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.Â
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!
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.
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.
Bill Russell won 11 Championships with the Boston Celtics. He only played 13 seasons.
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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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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During his short career, Yao Ming was one of the most dominant defenders in the game. However, injuries cut his playing career short.
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.
Jerry West spent his playing career with the Lakers. After he retired, he helped multiple franchises win titles while working for their front offices.
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Kareem was one of the most unstoppable offensive weapons during his playing career. This was in part to his mastery of the Sky Hook.
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.
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.
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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.
The Rockets were one of the most dominant teams of the '90s. They were led by Hakeem Olajuwon, a native of Nigeria.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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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.
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. ​
The Celtics have 17 NBA Championships. Their latest Championship was in 2008.
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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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
Wilt Chamberlain put up insane numbers as a player. That's not an understatement. He once grabbed 55 rebounds against the Boston Celtics.
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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."
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.
Scott Styles provided 30 assists in a 1990 game against the Denver Nuggets. He also scored 22 points and had six rebounds.
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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.