Not every NBA fan starts at the same baseline. This quiz ramps from gimmes any casual viewer knows to questions that separate the tape watchers from the highlight reels.
Work through all four tiers, or jump straight to Hard and Impossible if you want to be humbled. Tap each question to reveal the answer.
Easy
Which NBA team plays home games at Madison Square Garden?＋
The New York Knicks.
How many points is a free throw worth in basketball?＋
One point.
Which player is nicknamed The King and won titles with Miami, Cleveland, and the Lakers?＋
LeBron James.
What city do the Chicago Bulls represent?＋
Chicago, Illinois.
Which team is associated with the purple and gold colors in Los Angeles?＋
The Los Angeles Lakers.
How many players from each team are on the court at once?＋
Five players per team.
Which NBA legend wore number 23 for the Chicago Bulls?＋
Michael Jordan.
What is the name of Boston's NBA team?＋
The Boston Celtics.
Which country invented basketball?＋
The United States. James Naismith created the game in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
What shape is a standard basketball hoop?＋
Circular, with a round rim and net.
Medium
Which team won the 2023 NBA Finals?＋
The Denver Nuggets beat the Miami Heat to win their first NBA championship.
Who holds the NBA record for most points scored in a single game?＋
Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in 1962.
Which franchise has won the most NBA championships?＋
The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are tied with 17 titles each.
What is a triple-double in basketball?＋
When a player records double-digit totals in three of five stat categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks) in one game.
Which Canadian city hosts an NBA team?＋
Toronto, home of the Toronto Raptors.
Who was the youngest player to win NBA MVP?＋
Derrick Rose won MVP in 2011 at age 22.
Which team drafted Giannis Antetokounmpo?＋
The Milwaukee Bucks selected Giannis 15th overall in 2013.
What is the shot clock duration in the NBA?＋
24 seconds for a full possession.
Which coach has won the most NBA championships as a head coach?＋
Phil Jackson won 11 titles with the Bulls and Lakers.
What trophy is awarded to the NBA Finals winner?＋
The Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.
Hard
Who holds the NBA record for most career assists?＋
John Stockton with 15,806 assists.
Which team held the record for most wins in a regular season before the 2015-16 Warriors?＋
The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls went 72-10.
What year did the NBA introduce the three-point line?＋
1979-80 was the first season with the three-point line.
Which player won Finals MVP on the losing team in 1969?＋
Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers is the only player to win Finals MVP on a losing team.
Who is the all-time leading scorer in NBA history?＋
LeBron James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer in 2023.
Which expansion team joined the NBA in 1988 along with the Charlotte Hornets?＋
The Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets joined the NBA in 1988.
What is the Malice at the Palace?＋
A 2004 brawl between Detroit Pistons players and Indiana Pacers fans at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Which center led the NBA in blocks for five straight seasons in the 1990s?＋
Hakeem Olajuwon was a dominant shot blocker and led the league in blocks multiple times.
Who coached the Golden State Warriors to the 73-9 record in 2015-16?＋
Steve Kerr coached the Warriors to a 73-9 regular season.
Which ABA franchise merged into the NBA and became a four-time champion in San Antonio?＋
The Spurs began as the Dallas Chaparrals in the ABA before relocating and joining the NBA.
Impossible
Who was the first player picked in the inaugural NBA draft in 1947?＋
Clifton McNeely was selected first by the Pittsburgh Ironmen in 1947.
Which player holds the record for most steals in NBA history?＋
John Stockton holds the career steals record with 3,265.
What was the original name of the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise?＋
The Seattle SuperSonics before relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008.
Who scored 63 points in a 1986 playoff game against the Boston Celtics?＋
Michael Jordan scored 63 points at Boston Garden in a double-overtime loss.
Which team selected Kobe Bryant in the 1996 draft before trading him to the Lakers?＋
The Charlotte Hornets drafted Kobe 13th overall and traded him to Los Angeles.
What is the NBA's single-season record for three-pointers made?＋
Stephen Curry set the record with 402 three-pointers in 2015-16.
Which player won back-to-back Slam Dunk Contest titles in 1987 and 1988?＋
Michael Jordan won consecutive dunk titles in 1987 and 1988.
Who holds the record for most rebounds in a single NBA game?＋
Wilt Chamberlain grabbed 55 rebounds in a game in 1960.
Which coach led the Detroit Pistons to back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990?＋
Chuck Daly coached the Bad Boys Pistons to consecutive championships.
What pick number was Dirk Nowitzki in the 1998 NBA draft?＋
Dirk Nowitzki was selected 9th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks and traded to Dallas.
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