<Tr> <Th> Inaugurated </Th> <Td> 1947 (1947) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> 2018 NBA Finals </Td> </Tr> <P> The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western conference champions play a best - of - seven game series to determine the league champion . The winners of the Finals are awarded the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, which replaced the Walter A. Brown Trophy in 1983 . </P> <P> Prior to the 1949--50 season, the series was named the BAA Finals, before seeing alteration following the merger between the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL) which created the modern NBA . The competition oversaw further name changes to NBA World Championship Series from 1950 to 1982, as well as a brief stint as the Showdown, before settling on NBA Finals in 1986 . </P>

How many games do you have to win in the nba finals to be champions