| Year | Champion | Runner-up | G | MVP |
| 2006-2007 | San Antonio Spurs | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-0 | Tony Parker, San Antonio |
| 2005-2006 | Miami Heat | Dallas Mavericks | 4-2 | Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat |
| 2004-2005 | San Antonio Spurs | Detroit Pistons | 4-3 | Tim Duncan, San Antonio |
| 2003-2004 | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons |
| 2002-2003 | San Antonio Spurs | New Jersey Nets | 4-2 | Tim Duncan, San Antonio |
| 2001-2002 | Los Angeles Lakers | New Jersey Nets | 4-0 | Shaquille O'Neal, L.A. |
| 2000-2001 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-1 | Shaquille O'Neal, L.A. |
| 1999-2000 | Los Angeles Lakers | Indiana Pacers | 4-2 | Shaquille O'Neal, L.A. |
| 1998-1999 | San Antonio Spurs | New York Knicks | 4-1 | Tim Duncan, S.A. |
| 1997-1998 | Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | 4-2 | Michael Jordan, Chi. |
| 1996-1997 | Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | 4-2 | Michael Jordan, Chi. |
| 1995-1996 | Chicago Bulls | Seattle SuperSonics | 4-2 | Michael Jordan, Chi. |
| 1994-1995 | Houston Rockets | Orlando Magic | 4-0 | Hakeem Olajuwon, Hou. |
| 1993-1994 | Houston Rockets | New York Knicks | 4-3 | Hakeem Olajuwon, Hou. |
| 1992-1993 | Chicago Bulls | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | Michael Jordan, Chi. |
| 1991-1992 | Chicago Bulls | Portland Trail Blazers | 4-2 | Michael Jordan, Chi. |
| 1990-1991 | Chicago Bulls | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Michael Jordan, Chi. |
| 1989-1990 | Detroit Pistons | Portland Trail Blazers | 4-1 | Isiah Thomas, Det. |
| 1988-1989 | Detroit Pistons | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | Joe Dumars, Det. |
| 1987-1988 | Los Angeles Lakers | Detroit Pistons | 4-3 | James Worthy, L.A. |
| 1986-1987 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Magic Johnson, L.A. |
| 1985-1986 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4-2 | Larry Bird, Bos. |
| 1984-1985 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, L.A. |
| 1983-1984 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Larry Bird, Bos. |
| 1982-1983 | Philadelphia 76ers | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | Moses Malone, Phi. |
| 1981-1982 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | Magic Johnson, L.A. |
| 1980-1981 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4-2 | Cedric Maxwell, Bos. |
| 1979-1980 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | Magic Johnson, L.A. |
| 1978-1979 | Seattle SuperSonics | Washington Bullets | 4-1 | Dennis Johnson, Sea. |
| 1977-1978 | Washington Bullets | Seattle SuperSonics | 4-3 | Wes Unseld, Was. |
| 1976-1977 | Portland Trail Blazers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | Bill Walton, Por. |
| 1975-1976 | Boston Celtics | Phoenix Suns | 4-2 | Jo Jo White, Bos. |
| 1974-1975 | Golden State Warriors | Washington Bullets | 4-0 | Rick Barry, G.S. |
| 1973-1974 | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 4-3 | John Havlicek, Bos. |
| 1972-1973 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Willis Reed, N.Y. |
| 1971-1972 | Los Angeles Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-1 | Wilt Chamberlain, L.A. |
| 1970-1971 | Milwaukee Bucks | Baltimore Bullets | 4-0 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mil. |
| 1969-1970 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Willis Reed, N.Y. |
| 1968-1969 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Jerry West, L.A. |
| 1967-1968 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 |
| 1966-1967 | Philadelphia 76ers | San Francisco Warriors | 4-2 |
| 1965-1966 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1964-1965 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 |
| 1963-1964 | Boston Celtics | San Francisco Warriors | 4-1 |
| 1962-1963 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 |
| 1961-1962 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1960-1961 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-1 |
| 1959-1960 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-3 |
| 1958-1959 | Boston Celtics | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-0 |
| 1957-1958 | St. Louis Hawks | Boston Celtics | 4-2 |
| 1956-1957 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 4-3 |
| 1955-1956 | Philadelphia Warriors | Fort Wayne Pistons | 4-1 |
| 1954-1955 | Syracuse Nationals | Fort Wayne Pistons | 4-3 |
| 1953-1954 | Minneapolis Lakers | Syracuse Nationals | 4-3 |
| 1952-1953 | Minneapolis Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-1 |
| 1951-1952 | Minneapolis Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-3 |
| 1950-1951 | Rochester Royals | New York Knicks | 4-3 |
| 1949-1950 | Minneapolis Lakers | Syracuse Nationals | 4-2 |
| 1948-1949 | Minneapolis Lakers | Washington Capitols | 4-2 |
| 1947-1948 | Baltimore Bullets | Philadelphia Warriors | 4-2 |
| 1946-1947 | Philadelphia Warriors | Chicago Stags | 4-1 |
