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NBA / Basketball Trivia Questions and Answers

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1. As we all know, things have their inventors, some notable and others anonymous. Basketball however, has it's inventor known. Who invented the game of basketball?


Answer: James Naismith

Interesting Information:
James was born in 1861 an American, Isaac Newton was a physicist, Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president of the USA. John Piper is fictional. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: Basketball: The Start of It All
 
Some incorrect choices:
Isaac Newton, Theodore Roosevelt, John Piper

2. The National Basketball Association was formed in August 1949 when its immediate predecessor, the Basketball Association of America merged with which rival league?


Answer: National Basketball League

Interesting Information:
Prior to the merger five members of the National Basketball League had moved to the BAA--the Baltimore Bullets, Minneapolis Lakers, Rochester Royals, Indianapolis Olympians, and Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons. After the merger, the Syracuse Nationals, Anderson Packers, Sheboygan Red Skins, Denver Nuggets, Waterloo Hawks, and Tri-City Blackhawks moved to the now NBA. The NBA then included seventeen teams including the Chicago Stags, New York Knicks, Washington Capitols, St. Louis Bombers, Philadelphia Warriors, and Boston Celtics of the BAA. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: NBA General Mixture
 
Some incorrect choices:
American Basketball League, Continental Basketball Association, Continental Basketball League

3. At least two players named "World" have played in the NBA. One is Meta World Peace, who was the other?


Answer: World B. Free

Interesting Information:
World B. Free was born as Lloyd Bernard Free and given the nickname of "World" while growing up in New York. It stuck so much that when he turned pro in 1975 that was the name everyone knew him by. Free was an offensive wizard, averaging more than 20 points a game over a career that lasted until 1991.

The other "World" started his career as Ron Artest, and some years after missing nearly an entire season for fighting with a fan during a game changed his name to Metta World Peace. His career started in 2000 with the Chicago Bulls and he changed his name in 2011 while a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. During his career World Peace was known as a defensive stalwart winning the league's defensive player of the year award in 2004. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: NBA Bits & Pieces
 
Some incorrect choices:
Michael World, World Jones, Jarron C. World

4. Who was the first player to average a triple-double per game in one season?


Answer: Oscar Robertson

Interesting Information:
The "Big O' did it in the 1961-1962 NBA season. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: Random NBA
 
Some incorrect choices:
Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West

5. What team did Tayshaun Prince play for in 2005-06, and what college did he come from?


Answer: Detroit Pistons & Kentucky

Interesting Information:
The Detroit Pistons won the 2004-05 NBA Championship with Tayshaun. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: NBA Players and Facts
 
Some incorrect choices:
Detroit Pistons & Syracuse, Houston Rockets & UCLA, LA Lakers & Gonzaga

6. What does NBA stand for?


Answer: National Basketball Association

Interesting Information:
The National Basketball Association was formed in 1945. Although many people say basketball is an American sport, a Canadian by the name of James Naismith invented the sport. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: NBA Combo #1
 
Some incorrect choices:
Nationwide Basketball Athleticism, New Basketball Alliance, No Basketball Allowed

7. Which team eliminated the Washington Wizards from the 2004-2005 playoffs?


Answer: Miami Heat

Interesting Information:
The Wizards came into the playoffs for the first time in many years, beating the Bulls in the first round. The Heat had the best record in the East, and destroyed the Nets in round one. Well, the same thing happened to the Wizards. Miami won four straight to finish off the Wizards, and advance to the Eastern Conference Championship. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Basketball Cafe VII
 
Some incorrect choices:
Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers

8. Who won the 2005 NBA MVP award?


Answer: Steve Nash

Interesting Information:
Nash barely edged Shaq to win the award. He was only the fourth point guard to win the award. The others included Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, and Bob Cousy. Steve averaged 15.5 points per game, 11.5 assists per game, and 3.3 rebounds per game for the 2004-2005 NBA season. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: The Basketball Cafe VI
 
Some incorrect choices:
Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson, Amare Stoudemire

9. Which All-Star is related to NBA player Vince Carter, and played on the same team with him at some point in his career?


Answer: Tracy McGrady

Interesting Information:
Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady are first cousins. They both played for Toronto in 2000, when T-Mac assisted famously VC to win the Slam Dunk Contest. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: Ultimate NBA
 
Some incorrect choices:
Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Steve Nash

10. Paul Shirley was signed by the Suns on Sunday, January 23, 2005, by the Phoenix Suns. How long was his contract?


Answer: 2 years

Interesting Information:
Shirley signed with the Bulls in the 2001 season on a 10-day contract. He then was released, and was signed by the Suns. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Basketball Cafe III
 
Some incorrect choices:
10 days, 1 year, 3 years

11. What player led the NBA in points per game during the 03-04 regular season?


Answer: Tracy McGrady

Interesting Information:
T-Mac averaged 28.0 ppg in that season for Orlando. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: NBA Knowledge
 
Some incorrect choices:
Allen Iverson, Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki

12. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played with the Milwaukee Bucks for six seasons before joining the Lakers. In which year did he move to Los Angeles?


Answer: 1976

Interesting Information:
He played for six seasons with the Bucks, and scored over 2000 points in all but one season. Graduating from UCLA, Kareem came back home in 1976, to help regain the Laker dynasty. Kareem helped the Lakers to eight NBA finals in his 14 seasons in the purple and gold. Abdul-Jabbar (formerly Lew Alcindor) retired from basketball in 1989. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: You Pick 'Em
 
Some incorrect choices:
1989, 1956, 1997

13. Who won the All-Star Slam Dunk contest in 2004?


Answer: Fred Jones

Interesting Information:
Fred Jones won the All-Star Slam Dunk contest in Los Angeles on February 14, 2004. He got a score of 86 beating two-time champion Jason Richardson who got a score of 78. Chris Andersen and Ricky Davis got 3rd and 4th. Richard Jefferson of the New Jersey Nets did not attend this slam dunk contest and neither did Portland Trailblazer Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Miscellaneous NBA
 
Some incorrect choices:
Jason Richardson, Richard Jefferson, Shareef Abdur-Rahim

14. Who was the MVP of the 1999 NBA Finals?


Answer: Tim Duncan

Interesting Information:
It was only Duncan's second year in the NBA when he got the MVP while playing for the Spurs. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: NBA Quickie
 
Some incorrect choices:
David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston

15. What team did Trenton Hassel play for in the 2002-03 regular season?


Answer: Chicago Bulls

Interesting Information:
Trenton Hassel played guard for the Bulls, and started many games in the 2002-03 regular season. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: NBA for the Soul
 
Some incorrect choices:
Denver Nuggets, Seattle Supersonics, Atlanta Hawks

16. Who was the first player to score 100 Points in a game?


Answer: Wilt Chamberlain

Interesting Information:
He did it against New York in March 2, 1962. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: The NBA
 
Some incorrect choices:
Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan

17. Who is called The "Houdini" of basketball?


Answer: Bob Cousy

Interesting Information:
Noted for his steals for Boston, he was well nicknamed. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: NBA Stuff
 
Some incorrect choices:
Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson

18. Who was known as the 'Human Highlight Film'?


Answer: Dominique Wilkins

Interesting Information:
Dominique Wilkins was one of the greatest dunkers of all time, mostly with the Hawks. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: NBA Mixed
 
Some incorrect choices:
Michael Jordan, Julius Erving, Allen Iverson

19. What was Charles Barkley's nickname when he started playing in the NBA?


Answer: The Round Mound of Rebound

From Quiz: Basketball Info
 
Some incorrect choices:
Bark, Loud Mouth, The Large Philly Star

20. What college did Dikembe Mutombo attend?


Answer: Georgetown

Interesting Information:
He went to high school in South Africa until he was noticed by Georgetown scouts. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: Mixed Basketball
 
Some incorrect choices:
Notre Dame, North Carolina, Maryland

21. What is Vince Carter's jersey number?


Answer: 15

Interesting Information:
The ultimate jersey number and it is now famous. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: To The Max
 
Some incorrect choices:
45, 5, 51

22. Who is the NBA all-time leader in assists and steals?


Answer: John Stockton

Interesting Information:
What more is there to say about this man? At only 6' 1" he truly is the greatest NBA player in history inch for inch! Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: For All NBA Fans

23. Initially, the 'BASKETBALL' was what object?


Answer: Soccer ball

Interesting Information:
Basketball was made from soccer balls. Fruits on the other hand would have burst if being used, Meatball also wouldn't be considered good and balloons hilariously would just leave the players running around or burst without getting a few shots! Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: Basketball: The Start of It All
 
Some incorrect choices:
Fruits, Meatball, Balloons

24. From 1949 through 2000, which NBA team won the most championships?


Answer: Boston Celtics

Interesting Information:
The Boston Celtics won sixteen: 1957, 1959, 1960-1966, 1968-1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, and 1986. The Lakers won twelve: 1949-1950, 1952-1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987-1988, and 2000. The Lakers moved from Minneapolis to Los Angles for the 1960-61 season. The Warriors moved to San Francisco for the 1962-63 season, and changed the team name to Golden State for the 1971-72 season. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: NBA General Mixture
 
Some incorrect choices:
Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia/San Francisco/Golden State Warriors

25. The ESPY Award (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award) - the first non-American male athlete to be honored as the top athlete was Dirk Nowitzki. What country did he come from?


Answer: Germany

Interesting Information:
Dirk Nowitzki, a German basketball player, won the award in 2011. The ESPY Awards started in 1993.

Other winners included: Michael Jordan (1993), Barry Bonds (1994), Steve Young (1995), Cal Ripken Jr. (1996), Michael Johnson (1997), Ken Griffey Jr. (1998 tied), Tiger Woods (1998 tied, 2000-02, 08), Mark McGwire (1999) Lance Armstrong (2003-06), LaDainian Tomlinson (2007), Michael Phelps (2009), Drew Brees (2010) and Lebron James (2012-13). Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: NBA Bits & Pieces
 
Some incorrect choices:
Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico

26. How did Michael Jordan cut his right index finger?


Answer: On a Cigar Cutter

Interesting Information:
Michael Jordan won 10 scoring titles in his career. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: NBA Random Stuff
 
Some incorrect choices:
Playing golf, Dunking the ball, Having dinner

27. Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points on March 2, 1962. He was playing against the New York Knicks. What team was Wilt playing for?


Answer: Philadelphia Warriors

Interesting Information:
The final score was 169-147 in favor of the Warriors. He had 41 at halftime and hit the shot to give him 100 with 46 seconds left. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Random NBA Stuff
 
Some incorrect choices:
San Francisco Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, St. Louis Hawks

28. Tracy McGrady was drafted by the ______, but later traded to the Magic, and later the Rockets.


Answer: Toronto Raptors

Interesting Information:
He also played with his cousin Vince Carter on the Raptors. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: NBA Players and Facts
 
Some incorrect choices:
LA Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat

29. In the 2005-2006 season who resigned as the Miami Heat's head coach?


Answer: Stan Van Gundy

Interesting Information:
Van Gundy resigned and left a wide open spot for coaching great Pat Riley. Time will tell if Riley can keep up as being a great leader. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Basketball Cafe VIII
 
Some incorrect choices:
Pat Riley, Kurt Rambis, John Lucas

30. Which team had two players competing in the 2004-05 three-point contest?


Answer: Phoenix Suns

Interesting Information:
Quentin Richardson and Joe Johnson both competed in the 2004-05 three-point contest. Quentin Richardson won the event and Joe Johnson finished third next to Kyle Korver of the Philadelphia 76ers. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: NBA Combo #2
 
Some incorrect choices:
San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets

31. How did the Toronto Raptors acquire Vince Carter in 1998?


Answer: Trade

Interesting Information:
The Toronto Raptors drafted Antawn Jamison in the 1998 draft. They then traded with the Golden State Warriors for Vince Carter. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: NBA Combo #1
 
Some incorrect choices:
Draft pick, Signed a free agent, Picked up on waivers

32. How many quarters are there in an NBA game?


Answer: 4

Interesting Information:
There are 4 quarters, each 12 minutes long. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: The Basketball Cafe VII
 
Some incorrect choices:
6, 2, 3

33. This guard played for the Memphis Grizzlies and wore the number 41 for the 2004-05 season. He showed great skill as he came out of Xavier in 1999. He was selected in the first round of the 1999 NBA Draft, the 18th pick overall. Who is he?


Answer: James Posey

Interesting Information:
Posey was a great player in college and was selected to be on the 1999 NBA All-Rookie second team. His first ever double-double was against the Sacramento Kings on January 12, 2001. James flew with 19 rebounds and 12 points in this game. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Basketball Cafe VI
 
Some incorrect choices:
Dahntay Jones, Pau Gasol, Mike Williams

34. Which number did Michael Jordan wear in his comeback to the NBA?


Answer: 45

Interesting Information:
MJ retired from the NBA to pursue other interests. After a short stint in Major League Baseball with the White Sox, he returned in the number 45 jersey for the Bulls. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: Ultimate NBA
 
Some incorrect choices:
47, 23, 1

35. Who created basketball?


Answer: James Naismith

Interesting Information:
Naismith created the sport in the late 1800s. He was Canadian. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: NBA Knowledge
 
Some incorrect choices:
Jefferson Davis, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, Jacque Vonguberhimen

36. Which Hall of Fame great played with the Philadelphia 76ers?


Answer: Hal Greer

Interesting Information:
After playing for five seasons with the Syracuse Nationals, Greer came to the 76ers for 10 more seasons. Greer was known for not only being a great guard, but shot his free throws from the corner of the key. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: You Pick 'Em
 
Some incorrect choices:
Jerry West, Jason Kidd, John Havlicek

37. During the years of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), the New York Knicks were one of the teams. In their opening game they faced off in Toronto. What was Toronto's team name back then?


Answer: Huskies

Interesting Information:
This game was on November 1, 1946, and the Knicks won 68-66. In 1946, there were not many teams. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Basketball Cafe

38. Which NBA player was involved in an infamous 'choking' incident during the 1997-98 NBA season?


Answer: Latrell Sprewell

Interesting Information:
On December 1, 1997, Latrell Sprewell and coach P.J. Carlesimo had a run-in during a Golden State Warriors practice. The confrontation apparently resulted in Sprewell wrapping his hands around Carlesimo's neck in a choking position. As a result of the incident, Sprewell was suspended for the rest of the NBA season (68 games) during which time he was traded to the New York Knicks. Carlesimo stuck around for another two years, but was finally fired by the Warriors during the 1989-90 season. His overall record with the team...46-113. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: Mixed NBA Basketball #3
 
Some incorrect choices:
Shaquille O'Neal, Derrick Coleman, Dennis Rodman

39. Who set a Cleveland Cavaliers record for career assists, when he left Cleveland in 1995?


Answer: Mark Price

Interesting Information:
He had over 4,206 assists at Cleveland (1986 to 1995). Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: NBA History
 
Some incorrect choices:
Andre Miller, John Stockton, Dan Issel

40. Where was the 2002 NBA All-Star Game played?


Answer: Philadelphia

Interesting Information:
His first season after his second retirement, Michael jordan played in this All-Star game. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: NBA Quickie
 
Some incorrect choices:
Washington, Dallas, Detroit
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