<P> The final playoff round, a best - of - seven series between the victors of both conferences, is known as the NBA Finals, and is held annually in June . The victor in the NBA Finals wins the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy . Each player and major contributor--including coaches and the general manager--on the winning team receive a championship ring . In addition, the league awards the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award to the best performing player of the series . </P> <P> On August 2, 2006, the NBA announced a new playoff format . The new format took the three division winners and the second - place team with the best record in each conference, and ranked them 1--4 by record . The other slots in each conference were filled by the four remaining teams with the best records . Previously, the top three seeds went to the division winners . The league began using its current format, with the top eight teams in each conference advancing regardless of divisional alignment, in the 2015--16 season . </P> <P> The Boston Celtics have won the most championships with 17 NBA Finals wins . The second most successful franchise is the Los Angeles Lakers, who have 16 overall championships (11 in Los Angeles, 5 in Minneapolis). Following the Lakers, are the Chicago Bulls with six championships, all won over an 8 - year span during the 1990s . The San Antonio Spurs have five championships, all since 1999, and the Golden State Warriors also have five championships overall (2 in Philadelphia, 3 in Oakland). </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Teams </Th> <Th> Win </Th> <Th> Loss </Th> <Th> Total </Th> <Th> Year (s) won </Th> <Th> Year (s) lost </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Boston Celtics </Td> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008 </Td> <Td> 1958, 1985, 1987, 2010 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> 31 </Td> <Td> 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010 </Td> <Td> 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1991, 2004, 2008 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Chicago Bulls </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 </Td> <Td>--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Philadelphia / San Francisco / Golden State Warriors </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> 1947, 1956, 1975, 2015, 2017 </Td> <Td> 1948, 1964, 1967, 2016 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> San Antonio Spurs </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014 </Td> <Td> 2013 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> 1955, 1967, 1983 </Td> <Td> 1950, 1954, 1977, 1980, 1982, 2001 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Fort Wayne / Detroit Pistons </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> 1989, 1990, 2004 </Td> <Td> 1955, 1956, 1988, 2005 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Miami Heat </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> 2006, 2012, 2013 </Td> <Td> 2011, 2014 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> New York Knicks </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> 1970, 1973 </Td> <Td> 1951, 1952, 1953, 1972, 1994, 1999 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Houston Rockets </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1994, 1995 </Td> <Td> 1981, 1986 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> St. Louis / Atlanta Hawks </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1958 </Td> <Td> 1957, 1960, 1961 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Baltimore / Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1978 </Td> <Td> 1971, 1975, 1979 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Seattle SuperSonics / Oklahoma City Thunder </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1979 </Td> <Td> 1978, 1996, 2012 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Cleveland Cavaliers </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> 2007, 2015, 2017 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Portland Trail Blazers </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1977 </Td> <Td> 1990, 1992 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Milwaukee Bucks </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1971 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Dallas Mavericks </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2011 </Td> <Td> 2006 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Baltimore Bullets (original) (folded in 1954) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1948 </Td> <Td>--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Rochester Royals (now Sacramento Kings) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1951 </Td> <Td>--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Phoenix Suns </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 1976, 1993 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Utah Jazz (formerly New Orleans Jazz) </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 1997, 1998 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> New Jersey Nets (now Brooklyn Nets) </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 2002, 2003 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Orlando Magic </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 1995, 2009 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Chicago Stags (folded in 1950) </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 1947 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Washington Capitols (folded in 1951) </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 1949 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Indiana Pacers </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 2000 </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who is the most successful team in nba history