Who Won the First NBA Championship?
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The Boston Celtics won the first NBA Championship in 1946-47.
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics won the first NBA Championship in 1946. The Celtics defeated the St. Louis Hawks in a seven-game series. The Celtics were led by player-coach Red Auerbach and won their first title in franchise history.
Won in 1957
The Boston Celtics won the very first NBA Championship in 1957. They were led by Bill Russell, who would go on to be one of the greatest players in NBA history. The Celtics would go on to win a total of 11 championships in 13 years, including an unprecedented 8 in a row from 1959-1966.
Won in 1959
The Boston Celtics won the first NBA Championship in 1959. The team was led by head coach Red Auerbach and stars Bill Russell and Bob Cousy. The Celtics won the title again in 1960 and went on to dominate the NBA for much of the 1960s, winning eight championships in a row from 1963 to 1966.
Minneapolis Lakers
The Minneapolis Lakers were the first team to win the NBA Championship. They did so in 1949, when they defeated the Indianapolis Olympians in the inaugural NBA Finals. The Lakers were led by star players George Mikan, Jim Pollard, and Herm Schaefer. They would go on to win three more championships in 1950, 1952, and 1953.
Won in 1949
In 1949, the Minneapolis Lakers won the first ever NBA championship. The Lakers were led by George Mikan, who was named the inaugural NBA Finals MVP. The Lakers defeated the Washington Capitols in six games to win the title.
Won in 1950
In their first season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Minneapolis Lakers won the NBA Championship, defeating the Syracuse Nationals in a best-of-seven series, four games to two. The franchise would win three more titles in 1952, 1953, and 1954.
New York Knicks
The New York Knicks are an American professional basketball team based in Manhattan, New York City. They are members of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and play their home games at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are one of two NBA teams located in New York City; the other team is the Brooklyn Nets.
Won in 1970
The New York Knicks won the first ever NBA championship in 1970. The team was led by head coach Red Holzman and star player Willis Reed. Reed was named the NBA Finals MVP after averaging 27 points and 13 rebounds in the seven-game series.
Won in 1973
The New York Knicks won the first NBA Championship in 1973. The team was led by head coach Red Holzman and stars such as Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, and Bill Bradley. The Knicks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, 4 games to 1.
