Are You a True NBA Fan? Tell Us How Much You Know About the Boston Celtics

By: Gavin Thagard
Estimated Completion Time
2 min
Are You a True NBA Fan? Tell Us How Much You Know About the Boston Celtics
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About This Quiz

The Boston Celtics have set records, produced all-world players, and won multiple championships over the course of their storied history. Do you know all about that history, though? Could you ace a quiz on this franchise? Here's your chance to try!

Few franchises in the NBA have the prestige and honors of the Boston Celtics, a team that has been with the league since it was founded. Since then, the Celtics have pushed the boundaries of the league, becoming both innovators and teachers, as they have risen to the top of the NBA. To stay at the top, the team has drafted and traded for star players, gone after the best coaches and executives, and reinvented itself and its identity. All of this has helped the Celtics position themselves to compete in the biggest events and conquer some of the most glorious moments in NBA history, showing that, for the Celtics, mediocrity was never an option.

Are you a basketball historian with knowledge on all of the greatest franchises? Are you just simply a huge fan of the Celtics? Do you know all of the statistics from the best players or the championships won? If you think you do, then here's your chance to challenge yourself and prove you're a true NBA fan!

When did the Celtics win their first NBA Championship?
1948
1950
1957
1960
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1949, the Basketball Association of America absorbed the National Basketball League. After the merger, the new league was known as the National Basketball Association.

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How many rings does Bill Russell have?
three
four
six
11
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bill Russell played college basketball at the University of San Francisco. He won two NCAA championships while playing there.

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What position did Bob Cousy play?
Center
Point guard
Shooting guard
Power forward
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bob Cousy was originally drafted by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. After a complicated move to Chicago, he eventually ended up with the Celtics.

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When was Bob Cousy voted MVP?
1952
1954
1957
1960
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's a good thing Cousy ended up with the Celtics because he turned into one of their greatest players of all time. By the end of his career, he had spent 13 seasons with the franchise.

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Which legendary Celtics coach was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1965?
Bill Russell
Red Auerbach
Brad Stevens
K.C. Jones
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Red Auerbach began coaching in the NBA when it was founded in 1946. He coached his final season with the Boston Celtics in 1966.

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Who served as a player-coach for the Celtics?
Bob Cousy
Larry Bird
Bill Russell
Paul Pierce
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bill Russell's legacy extends off the court. Not only did he win 11 rings, but he was also the first African-American coach in the NBA.

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How many championships have the Celtics won?
11
13
15
17
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Boston Celtics have more titles than any other franchise in the NBA. The Los Angeles Lakers trail them by one.

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Where do the Celtics play?
TD Garden
Pepsi Center
Philips Arena
Staples Center
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

TD Garden was opened in 1995. The arena is named after TD Bank.

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Which Western Conference Team is a rival of the Celtics?
Spurs
Lakers
Rockets
Thunder
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Lakers and the Celtics first met in the NBA Finals in 1959. Including that matchup, the two teams have met 12 times in the Finals.

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When did the franchise begin?
1946
1955
1960
1966
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Boston Celtics were one of the original members of the NBA, which started in 1946. Back then, however, the NBA was called the Basketball Association of America.

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Who is the Celtics' mascot?
Harry the Hawk
Benny the Bull
Lucky the Leprechaun
Hooper
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Boston Celtic franchise chose their mascot to honor the city's Irish population. It is one of the largest Irish-American populations in the nation.

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When did Bill Russell retire from the Celtics?
1962
1965
1966
1969
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bill Russell left the Celtics in 1969 as a coach and retired as a player. He would later coach at the Sacramento Kings and the Seattle Supersonics.

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How many MVP awards did Bill Russell win?
two
four
five
six
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has more MVP awards than Bill Russell with six. Michael Jordan is tied with Russell at five.

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When did the Celtics draft Dave Cowens?
1966
1968
1970
1975
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dave Cowens was a center out of Florida State. At 6 feet, 9 inches, many scouts considered him too small to play the position.

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With whom did Dave Cowens share the NBA Rookie of the Year award?
Wilt Chamberlain
Geoff Petrie
Norm Van Lier
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Despite Cowens' small size, he exploded into the NBA. His first season he averaged 17 points and 15 rebounds.

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How many titles did the Celtics win in the '70s?
0
one
two
three
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the 1970s, the Celtics were trying to overcome the absence of Bill Russell. Though they didn't have quite the same success, two titles were still pretty impressive.

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What number did the Celtics retire to honor Bob Cousy?
2
11
14
38
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bob Cousy was named to 13 NBA All-Star teams. His jersey was retired in 1971.

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In what year was Larry Bird drafted?
1978
1980
1985
1986
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Larry Bird was drafted a year before he left college. This demonstrated just how much faith the Celtics had in their future star.

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What number did Larry Bird wear?
5
15
20
33
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bird played 13 seasons for the Boston Celtics. He was known for his tough play and scoring ability.

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When did Larry Bird win his first MVP award?
1981
1982
1984
1989
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Larry Bird won three consecutive NBA MVP awards. His final award was in 1986.

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When did Larry Bird and Magic Johnson first meet in the NBA Finals?
1982
1984
1987
1990
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson dates back to their college days. The two met in the NCAA Championship in 1979 which Johnson won while playing at Michigan State.

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Who is the all-time leading scorer for the Celtics?
Larry Bird
Bill Russell
Paul Pierce
John Havlicek
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Havlicek played his entire NBA career with the Boston Celtics. He was a centerpiece for many of their titles throughout the '60s and '70s.

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What position did Kevin McHale play?
Center
Power forward
Shooting guard
Point guard
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kevin McHale was key for the Celtics as they won three titles in the '80s. He was particularly respected for his defensive ability, as he earned three NBA All-Defensive First Team honors.

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Kevin McHale won which award twice?
NBA MVP
NBA Finals MVP
NBA Rookie of the Year
NBA Sixth Man of the Year
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Sixth Man of the Year award is given annually to the greatest player who doesn't start. McHale earned the award in 1984 and 1985.

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Which team traded Robert Parish to the Boston Celtics?
Heat
Warriors
Lakers
Rockets
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Robert Parish was a dominant force underneath the basket while playing center for the Boston Celtics. During his career, he averaged nine rebounds and nearly 15 points per game.

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When did Larry Bird retire?
1989
1991
1992
1995
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Larry Bird's physical style of play put significant wear and tear on his body. With an ailing back, he was forced to retired early.

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When did K.C. Jones leave the Boston Celtics head coaching position?
1980
1982
1988
1995
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

K.C. Jones was both a player and a coach for the Boston Celtics, though at different times in his career. Between the two jobs, he won 11 NBA championships with the Celtics.

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Which former Celtics player died of a heart attack at the age of 27?
Reggie Lewis
Chris Ford
Dominique Wilkins
Chauncey Billups
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Reggie Lewis was supposed to be the next star player for the Celtics after the Bird era came to a close. However, his life was cut short by a heart ailment.

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Which future NBA star was drafted by the Celtics in 1997 only to be traded his rookie season?
Reggie Miller
Ray Allen
Jason Kidd
Chauncey Billups
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chauncey Billups was taken by the Celtics as the third overall pick out of Colorado. Though he was traded from the Celtics, Billups had a successful career, winning the NBA championship in 2004 with the Detroit Pistons.

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What was Paul Pierce's nickname?
The King
The Black Mamba
Greek Freak
The Truth
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Paul Pierce was drafted 10th overall by the Boston Celtics in 1998. Pierce never looked the part of an athlete, but according to Shaquille O'Neal, he was indeed "The Truth."

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Who traded Kevin Garnett to the Boston Celtics?
Heat
Timberwolves
Hornets
Spurs
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kevin Garnett was one of the most dominant big men ever to play in the NBA. He even won NBA MVP in 2004 while still with the Timberwolves.

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Aside from Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, who was the other member of the Celtics' "Big Three" in the late 2000s?
Jason Kidd
Steve Nash
Ray Allen
Derrick Rose
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Boston's "Big Three" was an early example of star players coming together for a united cause. This would become much more popular after LeBron James left Cleveland to go to Miami, starting an era of Super Teams.

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When did the Celtics win their last NBA championship?
2008
2011
2015
2016
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Celtics went back to the Finals in 2010, where they faced Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. They lost the series in seven games.

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Who was the NBA Finals MVP in 2008?
Paul Pierce
Kevin Garnett
Ray Allen
Rajon Rondo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Paul Pierce had a decorated career with the Boston Celtics. For his achievements, his number 34 was retired by the franchise.

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Who was traded from the Cavaliers to the Celtics in 2017 in a deal that included Isaiah Thomas?
Lebron James
Kyrie Irving
Kevin Love
Dwayne Wade
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kyrie Irving is one of the best ball handlers the game of basketball has ever seen. After going to three straight Finals, he surprised the world when he demanded a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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You Got:
/35
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