It takes a special group to do something that has never been done before. Led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the 2022-23 Nuggets are nothing short of special.
The past season was a year of firsts for Denver's NBA franchise: it earned the West's No. 1 seed for the first time ever, completed its first-ever sweep of a playoff series to win the Western Conference Finals, made its first-ever NBA Finals appearance, and, now, has won its first-ever NBA title by defeating the Heat in five games.
In the annals of NBA history, Denver is no longer on the wrong side of things, as the list of teams to never win an NBA title shrinks by one. Prior to the Nuggets, the last first-time NBA champion was the Raptors, who won their historic title in 2019.
Which NBA teams have still never won the NBA Finals? The Sporting News looks at the full list of the teams that the Nuggets have left behind.
How many NBA teams have never won the NBA Finals?
There are 10 teams that have never won the NBA Finals, half of which have never made a Finals appearance. Here is the complete list:
| Team | Total NBA Finals appearances | Last NBA Finals appearance |
| Suns | 3 | 2021 |
| Magic | 2 | 2009 |
| Nets | 2 | 2003 |
| Jazz | 2 | 1998 |
| Pacers | 1 | 2000 |
| Clippers | 0 | — |
| Grizzlies | 0 | — |
| Hornets | 0 | — |
| Pelicans | 0 | — |
| Timberwolves | 0 | — |
Among the franchises that have not won an NBA title, the Suns are in the most dubious spot. Phoenix is the oldest NBA franchise without a title, as it joined the league in 1968.
In addition to being the oldest franchise without a title, the Suns have made the most Finals appearances without a win, with their most recent loss coming in 2021.
Teams with the most NBA championships
The Lakers and Celtics, two of the NBA's most storied franchises, are tied for the most NBA championships with 17 apiece. LA tied Boston with its win in the 2020 "bubble" at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando.
| Team | NBA Finals wins | Last NBA Finals win |
| Lakers | 17 | 2020 |
| Celtics | 17 | 2008 |
| Warriors | 7 | 2022 |
| Bulls | 6 | 1998 |
| Spurs | 5 | 2014 |
| Heat | 3 | 2013 |
| Pistons | 3 | 2004 |
| 76ers | 3 | 1983 |
| Bucks | 2 | 2021 |
| Rockets | 2 | 1995 |
| Knicks | 2 | 1973 |
| Nuggets | 1 | 2023 |
| Raptors | 1 | 2019 |
| Cavaliers | 1 | 2016 |
| Mavericks | 1 | 2011 |
| Thunder | 1 | 1979* |
| Wizards | 1 | 1978 |
| Trail Blazers | 1 | 1977 |
| Hawks | 1 | 1958* |
| Kings | 1 | 1951* |
*Finals win came when the franchise was located in a different city. Thunder's Finals win came as Seattle Supersonics, Hawks' win came while the franchise was located in St. Louis. Kings' win came when the team was known as Rochester Royals.
