I remember the first time I truly understood what championship legacy meant in the NBA. It wasn't while watching a Finals game or reading statistics, but during a conversation with my former coach who'd played alongside legends. He told me, "Every day naman, kapag ginagamit siya, inoobserve ko talaga kung ano 'yung pwede kong makuha from her and ina-apply ko lang din kung anong nakikita ko and nao-observe ko sa kanya." Though he was speaking in Tagalog about learning from his mentor, the principle applies perfectly to how we should approach NBA history - observing what champions do and applying those lessons to understand basketball's evolution.

The Boston Celtics absolutely dominated the early championship landscape, winning 11 titles between 1957 and 1969. That 1965 Celtics team might be my personal favorite championship squad, with Bill Russell's defensive genius creating a blueprint that still influences today's game. Their eight consecutive championships from 1959 to 1966 remains the most impressive dynasty achievement in sports history, a record I doubt we'll ever see broken. The Lakers entered the championship conversation in 1949 when they were still in Minneapolis, beginning what would become the most storied rivalry in basketball against Boston.

The 70s brought more diversity to the champion's circle with teams like the Knicks, Bucks, and Warriors breaking through. I've always had a soft spot for the 1975 Warriors team that swept the Bullets in what many consider one of the biggest upsets in Finals history. That Rick Barry-led squad demonstrated how a well-coached team could overcome individual talent, something we've seen repeated throughout NBA history. The 80s revived the Celtics-Lakers rivalry with Magic and Bird creating must-watch television that saved the league's popularity during a difficult period. Those Showtime Lakers teams, particularly the 1987 championship roster, played with a flair and efficiency that still takes my breath away when I watch old footage.

Michael Jordan's Bulls changed everything in the 90s, winning six championships across two three-peats. That 1996 team went 72-10 in the regular season, a record that stood for twenty years until the Warriors broke it. Personally, I think that Bulls team would still beat today's champions because their defensive intensity was just at another level. The post-Jordan era created opportunities for other franchises, with the Spurs establishing their own dynasty under Tim Duncan's quiet leadership. San Antonio's 1999 championship during the lockout-shortened season often gets overlooked, but that team was fundamentally perfect in how they executed basic basketball principles.

The Lakers three-peat from 2000-2002 with Shaq and Kobe represented the last true dominant run until LeBron James began his own championship journey. Miami's 2012 championship marked LeBron's first ring and signaled a shift in how superteams were constructed. The Warriors' rise fundamentally altered basketball strategy, with their 2015 championship serving as validation for the three-point revolution. I'll admit I was skeptical about their small-ball approach initially, but watching them dismantle traditional teams changed my perspective on modern basketball.

Toronto's 2019 championship remains particularly memorable for me, as it demonstrated how an international team could build a champion through smart roster construction rather than attracting big free agents. Kawhi Leonard's shot against Philadelphia in Game 7 still gives me chills when I rewatch it. The bubble championship by the Lakers in 2020 was arguably the most unique in NBA history, played under circumstances we'll hopefully never see repeated. Milwaukee's 2021 victory felt like a return to normalcy while rewarding Giannis Antetokounmpo's loyalty to small-market success.

Most recently, the Warriors reclaimed the throne in 2022, the Bucks defended their turf, and Denver captured their first championship in 2023 behind Nikola Jokić's revolutionary center play. What fascinates me about studying these champions is noticing patterns that transcend eras - defensive commitment, superstar leadership, and often, just being healthy at the right time. The observation principle my coach taught me applies perfectly here: by watching what champions do differently, we can appreciate not just who won, but how they won and why it mattered. Each championship team leaves something behind for the next generation to study and build upon, creating basketball's continuous evolution.