# Maurice Podoloff Trophy

National Basketball Association awards and honors :
Team awards :
Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy
Bob Cousy Trophy
Maurice Podoloff Trophy
Wayne Embry Trophy
Willis Reed Trophy
Chuck Cooper Trophy
Walter A. Brown Trophy (defunct)
Oscar Robertson Trophy
Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton Trophy
Earl Lloyd Trophy
Sam Jones Trophy
NBA Cup :
Individual awards :
All-Star Game MVP
Clutch Player of the Year
Coach of the Year
Comeback Player of the Year (defunct)
Community Assist Award
Defensive Player of the Year
Sixth Man of the Year
Finals MVP
Hustle Award
J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award
IBM Award (defunct)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion
Most Improved Player
Most Valuable Player
Rookie of the Year
Executive of the Year
Conference finals MVP
Sportsmanship Award
Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year
Lifetime Achievement Award :
Honors :
All-NBA Team
All-Rookie Team
All-Defensive Team :
vte :
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) of the NBA from 1946 until 1963.
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.
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 winner of the trophy after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 3, 2024.

## Winners

Winners of the Maurice Podoloff Trophy :
| Year | Winners | Wins | Losses | Win % | Playoff result |
| 2022–23 | Milwaukee Bucks | 58 | 24 | .707 | Lost First Round (MIA) |
| 2023–24 | Boston Celtics | 64 | 18 | .780 | Won NBA Finals |

## 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.

### BAA (1946–1949)

| Year | Winners | Wins | Losses | Win % | Playoff result |
| 1946–47 | Washington Capitols | 49 | 11 | .817 | Lost Semifinals (CHI) |
| 1947–48 | St. Louis Bombers | 29 | 19 | .604 | Lost Semifinals (PHI) |
| 1948–49 | Rochester Royals | 45 | 15 | .750 | Lost Division Finals (MIN) |

### NBA (1950–2022)

| Year | Winners | Wins | Losses | Win % | Playoff result |
| 1949–50 | Syracuse Nationals | 51 | 13 | .797 | Lost NBA Finals (MIN) |
| 1950–51 | Minneapolis Lakers | 44 | 24 | .647 | Lost Division Finals (ROC) |
| 1951–52 | Rochester Royals | 41 | 25 | .621 | Lost Division Finals (MIN) |
| 1952–53 | Minneapolis Lakers | 48 | 22 | .686 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1953–54 | Minneapolis Lakers | 46 | 26 | .686 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1954–55 | Syracuse Nationals | 43 | 29 | .597 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1954–55 | Fort Wayne Pistons | 43 | 29 | .597 | Lost NBA Finals (SYR) |
| 1955–56 | Philadelphia Warriors | 45 | 27 | .625 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1956–57 | Boston Celtics | 44 | 28 | .611 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1957–58 | Boston Celtics | 49 | 23 | .681 | Lost NBA Finals (STL) |
| 1958–59 | Boston Celtics | 52 | 20 | .722 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1959–60 | Boston Celtics | 59 | 16 | .787 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1960–61 | Boston Celtics | 57 | 22 | .722 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1961–62 | Boston Celtics | 60 | 20 | .732 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1962–63 | Boston Celtics | 58 | 22 | .725 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1963–64 | Boston Celtics | 59 | 21 | .738 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1964–65 | Boston Celtics | 62 | 18 | .775 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1965–66 | Philadelphia 76ers | 55 | 25 | .688 | Lost Division Finals (BOS) |
| 1966–67 | Philadelphia 76ers | 68 | 13 | .840 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1967–68 | Philadelphia 76ers | 62 | 20 | .756 | Lost Division Finals (BOS) |
| 1968–69 | Baltimore Bullets | 57 | 25 | .695 | Lost Division Semifinals (NYK) |
| 1969–70 | New York Knicks | 60 | 22 | .732 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1970–71 | Milwaukee Bucks | 66 | 16 | .805 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1971–72 | Los Angeles Lakers | 69 | 13 | .841 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1972–73 | Boston Celtics | 68 | 14 | .829 | Lost Conference Finals (NYK) |
| 1973–74 | Milwaukee Bucks | 59 | 23 | .720 | Lost NBA Finals (BOS) |
| 1974–75 | Boston Celtics | 60 | 22 | .732 | Lost Conference Finals (WAS) |
| 1975–76 | Golden State Warriors | 59 | 23 | .720 | Lost Conference Finals (PHO) |
| 1976–77 | Los Angeles Lakers | 53 | 29 | .646 | Lost Conference Finals (POR) |
| 1977–78 | Portland Trail Blazers | 58 | 24 | .707 | Lost Conference Semifinals (SEA) |
| 1978–79 | Washington Bullets | 54 | 28 | .659 | Lost NBA Finals (SEA) |
| 1979–80 | Boston Celtics | 61 | 21 | .744 | Lost Conference Finals (PHI) |
| 1980–81 | Boston Celtics | 62 | 20 | .756 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1981–82 | Boston Celtics | 63 | 19 | .768 | Lost Conference Finals (PHI) |
| 1982–83 | Philadelphia 76ers | 65 | 17 | .793 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1983–84 | Boston Celtics | 62 | 20 | .756 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1984–85 | Boston Celtics | 63 | 19 | .768 | Lost NBA Finals (LAL) |
| 1985–86 | Boston Celtics | 67 | 15 | .817 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1986–87 | Los Angeles Lakers | 65 | 17 | .793 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1987–88 | Los Angeles Lakers | 62 | 20 | .756 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1988–89 | Detroit Pistons | 63 | 19 | .768 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1989–90 | Los Angeles Lakers | 63 | 19 | .768 | Lost Conference Semifinals (PHO) |
| 1990–91 | Portland Trail Blazers | 63 | 19 | .768 | Lost Conference Finals (LAL) |
| 1991–92 | Chicago Bulls | 67 | 15 | .817 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1992–93 | Phoenix Suns | 62 | 20 | .756 | Lost NBA Finals (CHI) |
| 1993–94 | Seattle SuperSonics | 63 | 19 | .768 | Lost First Round (DEN) |
| 1994–95 | San Antonio Spurs | 62 | 20 | .756 | Lost Conference Finals (HOU) |
| 1995–96 | Chicago Bulls | 72 | 10 | .878 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1996–97 | Chicago Bulls | 69 | 13 | .841 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1997–98 | Utah Jazz | 62 | 20 | .756 | Lost NBA Finals (CHI) |
| 1998–99 | San Antonio Spurs | 37 | 13 | .740 | Won NBA Finals |
| 1999–2000 | Los Angeles Lakers | 67 | 15 | .817 | Won NBA Finals |
| 2000–01 | San Antonio Spurs | 58 | 24 | .707 | Lost Conference Finals (LAL) |
| 2001–02 | Sacramento Kings | 61 | 21 | .744 | Lost Conference Finals (LAL) |
| 2002–03 | San Antonio Spurs | 60 | 22 | .732 | Won NBA Finals |
| 2003–04 | Indiana Pacers | 61 | 21 | .744 | Lost Conference Finals (DET) |
| 2004–05 | Phoenix Suns | 62 | 20 | .756 | Lost Conference Finals (SAS) |
| 2005–06 | Detroit Pistons | 64 | 18 | .780 | Lost Conference Finals (MIA) |
| 2006–07 | Dallas Mavericks | 67 | 15 | .817 | Lost First Round (GSW) |
| 2007–08 | Boston Celtics | 66 | 16 | .805 | Won NBA Finals |
| 2008–09 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 66 | 16 | .805 | Lost Conference Finals (ORL) |
| 2009–10 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 61 | 21 | .744 | Lost Conference Semifinals (BOS) |
| 2010–11 | Chicago Bulls | 62 | 20 | .756 | Lost Conference Finals (MIA) |
| 2011–12 | Chicago Bulls | 50 | 16 | .758 | Lost First Round (PHI) |
| 2012–13 | Miami Heat | 66 | 16 | .805 | Won NBA Finals |
| 2013–14 | San Antonio Spurs | 62 | 20 | .756 | Won NBA Finals |
| 2014–15 | Golden State Warriors | 67 | 15 | .817 | Won NBA Finals |
| 2015–16 | Golden State Warriors | 73 | 9 | .890 | Lost NBA Finals (CLE) |
| 2016–17 | Golden State Warriors | 67 | 15 | .817 | Won NBA Finals |
| 2017–18 | Houston Rockets | 65 | 17 | .793 | Lost Conference Finals (GSW) |
| 2018–19 | Milwaukee Bucks | 60 | 22 | .732 | Lost Conference Finals (TOR) |
| 2019–20 | Milwaukee Bucks | 56 | 17 | .767 | Lost Conference Semifinals (MIA) |
| 2020–21 | Utah Jazz | 52 | 20 | .722 | Lost Conference Semifinals (LAC) |
| 2021–22 | Phoenix Suns | 64 | 18 | .780 | Lost Conference Semifinals (DAL) |