| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Games |
| 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 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1962-63 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 |
| 1963-64 | Boston Celtics | San Francisco Warriors | 4-1 |
| 1964-65 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 |
| 1965-66 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1966-67 | Philadelphia 76ers | San Francisco Warriors | 4-2 |
| 1967-68 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 |
| 1968-69 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1969-70 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1970-71 | Milwaukee Bucks | Baltimore Bullets | 4-0 |
| 1971-72 | Los Angeles Lakers | New York Knicks | 4-1 |
| 1972-73 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 |
| 1973-74 | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 4-3 |
| 1974-75 | Golden State 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 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 |
| 1980-81 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4-2 |
| 1981-82 | Los Angeles Lakers | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 |
| 1982-83 | Philadelphia 76ers | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 |
| 1983-84 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 |
| 1984-85 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-2 |
| 1985-86 | Boston Celtics | Houston Rockets | 4-2 |
| 1986-87 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 4-2 |
| 1987-88 | Los Angeles 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 | Los Angeles 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 | Los Angeles Lakers | Indiana Pacers | 4-2 |