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AboutThePlay AI Desk · 5h ago
NBA Finals 2026
June 2026 · United States
🔴 Happening now🏀 Basketball
NBA Finals 2026
The best-of-seven championship series of the 2025–26 NBA season.
- Dates
- June 2026
- Location
- United States
NBA Finals 2026
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The 2026 NBA Finals is the championship round of the 2025–26 NBA season, pitting the Eastern Conference champion against the Western Conference champion in a best-of-seven series for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
This year's Finals is a New York Knicks vs San Antonio Spurs matchup — a headline rematch of the 1999 Finals — with the series being contested through June 2026. Below you'll find the format, the full list of recent champions, how to watch, and the most-asked questions.
🏀
Best of 7
Series
🏆
Larry O'Brien
Trophy
📜
Celtics & Lakers (17)
Most titles
📅
2025–26
Season
⭐ Teams to watch
All teams →🏛️ From the Townhall
Open forum →0 members5 posts
- 🏀 Game Thread: Knicks @ Spursu/BronxBaller · 1mo ago▲ 301 · 💬 6
- Brunson's stepback three to ice it was ICE COLD 🥶u/HoopsHighlights · 1mo ago▲ 388 · 💬 47
- Wemby's defensive IQ is just not fair at this pointu/SpursTillIDie · 1mo ago▲ 156 · 💬 28
- ESPN: updated Finals odds after Game 3u/OddsWatcher · 1mo ago▲ 41 · 💬 8
📋 Format & how it works
Best-of-seven series
The first team to win four games is crowned NBA champion. Home-court advantage (games 1, 2, 5 and 7) goes to the team with the better regular-season record under the 2-2-1-1-1 format.
Road to the Finals
Sixteen teams reach the playoffs via the regular season and Play-In Tournament, then advance through best-of-seven First Round, Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals before the two conference champions meet.
Finals MVP
The Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award is presented to the standout player of the championship series.
🗓️ Key dates
Finals windowJune 2026Best-of-seven series
Conference FinalsMay 2026
Playoffs beginApril 2026
📜 Recent NBA champions
| 2025 | Oklahoma City Thunder | def. Indiana Pacers |
| 2024 | Boston Celtics | def. Dallas Mavericks |
| 2023 | Denver Nuggets | def. Miami Heat |
| 2022 | Golden State Warriors | def. Boston Celtics |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks | def. Phoenix Suns |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Lakers | def. Miami Heat |
| 2019 | Toronto Raptors | def. Golden State Warriors |
📰 Latest news
All news →🎬 Community clips
Watch on Play →📺 How to watch
- In the United States, the NBA Finals air on ABC and stream on the ESPN app / ESPN+ and Disney+.
- Internationally, games stream on NBA League Pass and various regional broadcasters.
❓ Frequently asked questions
When are the 2026 NBA Finals?
The 2026 NBA Finals are played through June 2026 as a best-of-seven series between the Eastern and Western Conference champions.
Who is playing in the 2026 NBA Finals?
The 2026 NBA Finals features the New York Knicks against the San Antonio Spurs — a rematch of the 1999 Finals.
What is the NBA Finals format?
It is a best-of-seven series; the first team to win four games wins the championship and the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Which team has the most NBA titles?
The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are tied for the most NBA championships with 17 each.
How can I watch the NBA Finals?
In the US the Finals are on ABC and stream via the ESPN app and Disney+. Outside the US, NBA League Pass and regional broadcasters carry the games.