NBA teams with the most championships: which NBA team has the most rings?

NBA teams with the most championships: which NBA team has the most rings?

Grace Waruguru
updated at May 16, 2023 at 2:28 AM

Which are the NBA teams with the most championships? Every year, the 30 franchises play to outwit each other and win. The winning team at the NBA final takes home the NBA Championship Trophy. Here are the teams with the most rings.

NBA teams with most championships
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers (R) and Seph Curry of the Golden State Warriors during round two, game four of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2023, at Chase Center in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Noah Graham
Source: Getty Images

Initially, the NBA title was known as the Walter A. Brown trophy. Today, it is known as the Larry O'Brien trophy. Basketball fans use the number of championships to rate the players' and teams' prowess. Which are the NBA teams with the most championships? Let us find out.

List of NBA teams with the most championships

Since the inception of the National Basketball League in 1946, various teams have made it to the finals and won the coveted trophy. While some have never claimed the title, here are the top 10 NBA teams with the most championships:

10. Houston Rockets

 list of NBA teams with most championships
TyTy Washington Jr. of the Houston Rockets brings the ball up court against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on April 9, 2023, in Washington, DC. Photo: Scott Taetsch
Source: Getty Images

The Houston-based franchise ranks 10th among the NBA teams with the most championships. The team has made the playoffs 33 times and won two consecutive titles (1994 and 1995) out of four final appearances.

9. New York Knicks

top 10 NBA teams with most championships
Julius Randle of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals of the 2023 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat on May 8, 2023, at Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, Florida. Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler
Source: Getty Images

The New York Knicks have two championship titles won in 1970 and 1973 under the leadership of Coach Red Holzman. They have appeared in eight final matches, making them among the NBA teams with the most finals appearances. The Knicks were also the first NBA team to lose three consecutive final games from 1951 to 1953.

8. Miami Heat

 NBA teams with most championships in order
Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat is introduced before Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals of the 2023 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks on May 8, 2023, at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. Photo: Issac Baldizon
Source: Getty Images

Out of six appearances in the NBA finals, Miami Heat won three championships in 2006, 2012, and 2013. The team has been home to several legends, including Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James. In 2012 and 2013, LeBron led the team to victory as Eric Spoelstra served as the coach.

7. Detroit Pistons

most NBA championships with different teams
Jaden Ivey of the Detroit Pistons against the Chicago Bulls at United Center on April 09, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois. Photo: Quinn Harris
Source: Getty Images

The Detroit Pistons, formerly known as the Fort Wayne Pistons, have three championship wins to their name; 1989, 1990, and 2004, when they beat the Los Angeles Lakers. They have appeared in seven final matches.

6. Philadelphia 76ers

NBA teams with most finals appearances
Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the second half of game five of the Eastern Conference Second Round Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on May 09, 2023, in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo: Maddie Meyer
Source: Getty Images

The Phillies, previously known as the Syracuse Nationals, have appeared in nine final matches, winning three. They took the trophy home in 1955, 1967, and 1983 after defeating the Detroit Pistons, San Francisco Warriors, and Los Angeles Lakers.

Top 5 NBA teams with the most championships

Here is a list of the top five NBA teams with the most championships in order. They all have more than three titles:

5. San Antonio Spurs

 top NBA teams with most championships
San Antonio Spurs Forward Quincy Pondexter looks on before an NBA game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers on December 29, 2018, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. Photo: Brian Rothmuller
Source: Getty Images

With five rings, the Spurs are among the top NBA teams with the most championships. After appearing in the finals six times, they took home the title five times, in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014. All their wins came after 1997, when Tim Duncan was drafted. He played with the franchise for 19 seasons.

4. Chicago Bulls

NBA teams with most finals appearances
Andre Drummond of the Chicago Bulls warms up before the game against the Detroit Pistons at United Center on April 09, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois. Photo: Quinn Harris
Source: Getty Images

The Bulls, home of Michael Jordan, are among the NBA teams with the most consecutive championships (6), having won between 1991 and 1993 and from 1996 to 1998. They have been part of the league since 1966 and have won during all their final appearances.

Top 3 NBA teams with the most championships

Which team has won the most NBA titles? Apart from winning the trophy, these franchises have churned out some of the most celebrated players in the sport today. Here are the top three teams:

3. Golden State Warriors

NBA teams with most championships
Kevin Durant looks on before an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers on November 12, 2018, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. Photo: Brian Rothmuller
Source: Getty Images

The Warriors have been to 11 final matches, winning six in 1947, 1956, 1975, 2015, 2017, and 2018. In recent years, the team has succeeded thanks to talents like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant.

2. Boston Celtics

 top NBA teams with most championships
Robert Williams #44 of the Boston Celtics during the game between the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks at TD Garden on December 14, 2018, in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo: Maddie Meyer
Source: Getty Images

The Boston Celtics have 17 impressive championship titles. They won in these years after appearing in 21 NBA finals: 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, and 2008. Red Auerbach, the team's coach in the earlier years, is acknowledged as one of the NBA's most successful coaches ever. They held the top position until 2020.

1. Los Angeles Lakers

NBA teams with most finals appearances
LeBron James looks on before an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers on January 31, 2019, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. Photo: Brian Rothmuller
Source: Getty Images

The Los Angeles Lakers hold the top position and also have 17 titles to their name out of 32 appearances. The Lakers took home the title in 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, and 2020. The franchise has also been home to brilliant players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kobe Bryant, who played a significant role in its success.

Which player has the most NBA championships with different teams?

Some top players have moved to various teams throughout their careers, and with luck following them have won the championship with more than one team. These players include:

  • Kawhi Leonard: San Antonio Spurs (2014) and Toronto Raptors (2019)
  • Shaquille O'Neal: Los Angeles Lakers (2000-2002) and Miami Heat (2006)
  • LeBron James: Miami Heat (2012, 2013), Cleveland Cavaliers (2016), and Los Angeles Lakers (2020). He has the most NBA championships a player has in the league.

The top ten NBA teams with the most championships will change as more players and franchises emerge. Basketball enthusiasts will follow their favourite teams and players to see who clinches the title and how the rankings change in the future.

READ ALSO: Top 30 richest NBA teams

Sports Brief published a list of the richest NBA franchises. Besides the sport's popularity, organizations are constantly looking for partnerships and investment opportunities with these teams to enhance their visibility while they smile to the bank.

The Golden State Warriors top the list with a value of $7 billion. The New York Knicks follow closely with a financial worth of $6.1 billion. Other teams on the list include the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Chicago Bulls, all valued at over $4 billion. Check out the above article to discover the full list of the richest NBA teams.

Authors
Grace Waruguru photo
Grace Waruguru
Grace has over 4 years of experience in article writing and digital media content creation for various local and global brands. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication (Public Relations) from Daystar University, Kenya.
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