NBA Champions and Finals Most Valuable Players

NBA Champions and Finals Most Valuable Players

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*--* Year Champion Runner-up G 1946-47 Philadelphia Warriors Chicago Stags 4-1 1947-48 Baltimore Bullets Philadelphia Warriors 4-2 1948-49 Minneapolis Lakers Washington Capitols 4-2 1949-50 Minneapolis Lakers Syracuse Nationals 4-2 1950-51 Rochester Royals New York Knicks 4-3 1951-52 Minneapolis Lakers New York Knicks 4-3 1952-53 Minneapolis Lakers New York Knicks 4-1 1953-54 Minneapolis Lakers Syracuse Nationals 4-3 1954-55 Syracuse Nationals Fort Wayne Pistons 4-3 1955-56 Philadelphia Warriors Fort Wayne Pistons 4-1 1956-57 Boston Celtics St. Louis Hawks 4-3 1957-58 St. Louis Hawks Boston Celtics 4-2 1958-59 Boston Celtics Minneapolis Lakers 4-0 1959-60 Boston Celtics St. Louis Hawks 4-3 1960-61 Boston Celtics St. Louis Hawks 4-1 1961-62 Boston Celtics LAKERS 4-3 1962-63 Boston Celtics LAKERS 4-2 1963-64 Boston Celtics San Francisco Warriors 4-1 1964-65 Boston Celtics LAKERS 4-1 1965-66 Boston Celtics LAKERS 4-3 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers San Francisco Warriors 4-2 1967-68 Boston Celtics LAKERS 4-2 1968-69 Boston Celtics LAKERS 4-3 1969-70 New York Knicks LAKERS 4-3 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks Baltimore Bullets 4-0 1971-72 LAKERS New York Knicks 4-1 1972-73 New York Knicks LAKERS 4-1 1973-74 Boston Celtics Milwaukee Bucks 4-3 1974-75 Golden St. Warriors Washington Bullets 4-0 1975-76 Boston Celtics Phoenix Suns 4-2 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers Philadelphia 76ers 4-2 1977-78 Washington Bullets Seattle SuperSonics 4-3 1978-79 Seattle SuperSonics Washington Bullets 4-1 1979-80 LAKERS Philadelphia 76ers 4-2 1980-81 Boston Celtics Houston Rockets 4-2 1981-82 LAKERS Philadelphia 76ers 4-2 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers LAKERS 4-0 1983-84 Boston Celtics LAKERS 4-3 1984-85 LAKERS Boston Celtics 4-2 1985-86 Boston Celtics Houston Rockets 4-2 1986-87 LAKERS Boston Celtics 4-2 1987-88 LAKERS Detroit Pistons 4-3 1988-89 Detroit Pistons Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 1989-90 Detroit Pistons Portland Trail Blazers 4-1 1990-91 Chicago Bulls LAKERS 4-1 1991-92 Chicago Bulls Portland Trail Blazers 4-2 1992-93 Chicago Bulls Phoenix Suns 4-2 1993-94 Houston Rockets New York Knicks 4-3 1994-95 Houston Rockets Orlando Magic 4-0 1995-96 Chicago Bulls Seattle SuperSonics 4-2 1996-97 Chicago Bulls Utah Jazz 4-2 1997-98 Chicago Bulls Utah Jazz 4-2 1998-99 San Antonio Spurs New York Knicks 4-1 1999-00 LAKERS Indiana Pacers 4-2 2000-01 LAKERS Philadelphia 76ers 4-1 2001-02 LAKERS New Jersey Nets 4-0 2002-03 San Antonio Spurs New Jersey Nets 4-2 2003-04 Detroit Pistons LAKERS 4-1

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

MVPs by year; MVP Performance

1968-69: Jerry West, L.A. The first and only time in NBA Finals history that the MVP award went to a member of the losing team.

1969-70: Willis Reed, N.Y. In Game 7, the injured Reed hobbled to the floor and into NBA lore with his gutty performance.

1970-71: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mil. Abdul-Jabbar was also regular-reason MVP after leading league in scoring at 31.7 points per game.

1971-72: Wilt Chamberlain, L.A. Chamberlain broke the Knicks’ back in Game 5, scoring 24 points and taking 29 rebounds.

1972-73: Willis Reed, N.Y. This time, a healthier Reed battled Chamberlain on even terms and the Knicks won the final four games.

1973-74: John Havlicek, Boston The 35-year-old Havlicek fought through continuous double-team pressure to lead the Celtics to their 12th title.

1974-75: Rick Barry, Golden State Barry scored 38 and 36 points in final two games as Warriors swept Bullets, who tied for league’s best record.

1974-75: Rick Barry, Golden State Barry scored 38 and 36 points in final two games as Warriors swept Bullets, who tied for league’s best record.

1975-76: Jo Jo White, Boston White, noted for his defense, averaged 21.7 points a game to lead Celtics to their 13th NBA title.

1976-77: Bill Walton, Portland Walton had 20 points, 23 rebounds, eight blocks and seven assists in the series-clinching Game 6.

1977-78: Wes Unseld, Washington Unseld made two free throws with 12 seconds left to clinch Game 7.

1978-79: Dennis Johnson, Seattle Johnson, 0 for 14 in Game 7 loss the season before, redeemed himself as Sonics won the rematch.

1979-80: Magic Johnson, L.A. Magic’s Game 6: 42 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block.

1980-81: Cedric Maxwell, Boston Unexpectedly, Maxwell picked up the scoring slack for Larry Bird, who was being tenaciously defended.

1981-82: Magic Johnson, L.A. Laker-Celtic matchup doesn’t materialize, but Magic engineers another series victory over 76ers.

1982-83: Moses Malone, Phil. Malone, also the regular-season MVP, averaged 26 points and 18 points in series.

1983-84: Larry Bird, Boston Bird avenged loss to Magic in 1979 NCAA final, averaging 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, 3.2 assists and two steals.

1984-85: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, L.A. The 38-year-old Abdul-Jabbar defied calendar and averaged 26 points in the series.

1985-86: Larry Bird, Boston Bird had 29 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists and three steals in the deciding game.

1986-87: Magic Johnson, L.A. Magic’s junior sky hook in the closing seconds stole Game 4 from the Celtics in Boston.

1987-88: James Worthy, L.A. Worthy’s Game 7 triple-double (36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists) sealed another Laker championship.

1988-89: Joe Dumars, Detroit Dumars averaged 27 points against Laker backcourt that lost Magic and Byron Scott to injury.

1989-90: Isiah Thomas, Detroit Thomas carried the Pistons with series averages of 27.6 points, 8.0 assists and 5.2 rebounds.

1990-91: Michael Jordan, Chicago Jordan averaged a series-high 31.2 points while shooting .558 from the field and .848 from the line.

1991-92: Michael Jordan, Chicago In the pivotal fifth game of the series, Jordan scored 46 points to seal the Bulls’ victory.

1992-93: Michael Jordan, Chicago Jordan won third consecutive Finals MVP, scoring 40 or more points in four straight games.

1993-94: Hakeem Olajuwon, Hou. Olajuwon hardware included: NBA MVP, Finals MVP, defensive player of the year and All-NBA first team.

1994-95: Hakeem Olajuwon, Hou. Olajuwon’s 35-point performance in Game 4 earned him the honor for the second year in a row.

1995-96: Michael Jordan, Chicago Jordan averaged 27.3 points, 5.3 assists and 4.2 assists and was named Finals MVP for the fourth time.

1996-97: Michael Jordan, Chicago Fighting exhaustion, dehydration from stomach flu, Jordan scored 38 points in Game 5.

1997-98: Michael Jordan, Chicago Playing his last game in a Bull uniform, Jordan collected his sixth Finals MVP in an eight-year span.

1998-99: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Duncan averaged 27.4 points, 14. rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and 2.4 assists for the series.

1999-00: Shaquille O’Neal, L.A.. O’Neal had three 40-plus scoring efforts, averaging 38 points and 16.7 rebounds over the series.

2000-01: Shaquille O’Neal, L.A.. 76ers elected not to double-team O’Neal, who averaged of 33 points and 15.8 rebounds.

2001-02: Shaquille O’Neal, L.A.. O’Neal averaged 36.3 points and 12.3 rebounds and was a unanimous selection for his third MVP award.

2002-03: Tim Duncan, San Antonio For the series, Duncan averaged 24.2 points, 17 rebounds, 5.3 assists and a record 5.3 blocks.

2003-04: Chauncey Billups, Detroit Lowest-profile player to win MVP since Cedric Maxwell in 1981. Averaged 21 points and 5.2 assists in series

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-- Roy Jurgens