NBA Finals Champions Last 10 Years

Golden State Warriors emerged as the quintessential powerhouse of the past decade, winning the NBA Finals four times.

The Warriors were led by core players like Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, who were all All-Stars and multiple-time All-NBA selections.

The success of GSW was built on its offensive firepower. Curry was one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, and Thompson was a deadly scorer off the bench.

Additionally, they also had an outstanding balance of inside and outside scoring, with Green and Iguodala being capable scorers in their own right.

The Golden State enjoyed a wild ride reaching six NBA finals past 10 years, winning four and losing two. The Warriors' dynasty came to an end in 2019 when they lost the title to the Toronto Raptors.

However, in 2022, they reached the final again and even clinched the title, defeating the Celtics. The Western Conference champion Warriors conquered the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics in six games (4–2) for their fourth title in eight years.

The Warriors became the first franchise since the 90–91 Chicago Bulls to win the NBA championship after trailing 2–1 in the series. They also won the back-to-back Larry O'Brien trophy since the Lakers in 2009 and 2010.

The Milwaukee Bucks won the 2021 NBA championship, defeating the Phoenix Suns 4-2. The Bucks had not won a championship since 1971.

It has been 50 years since Milwaukee made it to the championships match. Their last trip to the Finals came in 1974 when the Boston Celtics took the Cup away from them.

Meanwhile, in 2021, the Mike Budenholzer-led team was 2-0 series down after the first two games played at Phoenix Suns Arena. However, the Bucks won the third and fourth games at their home, Fiserv Forum, to even the series at 2-2.

In the fifth game, Milwaukee made an impressive comeback and won with a score of 123-119, taking the lead in the series by 3-2. Then, in the sixth game, the Suns didn't have a chance to recover as the Bucks won comfortably with a score of 105-98.

This victory secured them the series win with a score of 4-2 and their first championship trophy in half a century. Giannis Antetokounmpo was named the NBA Finals MVP.

Los Angeles Lakers was crowned the champion of the 2020 NBA Finals. The Lakers beat the Miami Heat in game six with a 4-2 scoreline.

LeBron James, who started in all six games, was the key differentiation between the two teams, averaging 29.8 points and 8.5 assists per game. For his emphatic display, James won the MVP of the championship series.

Jimmy Butler, the Miami Heat's small forward, also had decent games. He managed to score a total of 157 points in six games. In Game three, he scored the highest number of points, reaching 40, and the Miami Heat emerged victorious.

The Lakers were dominant from Game 1 as they took a 2-0 series lead. Though Miami had a ray of hope after winning the third game, James' masterclass performance in game four shattered their hopes as they lost 102-96.

Heat recorded their second win to make the series 3-2 after game five, but the Lakers left them stranded in Game 6, ultimately winning the series 4-2.

Toronto Raptors ended the GSW dominance by shutting them down in the 2019 Finals. Raptors won the championship with a 4-2 win over GSW.

The Warriors entered the series as the favorites, having won two of the previous three Finals. Meanwhile, the Raptors were making their first Finals appearance in franchise history.

While fans across the globe were sure about the Warriors claiming their third straight NBA trophy, Toronto stood firm on their way. The Raptors began the finale with a win in Game 1, but Golden State tied the series 1-1 in Game Two.

Kawhi Leonard, one of the highest-paid NBA Players, led the Raptors' frontline with an average of 28.5 points, 4.2 assists, and 9.8 REB per game and earned the Most Valuable Player award.

The series was 3-1 in favor of the Raptors after four games. In Game 5, the Warriors won 106–105 to reduce the series gap to 3-2. Toronto won the final game and claimed their first Larry O'Brien trophy.

Cleveland Cavaliers also makes to the list of NBA champions last 10 years. The Cavaliers emerged victorious in the 2016 NBA Finals.

Marketed as the blockbuster matchups between LeBron James and Steph Curry, James won the Finals MVP, whereas Curry was named the season's Most Valuable Player in the 2015-16 campaign.

The Warriors managed to secure a 108-100 victory at home in Game 1, thanks to a remarkable performance by their point guard Shaun Livingston, who scored 20 points. Cleveland also lost the second game and was in a 2-0 deficit coming to game three.

However, the Cavaliers responded strongly in the third match, led by their own superstar, King James, who recorded 32 points, leading them to a convincing 120-90 win.

The Warriors were on the verge of winning the championship after Game 4 when they beat Cleveland 108-97. But they had to await the next two years to win consecutive championship titles as the Cavaliers won the remaining three games to make it 4-3.

In the recent NBA finals matchups by year, San Antonio Spurs fantastic revenge against the Miami Heat was the highlight of the 2014 NBA Finals.

Head coach Gregg Popovich also led the Spurs to the 2013 championship game but were short of winning the title by a mere margin. Heat, led by Erik Spoelstra, defeated them 4-3.

The Spurs' hunger for vengeance after their previous year's disappointment was sated in the 2014 Finals, as they unleashed their dominance over the Heat, winning the series convincingly with a 4-1 scoreline to claim the championship.

Kawhi Leonard was named the Finals MVP as he recorded 17.8 points, a .579 3FG percentage, and 2.0 assists per game. Despite LeBron James' strong performance, Miami was no match against the Spurs' team play.

After winning the first game, Heat hinted at a comeback with a narrow 98-96 victory in Game Two. Before the third game, the series was all even 1-1.

However, San Antonio showcased their dominance from game 3 onwards, and by the end of Game 5, the series read 4-1 in the Spurs' favor.

Miami Heat orchestrated a masterful feat clinching successive NBA championships by year in 2012 and 2013 under head coach Erik Spoelstra.

In the 2012 Finals, the Miami Heat faced off against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Led by their star trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, the Heat emerged victorious in a five-game series, winning the title by 4-1.

LeBron was named the 2012 Finals Most Valuable Player averaging 28.6 points, 7.4 assists, and 10.2 rebounds per game in the series.

The following year, Miami returned to the Finals to defend their NBA championship. This time, they faced the San Antonio Spurs, who had one of the league's most successful and experienced rosters.

The series went down to the wire, as the Heat prevailed by 4-3 in a thrilling seven-game series. King James once again showcased his dominance and was rewarded the Finals MVP for the second consecutive year.