Image: Wiki commons
About This Quiz
"Basketball is my favorite sport. I like the way they dribble up and down the court." If these lyrics describe you and your favorite sport, you're ready to slam dunk this quiz. When it comes to the NBA, let's put your trivia skills to the test!
Basketball is a sport that goes back to the late 1800s. Created by James Naismith in 1891, it was first played in Springfield, Massachusetts. From then on, the sport would take on a life of its own and become one of the most watched athletic games on TV. 55 years later, the NBA was born.ÂÂ
The first NBA game ever is said to be the 1946 game between the Toronto Huskies and the New York Knickerbockers. Since then the sport has grown to thirty teams separated into Eastern and Western Conferences. With over 70 years of NBA history, how much of it do you remember?
Who is the Hall of Fame named after? What did they call the NBA players headed to the 1992 Olympics? Which NBA player won the most championships?
If you answered James Naismith, Dream Team, and Bill Russell, you're ready for this quiz! Not everyone can make the shot when they take this quiz, can you? Will you be shooting an airball or getting the slam dunk? Let's find out!
Who was the Finals MVP for the Celtics in the 2008 NBA Championship?
Kevin Garnett
Paul Pierce
Paul Pierce's nickname is "The Truth." The name was given to him by Shaquille O'Neal after Pierce scored 42 points on O'Neal's Lakers.
Ray Allen
Rajon Rondo
Who helped create the Air Jordan brand?
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan was known for his high flying dunks and scoring ability. This is one of the reasons he is widely considered the greatest player of all time.
Lebron James
DeAndre Jordan
Kobe Bryant
How many titles did Bill Russell win?
2
0
4
11
Bill Russell won 11 Championships with the Boston Celtics. He only played 13 seasons.
Advertisement
Who coached the Chicago Bulls during their six Championship run?
Pat Riley
Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson was known for the Triangle Offense. The goal of the offense was to create more spacing for players, giving them more room to work their defenders.
Gregg Popovich
Stan Van Gundy
Who helped Kobe Bryant win his first three rings?
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaq and Kobe had a complicated relationship. Though they won three titles together, Shaq was shipped out of L.A. because their relationship had deteriorated beyond repair.
Magic Johnson
Steve Nash
Larry Bird
What position did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar play?
Point Guard
Shooting Guard
Center
Kareem won more NBA MVP Awards than any other player in the history of the league. At the end of his career, he had six MVP Awards and was a six-time​ NBA Champion.
Small Forward
Advertisement
What were the '80s Lakers called?
Bad Boys
Dream Team
Pass and Gas
Show Time
The Show Time Lakers were known for pushing the ball up the court, passing, and scoring. This was orchestrated by Magic Johnson, the team's leader.
Who was Magic Johnson's rival?
Larry Bird
The rivalry between Magic and Bird can be traced back to college basketball. In the 1979 NCAA Basketball Championship, the two players competed against one another, with Magic's Michigan​ State Spartans taking home the trophy.
Michael Jordan
James Worthy
Julius Erving
Who coached Tim Duncan and the Spurs?
Pat Riley
Gregg Popovich
Though he still coaches, Gregg Popovich is considered by some to be the greatest coach of all time. Of course, having players like Tim Duncan helped.
Chuck Dailey
Mike Van Gundy
Advertisement
For what team did Yao Ming play?
Heat
Kings
Knicks
Rockets
During his short career, Yao Ming was one of the most dominant defenders in the game. However, injuries cut his playing career short.
Which player scored 100 points in a game?
Michael Jordan
LeBron James
Wilt Chamberlain
In a 1962 game between Philadelphia and New York, Wilt Chamberlain put on an unstoppable performance. He scored 100 points and grabbed 25 rebounds to go along with it.
Kobe Bryant
Who's on the NBA logo?
Jerry West
Jerry West spent his playing career with the Lakers. After he retired, he helped multiple franchises win titles while working for their front offices.
Michael Jordan
Julius Erving
Moses Malone
Advertisement
Who is the NBA's all-time leading scorer?
Michael Jordan
Larry Bird
Karl Malone
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem was one of the most unstoppable offensive weapons during his playing career. This was in part to his mastery of the Sky Hook.
Who drafted Shaquille O'Neal?
Lakers
Pistons
Magic
Shaq's power and dunking ability made him one of the most unstoppable forces in the NBA. He would win four NBA Championships during his playing career.
Suns
How many MVP awards did Larry Bird win?
0
3
Larry Bird was selected 6th overall in the 1978 draft by the Boston Celtics. He had a successful career, but it was cut short by injuries as he aged.
7
1
Advertisement
Who played point guard for the Bad Boy Pistons in the '80s and early '90s?
Reggie Miller
Dennis Rodman
John Salley
Isaiah Thomas
Isaiah Thomas is regarded as one of the best point guards to ever play the game. He led the Pistons to two NBA championships during his time there.
Who won two NBA titles while Michael Jordan played baseball?
Raptors
Kings
Rockets
The Rockets were one of the most dominant teams of the '90s. They were led by Hakeem Olajuwon, a native of Nigeria.
Nets
Where did Charles Barkley play college basketball?
Duke
Miami
North Carolina
Auburn
Charles Barkley was often referred to as "The Round Mound of Rebound" because of his rebounding ability. The season he won the MVP Award, Barkley averaged 12 rebounds and 25 points.
Advertisement
Who drafted LeBron James?
Cavaliers
Coming out of high school, LeBron James was seen as the next Michael Jordan. He's lived up to the hype though his playing style resembles Magic Johnson more than Michael Jordan.
Lakers
Thunder
Hornets
Who beat the Lakers in the 2004 NBA Championship?
Celtics
Magic
Heat
Pistons
In the 2004 playoffs, the Lakers were poised to win their fourth straight NBA Championship. However, the Pistons, with their defensive style of play, beat them in five games.
Who coached the 2006 Miami Heat?
Pat Riley
With the acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal, the Heat advanced to the 2006 NBA Finals. However, it was Dwyane Wade who won Finals MVP for his outstanding performance.
Phil Jackson
Stan Van Gundy
Doc Rivers
Advertisement
How many NBA Championships does Phil Jackson have?
6
5
3
11
Phil Jackson has more NBA titles than every NBA franchise except the Celtics and the Lakers. Of course, part of that is because he had Michael Jordan.
Who did Cleveland beat after going down 3-1 in the 2016 NBA Finals?
Warriors
Led by LeBron James, Cleveland pulled off the impossible in 2016 by upsetting the Golden State Warriors. During the regular season, the Warriors had set the single-season record for wins with 73. ​
Spurs
Thunder
Clippers
Which team has the most NBA Championships?
Lakers
Celtics
The Celtics have 17 NBA Championships. Their latest Championship was in 2008.
Bulls
Knicks
Advertisement
Who did Allen Iverson lead to the NBA Finals?
Nuggets
Pistons
Nets
76ers
The 76ers built a defensive team around Allen Iverson. With Allen scoring 30 or more points a game, he led the 76ers through the 2001 playoffs to meet the Lakers in the Finals.
Who beat the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals?
Timberwolves
Mavericks
The Heat were large favorites to win this matchup after adding LeBron James in the off season. However, an unstoppable Dirk Nowitzki had other plans.
Spurs
Thunder
How many NBA Championships did Kobe Bryant win?
0
3
5
Kobe won one more Championship by the end of his career than Shaq, who finished with four. He made sure to note this after winning his fifth title.
11
Advertisement
Who averaged a triple-double in the 2016-2017 season?
Steph Curry
Kyrie Erving
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook was blindsided by the departure of Kevin Durant prior to the 2016-17 season. As the only star left on the team, Westbrook put up crazy numbers, averaging a triple-double​ on his way to winning the MVP Award.
Chris Paul
Where did Anthony Davis play college basketball?
Kentucky
Anthony Davis is known as "The Brow" because he sports a unibrow. When he's healthy, he is one of the most dominant big men in the game.
Florida
Duke
USC
Who had the most rebounds in a single game?
Shaquille O'Neal
Charles Barkley
Bill Russell
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain put up insane numbers as a player. That's not an understatement. He once grabbed 55 rebounds against the Boston Celtics.
Advertisement
For what team did David Robinson play?
Kings
Spurs
David Robinson was a two-time NBA Champion with the Spurs. When he was on the floor with Tim Duncan, they were known as "The Twin Towers."
Mavericks
Clippers
How many points did Kobe Bryant score in his final NBA game?
4
25
33
60
Kobe put on a show for his last game as a Laker. He scored 60 points in one of the most legendary final games ever.
Who has the most assists in a single game?
Scott Skiles
Scott Styles provided 30 assists in a 1990 game against the Denver Nuggets. He also scored 22 points and had six rebounds.
Magic Johnson
Steve Nash
John Stockton
Advertisement
What was Karl Malone's nickname?
The Plow
The Goat
The Mailman
Karl Malone and John Stockton were one of the most dynamic duo attacks in NBA history. They were known for their pick-and-roll offense where John would pass the ball and Karl would put it in the hoop.
The Monster
You Got:
/35
Wiki commons