Last Updated Jun 23, 2022, 4:12 PM
NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE HISTORY
VI Editorial Production Manager
NBA Finals | Eastern Conference Finals | Western Conference Finals
The Eastern Conference Finals is one of two pro basketball conference series of the National Basketball Association. The winner of this best-of-seven series matchup will advance to The NBA Finals.
The Miami Heat won four consecutive Eastern Conference titles from 2010-14, but that run ended when LeBron James left in free agency to go back to Cleveland. James led the Cavaliers to the conference championship in 2015, and again in 2016. The Cavaliers handled the Toronto Raptors in six games to get back to the NBA Finals.
LeBron extended his winning streak in the 2018 conference finals to eight as the Cavaliers knocked out the Celtics in seven games.
After James departed for the Los Angeles Lakers in the offseason, the Toronto Raptorscaptured the East Finals in six games over the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Heat returned to the NBA Finals in 2020 inside the Orlando bubble after defeated the Celtics in six games.
This year, the No. 1 seed Miami Heat faces the No. 2 Boston Celtics although the Heat enter as the series underdogs. Check out the latest Conference Finals odds for the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS HISTORY
| Year | Champion | Opponent | Series Result |
| 2020-21 | Milwaukee Bucks | Atlanta Hawks | 4-2 |
| 2019-20 | Miami Heat | Boston Celtics | 4–2 |
| 2018-19 | Toronto Raptors | Milwaukee Bucks | 4-2 |
| 2017-18 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Boston Celtics | 4–3 |
| 2016-17 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Boston Celtics | 4–1 |
| 2015-16 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Toronto Raptors | 4–2 |
| 2014-15 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Atlanta Hawks | 4–0 |
| 2013-14 | Miami Heat | Indiana Pacers | 4–2 |
| 2012-13 | Miami Heat | Indiana Pacers | 4–3 |
| 2011-12 | Miami Heat | Boston Celtics | 4–3 |
| 2010-11 | Miami Heat | Chicago Bulls | 4–1 |
| 2009-10 | Boston Celtics | Orlando Magic | 4–2 |
| 2008-09 | Orlando Magic | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4–2 |
| 2007-08 | Boston Celtics | Detroit Pistons | 4–2 |
| 2006-07 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Detroit Pistons | 4–2 |
| 2005-06 | Miami Heat | Detroit Pistons | 4–2 |
| 2004-05 | Detroit Pistons | Miami Heat | 4–3 |
| 2003-04 | Detroit Pistons | Indiana Pacers | 4–2 |
| 2002-03 | New Jersey Nets | Detroit Pistons | 4–0 |
| 2001-02 | New Jersey Nets | Boston Celtics | 4–2 |
| 2000-01 | Philadelphia 76ers | Milwaukee Bucks | 4–3 |
| 1999-00 | Indiana Pacers | New York Knicks | 4–2 |
| 1998-99 | New York Knicks | Indiana Pacers | 4–2 |
| 1997-98 | Chicago Bulls | Indiana Pacers | 4–3 |
| 1996-97 | Chicago Bulls | Miami Heat | 4–1 |
| 1995-96 | Chicago Bulls | Orlando Magic | 4–0 |
| 1994-95 | Orlando Magic | Indiana Pacers | 4–3 |
| 1993-94 | New York Knicks | Indiana Pacers | 4–3 |
| 1992-93 | Chicago Bulls | New York Knicks | 4–2 |
| 1991-92 | Chicago Bulls | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4–2 |
| 1990-91 | Chicago Bulls | Detroit Pistons | 4–0 |
| 1989-90 | Detroit Pistons | Chicago Bulls | 4–3 |
| 1988-89 | Detroit Pistons | Chicago Bulls | 4–2 |
| 1987-88 | Detroit Pistons | Boston Celtics | 4–2 |
| 1986-87 | Boston Celtics | Detroit Pistons | 4–3 |
| 1985-86 | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 4–0 |
| 1984-85 | Boston Celtics | Philadelphia 76ers | 4–1 |
| 1983-84 | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 4–1 |
| 1982-83 | Philadelphia 76ers | Milwaukee Bucks | 4–1 |
| 1981-82 | Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics | 4–3 |
| 1980-81 | Boston Celtics | Philadelphia 76ers | 4–3 |
| 1979-80 | Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics | 4–1 |
| 1978-79 | Washington Bullets | San Antonio Spurs | 4–3 |
| 1977-78 | Washington Bullets | Philadelphia 76ers | 4–2 |
| 1976-77 | Philadelphia 76ers | Houston Rockets | 4–2 |
| 1975-76 | Boston Celtics | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4–2 |
| 1974-75 | Washington Bullets | Boston Celtics | 4–2 |
| 1973-74 | Boston Celtics | New York Knicks | 4–1 |
| 1972-73 | New York Knicks | Boston Celtics | 4–3 |
| 1971-72 | New York Knicks | Boston Celtics | 4–1 |
| 1970-71 | Baltimore Bullets | New York Knicks | 4–3 |
| 1969-70 | New York Knicks | Milwaukee Bucks | 4–3 |
| 1968-69 | Boston Celtics | New York Knicks | 4–1 |
| 1967-68 | Boston Celtics | Philadelphia 76ers | 4–1 |
| 1966-67 | Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics | 4–3 |
| 1965-66 | Boston Celtics | Philadelphia 76ers | 4–1 |
| 1964-65 | Boston Celtics | Philadelphia 76ers | 4–3 |
| 1963-64 | Boston Celtics | Cincinnati Royals | 4–3 |
| 1962-63 | Boston Celtics | Cincinnati Royals | 4–1 |
| 1961-62 | Boston Celtics | Philadelphia Warriors | 4–2 |
| 1960-61 | Boston Celtics | Syracuse Nationals | 4–3 |
| 1959-60 | Boston Celtics | Philadelphia Warriors | 4–1 |
| 1958-59 | Boston Celtics | Syracuse Nationals | 3–0 |
| 1957-58 | Boston Celtics | Philadelphia Warriors | 3–2 |
| 1956-57 | Boston Celtics | Syracuse Nationals | 3–1 |
| 1955-56 | Philadelphia Warriors | Syracuse Nationals | 2–0 |
| 1954-55 | Syracuse Nationals | Boston Celtics | 3–1 |
| 1953-54 | Syracuse Nationals | Boston Celtics | 3–1 |
| 1952-53 | New York Knicks | Boston Celtics | 3–2 |
| 1951-52 | New York Knicks | Syracuse Nationals | 2–1 |
| 1950-51 | New York Knicks | Syracuse Nationals | 2–1 |
