The NBA Finals are the championship series of the league, set up as a best-of-seven series. The league is divided into two conferences (the Eastern and the Western), and the winner of each conference final meets head on in the NBA finals. The event has taken place at the end of every NBA and, previously, BAA season in history, dating all the way back to 1947. At times, the series has been referred to as the "World Championship", suggesting that there isn't a team in the world that could compete with the powerhouses that are the NBA Finalists. However, this is a controversial term that is not endorsed by the NBA. The Boston Celtics lay claim to an amazing winning streak in the Finals, having earned the championship title all but twice between 1957 and 1969, including eight titles in a row from 1959 to 1966. Overall, the Celtics have won a total of 16 championships (1957, 1959-66, 1968-69, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, and 1986), the most of any team in the league. The NBA Finals are a highly anticipated event yearly, and are watched by a larger audience than the Stanley Cup final in the National Hockey League, which occurs at the same time of year. |
