson
Lakers		 Isiah Thomas
Pistons
1988-89 Detroit Pistons L.A. Lakers 4-0 Magic Johnson
Lakers		 Joe Dumars
Pistons
1987-88 L.A. Lakers Detroit Pistons 4-3 Michael Jordan
Bulls		 James Worthy
Lakers
1986-87 L.A. Lakers Boston Celtics 4-2 Magic Johnson
Lakers		 Magic Johnson
Lakers
1985-86 Boston Celtics Houston Rockets 4-2 Larry Bird
Celtics		 Larry Bird
Celtics
1984-85 L.A. Lakers Boston Celtics 4-2 Larry Bird
Celtics		 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Lakers
1983-84 Boston Celtics L.A. Lakers 4-3 Larry Bird
Celtics		 Larry Bird
Celtics
1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers L.A. Lakers 4-0 Moses Malone
76ers		 Moses Malone
76ers
1981-82 L.A. Lakers Philadelphia 76ers 4-2 Moses Malone
Rockets		 Magic Johnson
Lakers
1980-81 Boston Celtics Houston Rockets 4-2 Julius Erving
76ers		 Cedric Maxwell
Celtics
1979-80 L.A. Lakers Philadelphia 76ers 4-2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Lakers		 Magic Johnson
Lakers
1978-79 Seattle Sonics Washington Bullets 4-1 Moses Malone
Rockets		 Dennis Johnson
Sonics
1977-78 Washington Bullets Seattle Sonics 4-3 Bill Walton
Blazers		 Wes Unseld
Bullets
1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers Philadelphia 76ers 4-2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Lakers		 Bill Walton
Blazers
1975-76 Boston Celtics Phoenix Suns 4-2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Lakers		 Jo Jo White
Celtics
1974-75 Golden State Warriors Washington Bullets 4-0 Bob McAdoo
Braves		 Rick Barry
Warriors
1973-74 Boston Celtics Milwaukee Bucks 4-3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Bucks		 John Havlicek
Celtics
1972-73 New York Knicks L.A. Lakers 4-1 Dave Cowens
Celtics		 Willis Reed
Knicks
1971-72 L.A. Lakers New York Knicks 4-1 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Bucks		 Wilt Chamberlain
Lakers
1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks Baltimore Bullets 4-0 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Bucks		 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Bucks
1969-70 New York Knicks L.A. Lakers 4-3 Willis Reed
Knicks		 Willis Reed
Knicks
1968-69 Boston Celtics L.A. Lakers 4-3 Wes Unseld
Bullets		 Jerry West
Lakers
1967-68 Boston Celtics L.A. Lakers 4-2 Wilt Chamberlain
76ers
1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers San Francisco Warriors 4-2 Wilt Chamberlain
76ers		 --
1965-66 Boston Celtics L.A. Lakers 4-3 Wilt Chamberlain
76ers		 --
1964-65 Boston Celtics L.A. Lakers 4-1 Bill Russell
Celtics		 --
1963-64 Boston Celtics San Francisco Warriors 4-1 Oscar Robertson
Royals		 --
1962-63 Boston Celtics L.A. Lakers 4-2 Bill Russell
Celtics		 --
1961-62 Boston Celtics L.A. Lakers 4-3 Bill Russell
Celtics		 --
1960-61 Boston Celtics St. Louis Hawks 4-1 Bill Russell
Celtics		 --
1959-60 Boston Celtics St. Louis Hawks 4-3 Wilt Chamberlain
Warriors		 --
1958-59 Boston Celtics Minneapolis Lakers 4-0 Bob Pettit
Hawks		 --
1957-58 St. Louis Hawks Boston Celtics 4-2 Bill Russell
Celtics		 --
1956-57 Boston Celtics St. Louis Hawks 4-3 Bob Cousy
Celtics		 --
1955-56 Philadelphia Warriors Ft. Wayne Pistons 4-1 Bob Pettit
Hawks		 --
1954-55 Syracuse Nats Ft. Wayne Pistons 4-3 -- --
1953-54 Minneapolis Lakers Syracuse Nats 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 Nats 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 -- --
Note: Finals MVP not awarded prior to 1969 Finals
Note: NBA MVP not awarded prior to 1955-56 season
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