Maurice Podoloff Trophy
National Basketball Association award
The Maurice Podoloff Trophy is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 2022–23 season to the team with the best overall record at the end of the regular season . The award is named after Maurice Podoloff , who served as the first commissioner (then president)[ a]
Prior to 2021, the Podoloff Trophy was given to the most valuable player of the NBA regular season. However, this was changed in 2022 when the NBA renamed the MVP trophy after Michael Jordan , and a new Podoloff Trophy was unveiled to reward a team's regular season performance.[ 2] [ 3] [ 4]
The Milwaukee Bucks clinched the first edition of the new Podoloff Trophy on April 5, 2023 with their victory vs. the Chicago Bulls . The Boston Celtics became the second winners of the trophy after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 3, 2024.
Winners
Earlier best records
For reference, the following are teams that finished with the best records in the NBA for each season between 1946–47 and 2021–22 .
Team won the
BAA Championship
Team lost in the BAA Finals
Records
Maurice Podoloff Trophy winners
Team
Best record
Year(s) won
Boston Celtics
19
1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 2007–08, 2023–24
Los Angeles/Minneapolis Lakers
9
1950–51, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1971–72, 1976–77, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1999–2000
Philadelphia 76ers/Syracuse Nationals
6
1949–50, 1954–55, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1982–83
Chicago Bulls
5
1991–92, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2010–11, 2011–12
San Antonio Spurs
5
1994–95, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2013–14
Golden State/Philadelphia Warriors
5
1955–56, 1975–76, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17
Milwaukee Bucks
5
1970–71, 1973–74, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2022–23
Sacramento Kings/Rochester Royals
3
1948–49, 1951–52, 2001–02
Detroit/Fort Wayne Pistons
3
1954–55, 1988–89, 2005–06
Phoenix Suns
3
1992–93, 2004–05, 2021–22
Washington/Baltimore Bullets
2
1968–69, 1978–79
Portland Trail Blazers
2
1977–78, 1990–91
Cleveland Cavaliers
2
2008–09, 2009–10
Utah Jazz
2
1997–98, 2020–21
Washington Capitols
1
1946–47
St. Louis Bombers
1
1947–48
New York Knicks
1
1969–70
Seattle SuperSonics
1
1993–94
Indiana Pacers
1
2003–04
Dallas Mavericks
1
2006–07
Miami Heat
1
2012–13
Houston Rockets
1
2017–18
See also
Notes
^ The official title of the position was President until 1967 when it was changed to Commissioner .[ 1]
References
