Which NBA Team Has Won the Most Championships in League History?

As I was watching the June Mar Fajardo situation unfold during San Miguel's PBA Philippine Cup victory over Phoenix last Sunday, it struck me how championship pedigree manifests differently across basketball leagues worldwide. The sight of Fajardo sitting out the entire second quarter—a strategic move that ultimately paid off—got me thinking about the teams that have truly mastered the art of winning when it matters most. This naturally led my mind to wander toward the NBA, where championship banners tell stories of dynasties, legendary players, and organizations that have consistently figured out how to win.

When people ask me which NBA team has won the most championships, I always get a bit excited because the answer isn't just about numbers—it's about legacy. Having followed basketball for over two decades, I've developed a particular appreciation for franchises that build cultures of winning rather than just assembling talented rosters. The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers stand atop the mountain with 17 championships each, though if you pressed me to choose between them, I'd probably lean toward the Celtics because of how they dominated the early years of the league. The Lakers have this glamorous appeal that's hard to ignore, but there's something about Boston's gritty, team-first approach that resonates with me more deeply.

The Celtics' early dominance was absolutely remarkable when you look at the numbers. Between 1957 and 1969, they captured an incredible 11 championships, which included eight straight from 1959 to 1966. I sometimes try to imagine what that must have felt like for fans during that era—the expectation of victory every single season. Bill Russell's leadership during that stretch was something special, and while I never got to watch him play live, studying old footage and reading accounts from that time makes it clear why many consider him the greatest winner in team sports history. The Lakers, on the other hand, have built their legacy across different eras and locations, from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, with superstars like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Kobe Bryant defining various chapters of their success.

What fascinates me about these two franchises is how they've managed to sustain excellence across generations. I've noticed that both organizations have this uncanny ability to rebuild without completely bottoming out. The Lakers' most recent championship in 2020 with LeBron James and Anthony Davis demonstrated that they still understand what it takes to win, even in the modern era. Meanwhile, the Celtics have been consistently competitive for the past decade, making multiple Eastern Conference Finals appearances and reaching the NBA Finals just last season. As a basketball enthusiast, I find myself drawn to teams that maintain high standards rather than embracing full rebuilds through multiple losing seasons.

The Golden State Warriors have recently entered the conversation with seven championships, moving past the Chicago Bulls' six, and I must admit I've developed a soft spot for their style of basketball. Their rise to prominence through the 2010s revolutionized how the game is played, and Stephen Curry's impact on the sport is something I believe we'll be talking about for generations. Still, catching Boston and LA feels like a distant dream, even with their recent success. The San Antonio Spurs sit comfortably in fifth place with five championships, and while they never captured the public imagination quite like the Celtics or Lakers, their two-decade run of excellence under Gregg Popovich represents what I consider the gold standard for organizational stability.

Reflecting on San Miguel's approach with Fajardo—strategically resting their star even in an important game—reminds me that championship organizations understand the long game. The Celtics and Lakers didn't accumulate 17 titles by focusing solely on individual games or even single seasons. They built systems, cultures, and identities that transcended any particular player or coach. In my view, that's the real secret to championship success in any league—creating an environment where winning becomes expected rather than hoped for. The numbers tell us who has won the most, but the stories behind those numbers reveal how they did it, and that's what continues to captivate me about this discussion.

Looking at the current NBA landscape, I can't help but wonder if we'll ever see another team challenge the Celtics and Lakers for the top spot. The Warriors would need to win ten more championships to catch them, which seems nearly impossible in today's era of parity. What strikes me as more likely is that we might witness these two historic franchises adding to their totals in the coming years, given their strong current rosters and organizational stability. As someone who loves basketball history, part of me hopes the rivalry continues to play out through championship counts, because there's something special about these two organizations pushing each other even when they're not directly competing on the court.

At the end of the day, the question of which NBA team has won the most championships leads us to much deeper conversations about what separates good organizations from legendary ones. Having watched countless games across different eras, I've come to believe that championship DNA isn't about any single factor—it's the combination of ownership commitment, front office intelligence, coaching excellence, and player execution that creates dynasties. The Celtics and Lakers have simply done this better than anyone else, though I'll always have that personal bias toward Boston's approach. The numbers may show them as equals in championships, but in my basketball heart, the Celtics' story resonates just a little bit louder.