Prove You’re the Biggest NBA Superfan With These 110 Trivia Questions and Answers

With over 825 million fans worldwide, the National Basketball Association is one of the most popular sports to watch. And with the NBA finals in full swing, all of the (so-called) super fans have come out to play (figuratively speaking, of course). But who really knows their stuff? Find out by checking out these NBA basketball trivia questions and answers.

The NBA has always been exciting to watch with players like Jordan, Magic and Shaq of the past, and Lebron, James Harden and Kyrie Irving of the present. All have been vital in forming basketball into what it is today—pure entertainment!

The dunks! The rejections! What’s not to love?

But, seriously, how well do you think you know the sport?

We may just stump even the most hardened NBA fan into learning something new about basketball. (They, of course, can then take that knowledge and stump all of their friends!)

So, sit back and read through our comprehensive list of 110 NBA trivia questions, along with their answers—and see if you, yourself, can claim the title of "NBA superfan."

110 Best NBA Trivia Questions and Answers

1. Who is the only team to defeat the Celtics at Boston (Madison Square) Garden during the 1985-1986 season?

Answer: Portland Trail Blazers

2. George Gervin’s 'most points scored in a quarter’ record was broken in 2015, by this player—who still holds the record today. (Bonus points if you know how many points he scored!)

Answer: Klay Thompson (37 points)

3. The first NBA game was played between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Huskies in what year?’

Answer: 1946

4. Not only was he the first African American drafted into the NBA, but he was also the first official NBA player by a signed contract.

Answer: Chuck Cooper

5. The National Basketball Association was originally called what?

Answer: The Basketball Association of America

6. Held in Boston Madison Square Garden Club, the first NBA All-Star game took place in what year?

Answer: 1951

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Trivia Questions and Answers About NBA Finals

1. Which NBA team has made the most appearances in the finals?

Answer: Los Angeles Lakers (32 appearances)

2. The Lakers are tied with what other NBA team with 17 Championships?

Answer: Boston Celtics

3. Who is the only active NBA franchise with multiple Final appearances, with no losses?

Answer: Chicago Bulls

4. In 1995, this 6-seed was the lowest-seeded team in NBA history to win a Championship.

Answer: Houston Rockets

5. The first and only team based outside the United States to win an NBA title or reach the NBA Finals.

Answer: Toronto Raptors

6. Which player has the most career blocks in the Finals?

Answer: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

7. This player has the most turnovers in the Finals.

Answer: LeBron James

8. In one series, who had the most steals?

Answer: Isaiah Thomas (20) 1988

9. This player had the most 3-point field goals, during one series of the Finals.

Answer: Steph Curry (32) 2016

10. Who is the player that led in overall career point tally in the Finals?

Answer: Jerry West (1,679)

11. What NBA team has made the most franchise Final appearances without winning a title?

Answer: Phoenix Suns

12. They are the only franchise to move from the ABA to the NBA, and subsequently win a championship?

Answer: San Antonio Spurs

13. Which player managed to win the NBA Finals MVP Award, even though they were on the losing team?

Answer: Jerry West

14. Which was the first team to make it to the NBA finals ten years running?

Answer: Boston Celtics (1959-1969)

15. A legendary player, he had the most NBA Finals appearances. **(Bonus: How many of those were championships?)

Answer: Bill Russell (12) **(Bonus: He had 11 championships!)

16. The last team to sweep their opponent in a Final.

Answer: Antonio Spurs swept the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 (2007)

17. This team has the best winning percentage in the Finals.

Answer: Chicago Bulls 24-11 (.686 winning percentage)

18. During the finals, this player held the highest points per game (ppg) average (calculated from a minimum of 10 games)? (Hint: It wasn’t Michael Jordan!)

Answer: Rick Barry

19. Which team won the first NBA Championship?

Answer: Philadelphia Warriors (1946-47)

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Quiz Questions and Answers About NBA Teams

1. Name one of the two possible teams with the most MVPs awarded.

Answer: Los Angeles Lakers or Boston Celtics - (Both with 17)

2. What NBA team was the first to win 70 games in one season?

Answer: Chicago Bulls

3. The first team to hire a woman on their coaching staff?

Answer: San Antonio Spurs (Becky Hammon, 2014)

4. In 2004 an altercation occurred mid-game between two teams in an incident that became known as ‘Malice at the Palace’. Which two teams were involved?

Answer: Indiana Pacers & Detroit Pistons

5. How many championships did the Boston Celtics win from 1957 to 1969?

Answer: The Boston Celtics (11 championships in 13 seasons)

6. This Miami team joined the NBA in 1988.

Answer: Heat

7. What team plays at the Target Center?

Answer: Minnesota Timberwolves

8. Known as the Chicago Packers until 2008, when they became this NBA franchise?

Answer: Washington Wizards

9. Name one of the two original roster NBA teams to have never changed names or moved location?

Answer: Boston Celtics or New York Knicks

10. Which team did Larry Bird coach during the 1997-98 season?

Answer: Indian Pacers

11. This famous rapper is often seen courtside at which NBA team’s games?

Answer: Drake, Toronto Raptors

12. Kevin Garnett, in the 1990s, was the first player in 20 years drafted straight from high school by this team

Answer: Minnesota Timberwolves

13. Which team beat the 1996 Chicago Bulls record 72 wins in a season?

Answer: Golden State Warriors (2016)

14. Golden State Warriors were originally from what city?

Answer: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

15. The Detroit Pistons were originally called what?

Answer: Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons

16. What is the name of the area that hosts both LA-based teams?

Answer: Staples Center

17. What team ended the Phoenix Suns' run and knocked them out of the 2006 NBA Playoffs?

Answer: Dallas Mavericks

18. What was the team famously named, that America sent to the 1992 Olympics, when professionals were allowed to play?

Answer: The Dream Team

19. Which 8th-seeded team became the only team to reach the NBA Finals?

Answer: New York Knicks

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Trivia Questions and Answers About NBA Players

1. Who was the shortest player to ever win the Slam Dunk contest?

Answer: Spud Webb (5' 6")

2. Which player attempted a record number of free throws (39) in an NBA post-season game?

Answer: Shaquille O’Neal

3. Who was the first player to win the MVP in consecutive seasons?

Answer: Bill Russell (1961-62 & 1962-63 seasons)

4. Who was the legendary player known as 'The Mailman'?

Answer: Karl Malone

5. Which basketball players retired from the NBA with the highest career-scoring ppg average?

Answer: Michael Jordan (30.12 ppg)

6. Which basketball player is credited with the introduction of the one-handed shot?

Answer: Hank Luisetti

7. Who was the first to receive the NBA Rookie of the Year award?

Answer: Don Meineke - Fort Wayne Piston (1952-53)

8. Ah, the headband. Who was the player credited with starting the iconic trend?

Answer: Nate “Tiny” Archibald

9. Who was the first player in the NBA to hit an elusive triple-double season?

Answer: Oscar Robertson (1961-62)

10. The first NBA athlete to win both the MVP and Rookie of the Year titles in the same season?

Answer: Wilt Chamberlain

11. In 1993, this NBA player took a break from basketball to play baseball in the minors, returning in 1995 to the NBA. Who was it?

Answer: Michael Jordan

12. Out of the following NBA players, which one did NOT win the Rookie of the Year award: Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson or David Robinson?

Answer: Magic Jonson

13. Who said, “If all I’m remembered for is being a good basketball player, then I’ve done a bad job with the rest of my life.”

Answer: Isiah Thomas

14. What active NBA player holds the single-game record for the most shot attempts without making a basket?

Answer: Tim Hardaway

15. Back in 1993 the Dallas Mavericks had the ‘Triple J’s’. Who were these three players?

Answer: Jason Kidd, Jim Jackson, Jamal Mashburn.

16. Current NBA player with the highest 3-point field goal percentage?

Answer: Luke Kennard - Memphis Grizzlies (49.5%)

17. Who is the player that still holds the scoring record for a single game, set by making 100 points?

Answer: Wilt Chamberlain

18. This player played the fewest minutes in an NBA game before fouling out?

Answer: Bubba Wells (3 minutes!)

19. Kobe Bryant scored a whopping 81 points in a 2006 NBA game, but who was the last player to reach the 70-point range in a game?

Answer: David Robinson

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Trivia Questions and Answers About NBA Team Owners

1. Who owns the New York Knicks?

Answer: James Dolan

2. Who owns the Los Angeles Lakers?

Answer: Jeanie Buss

3. Who owns the Boston Celtics?

Answer: Wyc Grousbeck

4. Who owns the Chicago Bulls?

Answer: Jerry Reinsdorf

5. Who owns the San Antonio Spurs?

Answer: Peter Holt

6. Who owns the Golden State Warriors?

Answer: Joe Lacob

7. Who owns the Houston Rockets?

Answer: Tilman Fertitta

8. Who owns the Philadelphia 76ers?

Answer: Joshua Harris

9. Who owns the Phoenix Suns?

Answer: Robert Sarver

10. Who owns the Portland Trail Blazers?

Answer: Paul Allen

11. Who owns the Milwaukee Bucks?

Answer: Marc Lasry and Wes Edens

12. Who owns the Atlanta Hawks?

Answer: Tony Ressler

13. Who owns the Brooklyn Nets?

Answer: Joseph Tsai

14. Who owns the Charlotte Hornets?

Answer: Michael Jordan

15. Who owns the Cleveland Cavaliers?

Answer: Dan Gilbert

16. Who owns the Denver Nuggets?

Answer: Ann Walton Kroenke

17. Who owns the Detroit Pistons?

Answer: Tom Gores

18. Who owns the Orlando Magic?

Answer: Rich DeVos

19. Who owns the Dallas Mavericks?

Answer: Mark Cuban

Trivia Questions and Answers About NBA Basketball Rules and Regulations

1. How many personal fouls does it take to get ejected from an NBA basketball game?

Answer: Six

2. When was the shot clock introduced into NBA regulation?

Answer: 1954-55 season

3. The three-point line is how many feet from the hoop?

Answer: 23’ 9”

4. How tall is the hoop in the NBA?

Answer: 10 feet

5. How long does a team have to get the ball into play from out-of-bounds?

Answer: Five seconds

6. Once a team has inbounded the ball and play begins, how much time do they have to advance the ball past half-court?

Answer: 10 seconds

7. What is it called if a player interferes with a ball’s downward trajectory after it has been shot?

Answer: Goaltending

8. A player may not linger in the “paint” or “key” area under the basket for more than how many seconds?

Answer: Three seconds

9. What does the term ‘one and one’ mean?

Answer: It means for every free throw a team shoots, if they make it, they will get to throw another one, after they make it to bonus shooting.

10. How many team fouls will give the opposing team a "double bonus," or two free throw chances?

Answer: 10 team fouls

11. What is the penalty called for illegal contact?

Answer: Personal foul

12. A personal foul that has gotten to the point it may cause harm to another player is then called what?

Answer: Flagrant foul

13. With the referee and two players, an NBA game is started with a what?

Answer: Jump ball

14. There is no limit to how many overtime periods are played between teams, but each overtime session is limited to how many minutes each?

Answer: Five minutes

15. When a team is granted a time-out, play will resume only when?

Answer: The time-out clock has expired

16. Which team gets the ball after two players tie up the ball and a "jump ball" is called?

Answer: The team that has the possession arrow pointing to them.

17. Progressing in any direction in excess of the prescribed limits, normally two steps, while holding the ball is called?

Answer: Traveling

18. A strategy used by a team, based on speed, is called?

Answer: Fastbreak

19. What is the maximum time a player can hold the ball, once past half-court?

Answer: Five seconds

Basketball Trivia Questions and Answers

1. When was basketball invented?

Answer: 1891

2. Who invented the sport of basketball?

Answer: James Naismith

3. What's it called when someone throws the ball close to the net and another player dunks it in?

Answer: An alley-oop

4. How many points is a free-throw worth?

Answer: Three points

5. What happens after a player double-dribbles?

Answer: The other team gets the ball

6. What is a "brick" in basketball?

Answer: A shot that bounces off the rim or backboard and does not go in

7. When was basketball first introduced into the Olympics?

Answer: 1936

8. When basketball was first invented, what were the baskets that were used?

Answer: Two half-bushel peach baskets.

9. What is the average length of a basketball game?

Answer: Around two hours (although each quarter is 12 minutes)

And there you have it!

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