NBA Championships by team: Teams with most titles

17 - Boston Celtics

Not only are the Celtics the most successful NBA franchise with 17 championships through 72 seasons, they also hold the record for most consecutive championships for any franchise in the big 4 American leagues. Their vice-like grip over the NBA championship during the Bill Russell years in the late 50s and 60s was akin to Lyon's 7 straight Ligue 1 titles in the noughties, the same kind of dominance as Bayern Munich have enjoyed over the Bundesliga through the last 6 seasons (though they're floundering right now).

The Celtics' championship successes aren't limited to the 50s and 60s either. They won 3 titles each in the 70s and the 80s, and were last champions of the league in 2008. Now represented by a young, exciting core of players due to hit their basketball primes, the Celtics will once again be a force to be reckoned with across the league for years to come.