Basketball: 2019-20 NBA Season Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. 2019 NBA Draft - Duke's Zion Williamson was a heavy favorite to be drafted first overall, and he did go first with the Pelicans. Who was drafted second overall after him?

Answer: Ja Morant

Morant eventually won Rookie of the year playing for the Memphis Grizzlies. Williamson didn't play his first NBA game until January 2020. Barrett went third overall on this year's draft. Doncic got drafted in 2018 and Edwards got drafted in 2020.

2. The basketball world was shocked and saddened by the loss of this Hall of Famer and basketball icon, who died in a helicopter crash in January 2020. Numerous tributes were given to him during the season due to his untimely passing. Who was he?

Answer: Kobe Bryant

Known as the Black Mamba, Bryant, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others were killed when their helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California on January 26th. Stern, the former commissioner died just days before Kobe on January 1st due to a stroke. Unseld passed away on June 2nd of the same year after suffering lengthy health battles. Baylor died of natural causes in 2021.

3. The NBA All-Star Game introduced a new format for the first time this season. What was it?

Answer: Elam Ending

During the game, the scores reset on the end of every quarter and on the 4th quarter, there is no game clock and there is a target score, which is determined by adding 24 points (in honor of Kobe Bryant) to the team with the most total points after three quarters. Team Lebron edged Team Giannis 157-155. Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers won the inaugural Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP Award.

The Draft-Style format was introduced in 2018, after playing the East vs. West format from 1951-2017.

4. In March 2020, the NBA suspended all of its games for the rest of the season. What caused the league to suspend its remaining games?

Answer: COVID-19 Pandemic

Some teams planned to play the games without fans. Then the league made the decision on March 11th due to the looming health crisis and some players testing positive. The Wildcat Strike happened during the bubble in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, WI.

5. On June 4th, the Board of Governors convened to resume the games under a bubble setup. Where was the bubble held?

Answer: Orlando, FL

The season resumed in an isolation zone at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, in the Orlando area. Out of the 30 teams, only 22 teams were invited, which was determined by their standings prior to suspending the season last March. All teams in the bubble played eight seeding games to determine playoff seedings with a play-in tournament if the eighth and ninth seeded teams in the conference is separated by four games or less. A traditional postseason format was played to determine the NBA Champion.

The bubble was held with the aim of protecting and ensuring the safety of the players while they resume playing the rest of the season. The league implemented stringent protocols in the bubble and players should quarantine for 48 hours before entry until they register two negative tests and an antibody test. Daily tests were made every night as part of the league's protocols. Any player testing positive must do self-quarantine for at least seven days.

6. The NBA presented an MVP award to the player who performed the best during the seeding games in the bubble. Who won this award?

Answer: Damian Lillard

Lillard averaged 37.6 points per game and led the Trailblazers to an eventual playoff berth. Warren, Booker and Harden together with Luka Doncic joined Lillard in the Bubble Seeding Games First Team selection. All-Seeding Second Team includes eventual season MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Kristaps Porzingis, Michael Porter Jr. and Caris LeVert. Also, the league handed out as well the Coach of the Seeding Games award which was won by Monty Williams, who led the Phoenix Suns to a perfect 8-0 record in the bubble despite barely missing the play-in tournament.

7. Which team won the first-ever play-in tournament game that was held in the bubble?

Answer: Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers had a twice-to-beat advantage and only needed to win one game to advance against the ninth-seeded Grizzlies. Portland held off Memphis in this game, 126-122 to make it to the playoffs. They lost to the eventual champion Lakers in five games of their first round matchup.

8. Which team came back from a 3-1 series deficit twice in the bubble, an NBA first?

Answer: Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic, led Denver to its first Western Conference Finals berth since 2009. They came back from 3-1 down to the Jazz in the First Round and did the same to the Clippers in the Semifinals.

9. Which team, seeded fifth in the East, made an unprecedented run in the playoffs to reach the NBA Finals?

Answer: Miami Heat

The Heat made an unlikely run by sweeping the fourth seed Pacers in Round One, beating the top seeded Bucks in five games and then took care of the third seed Boston Celtics to represent the East in the NBA Finals. Unfortunately, they fell short of winning the title as they lost in the Finals to the Lakers, 4-2.

10. The Los Angeles Lakers won the 2020 NBA title by beating the Miami Heat, 4-2 in the Finals. Who eventually won the Bill Russell Finals MVP Award, which happened to be his 4th Finals MVP?

Answer: LeBron James

James also won it in 2012, 2013 (both with Miami) and 2016 (Cleveland). Davis also won a title with this Laker squad. Westbrook did not play for the Lakers until the 2021-22 season. Durant won his two Finals MVPs as a member of the Golden State Warriors.

Source: Author jameskenz

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor 1nn1 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

An NBA season full of surprises and challenges like no other. From the ring ceremony in Toronto to the bubble in Orlando, it's time to look back at one of the more compelling seasons the NBA has ever had.

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>