A Complete Guide to NBA Finals All Years: Champions and MVPs
I remember watching my first NBA Finals back in 1998 - that iconic Michael Jordan shot over Bryon Russell that sealed Chicago's sixth championship. Little did I know then how deeply I'd fall in love with this annual basketball spectacle. Over the years, I've come to appreciate not just the championship moments themselves, but the incredible stories behind each Finals MVP and what their performances meant in the broader context of basketball history.
Looking back at the complete timeline of NBA Finals, what strikes me most is how certain players consistently rose to the occasion when the stakes were highest. Take LeBron James, for instance - his 2016 performance against the 73-win Warriors might be the single greatest Finals showing I've ever witnessed. The Cavaliers were down 3-1, nobody had ever come back from that deficit in the Finals, and yet LeBron delivered two straight 41-point games followed by a triple-double in Game 7. That block on Iguodala still gives me chills when I rewatch it. He finished with averages of 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 8.9 assists - just insane numbers when you consider the pressure situation.
The evolution of the Finals MVP award tells its own fascinating story. Established in 1969, the first recipient was Jerry West, who remains the only player from the losing team to ever win it. I've always found that particularly meaningful - it speaks to how individual excellence can shine even in team defeat, much like that Nigerian powerhouse from the reference material who concluded his junior career as runner-up for the second straight season. Sometimes the best player on the court doesn't end up with the championship, and West's achievement acknowledges that reality in a way no other NBA honor does.
Michael Jordan's six Finals MVPs stand as what I consider the untouchable record in modern basketball. What made His Airness so special in these moments was his killer instinct - he never let a single Finals series go to Game 7. The 1993 Finals against Phoenix Suns perfectly demonstrated this, where Jordan averaged a ridiculous 41 points per game, including that 55-point explosion in Game 4. I've watched that game multiple times, and what continues to amaze me isn't just the scoring - it's how he completely controlled the game's tempo, knowing exactly when to attack and when to involve his teammates.
The Lakers-Celtics rivalry has produced some of the most memorable Finals in NBA history, and having grown up during the Magic-Bird era, I might be slightly biased toward those matchups. The 1984 Finals particularly stands out in my memory - Larry Bird's MVP performance where he averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds against LA's "Showtime" offense was basketball poetry. That series had everything: physical play, strategic adjustments, and legendary individual performances. When people ask me which historic Finals they should watch to understand NBA basketball, that's always near the top of my recommendations.
More recent years have given us the emerging legacy of Stephen Curry, who finally captured his first Finals MVP in 2022 after three previous championships. I'll admit I was among those who thought he should have won it earlier, particularly in 2015 when Iguodala received the honor. Curry's impact goes beyond traditional statistics - the way he spaces the floor and commands defensive attention creates opportunities that don't always show up in the box score. His 2022 performance, especially in Game 4 where he dropped 43 points to prevent Boston from taking a 3-1 lead, felt like a career-defining moment that cemented his legacy.
What often gets overlooked in discussing Finals MVPs is how the award frequently recognizes players who elevated their game when it mattered most. Kawhi Leonard in 2014 is a perfect example - during the regular season he averaged just 12.8 points, but in the Finals against Miami, he put up 17.8 points while shooting an incredible 61% from the field. His defensive effort against LeBron was equally impressive, and at 22 years old, he became the third-youngest Finals MVP in history. These breakthrough performances are what make the NBA Finals so compelling to me - watching relatively unknown players announce themselves on basketball's biggest stage.
The internationalization of the NBA is beautifully reflected in the list of Finals MVPs. From Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria) to Tony Parker (France) and Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), the global growth of basketball has enriched these championship moments. Nowitzki's 2011 performance against Miami's superteam remains one of my personal favorites - his iconic fadeaway jumper was virtually unguardable throughout that series. The image of him returning to the locker room after winning Game 6, unable to wait until the final buzzer because he was so emotional, still resonates with me as one of the most genuine championship moments I've witnessed.
As I reflect on the complete history of NBA Finals, what stands out isn't just the championships or the MVP awards, but how these moments connect across generations. The lessons from Magic Johnson's rookie-year Finals MVP in 1980, when he started at center for an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and dropped 42 points, still apply today - greatness reveals itself in pressure situations. Having watched decades of these Finals, I've come to appreciate that while statistics and championships define legacies, it's these iconic performances under brightest lights that truly endure in basketball memory. The NBA Finals have given us these moments year after year, creating a tapestry of basketball excellence that continues to evolve while honoring its rich history.