Magic Johnson's Most Magical Moments Trivia Quiz | Sports

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1. It was a magical moment when, in one of the most watched and publicized games at that time, Magic Johnson helped the Michigan State Spartans win the 1979 NCAA Championship and was crowned the Final Four MVP. Against which college team, starring Larry Bird, did Magic help accomplish this feat?

Answer: Indiana State Sycamores

Played March 26, 1979, in Salt Lake City, the 1979 NCAA Finals is considered one of the greatest college basketball games of all time. It was the first ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the Indiana State Sycamores, but they proved they were worthy of their 33-0 record when they advanced to the final game.

Their only loss that season came in the championship, 75-64, against Magic Johnson and the Michigan State Spartans, who finished the season with a 26-6 record. The rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson would continue well throughout their NBA careers.

2. It was a magical moment when Magic Johnson was chosen by the LA Lakers as the very first pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. What year in college, at Michigan State, had Magic just completed prior to becoming professional?

Answer: Sophomore

Magic Johnson only played two years of college basketball prior to being drafted by the Lakers, just two months shy of his 20th birthday. After having finished the 1978-79 season with a 47-35 record, the Lakers had the privilege of first pick in the draft through a trade deal with the Utah Jazz.

3. It was a magical moment when, during Magic Johnson's rookie season with the LA Lakers, the team went 60-22 and won the 1980 NBA Championship. Because of his outstanding play, Magic Johnson impressively became the first ever rookie to be awarded the NBA Finals MVP. Which team, with star player Julius Erving, did Magic and the Lakers beat for the title?

Answer: Philadelphia 76ers

The Lakers, with their star rookie Magic Johnson, beat the Philadelphia 76ers four games to two to win the 1980 NBA Finals. It was Magic's performance in game 6 that sealed his nomination as Finals MVP, with an incredible 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists.

The Lakers other superstar, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, scored 40 points in game five, but was not allowed to play in the final game due to a bad ankle. Even without their other future Hall of Fame star, Magic Johnson stepped up and led his team to victory.

In doing so, he became only one of four players at the time to win both an NCAA and NBA Championship in consecutive years. The Lakers beat the 76ers in the NBA Finals again, in 1982.

4. Magical moments were abundant whenever Magic Johnson took to the court vs. his main rival since their college days, Larry Bird. The thrilling Magic vs. Bird rivalry was showcased on the NBA's highest stage, the NBA Finals, on multiple occasions. Which of the following is true of this championship rivalry?

Answer: The Lakers faced the Celtics in the NBA Finals three times and won twice, in 1985 and 1987

Magic Johnson and the Lakers faced Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals three times. The Lakers lost the first bout in 1984, but then won in 1985 and 1987. The Lakers did win consecutive NBA Championships, beating the Celtics in 1987, but beat the Detroit Pistons in 1988.

The Celtics also won two additional championships in the 1980's, in 1981 and 1986, both against the Houston Rockets.

5. In twelve complete NBA seasons, from 1979-80 to 1990-91, Magic Johnson helped lead the LA Lakers to the NBA Finals nine times, and the Lakers won five. Magic Johnson's final championship series appearance was in 1991. Despite losing, there were many magical moments watching Magic square off against one of his biggest friendly rivals for the first and only time in the NBA Finals. Who did Magic and the Lakers face in his last, the 1991 NBA Finals?

Answer: Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls

Prior to Magic Johnson's rookie season in 1979-80, the last time the Lakers played in the NBA Finals was in 1973. After he retired in 1991, the Lakers did not make the Finals until 2000. Clearly, Magic Johnson was a key common factor to the Lakers' decade of dominance. Of his nine NBA Finals appearances, Magic and the Lakers faced the 76ers three times and won twice.

They also faced Larry Bird and the Celtics three times, and won twice. They faced the Detroit Pistons in consecutive years, in 1987 and 1988, and won the first of the two. Starting in and including 1991, Michael Jordan and the Bulls went on to win six NBA Championships over the next eight seasons.

6. There were many magical moments in the 906 regular season NBA games Magic Johnson played in, all with the LA Lakers, and some not so magical. Over the course of his career, Magic scored 17,707 points and 10,141 assists, but also 3,506 turnovers. In which of the following statistical categories did Magic Johnson never lead the league in any season?

Answer: Points per game

In the 1986-87 season, Magic Johnson scored 23.9 points per game, his personal best, but it was nowhere close to Michael Jordan's 37.1 points per game that season. However, that same year, Magic dished out 12.2 assists per game, which was one of four seasons in which he led the NBA in that category.

He led the league in steals per game twice, in 1980-81 and 1981-82. In the 1988-89 season, he led the league with an incredible 91.1% free throw rate.

7. There was only one complete NBA season that Magic Johnson played and was not made a member of the All-Star team, in 1980-81. He was selected to the All-Star team twelve times, and was the All-Star MVP twice, in 1990 and 1992. What made the 1992 NBA All-Star game an especially magical moment?

Answer: Magic Johnson retired from the NBA in 1991, and did not play in any other NBA game that year

The 1992 NBA All-Star game was played February 9th, 1992. Magic Johnson had retired at the end of the 1991 season after announcing he was HIV positive. But he made a highly emotional reappearance in this game, his only NBA game of the season, putting on a spectacular performance, leading all scorers with 25 points.

The West won easily, 153-113. Eleven of the twelve members of the 1992 Dream Team played in this All-Star game, all except for Christian Laettner.

8. It was a magical moment when the 1992 USA Men's Basketball Team, the "Dream Team," with Magic Johnson on the roster, won the Olympic gold medal with unparalleled dominance. Though largely overshadowed by his teammates, Magic's personal best game was a 14 point, 8 assist, and 3 steals game in the semi-final round. With future NBA star and Hall of Fame inductee Arvydas Sabonis, which of the following were their Semi-Final opponents?

Answer: Lithuania

The American Dream Team beat Lithuania in the semi-final round 127-76, and went on to win the gold vs. Croatia. None of the games they played were even close, with a 44 point average margin of victory. By that time, Magic Johnson already effectively ended his NBA career after being diagnosed as HIV positive.

In 2010, the 1992 Dream Team became the eighth team to be inducted into the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame, eight years after Magic Johnson was indicted as an individual player.

9. It was a magical moment when, in honor of the 50th anniversary of its formation, the NBA announced the Top 50 NBA players of all time. Of course, Magic Johnson was on the list. All of the following LA Laker greats are included in the list, but which was a contemporary teammate of Magic's?

Answer: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Basketball is a team sport, and in all fairness, playing among great players can elevate one's own game. Magic Johnson was a great player on his own merit, but his skills were undoubtedly fostered and enhanced by having great teammates. From his rookie season through 1989, Magic Johnson had the privilege of playing alongside another All Time Top 50 with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Not only that, but from the 1982-83 season through his last full season in 1991, Magic was joined by a third Top 50, James Worthy!

10. It was a magical moment, when as a capstone to an incredible career, Magic Johnson was inducted into the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame. Appropriately, the year Magic was inducted, his former team, the LA Lakers beat the New Jersey Nets in the finals to win the NBA Championship. What year was this, in which Magic Johnson officially became a Hall of Famer?

Answer: 2002

Only one other individual player was inducted alongside Magic in their Hall of Fame class, Drazen Petrovic, who died tragically at age 28 in the prime of his NBA career. Petrovic played for the New Jersey Nets, so it was coincidental that the year the Lakers met the Nets in the Finals, a representative from each team were the two individuals chosen for the Hall of Fame.

Others in the class of 2002 included coaches Lute Olsen and Larry Brown, as well the Harlem Globetrotters exhibition team.

Source: Author mcdubb

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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Magic Johnson's Most Magical Moments Quiz

Earvin "Magic" Johnson is one of the most revered basketball players of all time. This quiz does not focus on his personal life or health; there is too much to be said about his basketball career alone. So sit back and enjoy the Magic!

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