The Portland Trail Blazers finished the 2017-18 NBA season over the moon with the West’s No. 3 seed and a desirable playoff matchup against the DeMarcus Cousins-less New Orleans Pelicans.
Unfortunately for Damian Lillard, Terry Stotts and Co., they came crashing down to earth at light speed in a 4-0 series loss that left the organization with more questions than answers.
SPEAKING OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS! It’s time to try your hand at the hardest Blazers quiz you’ve come across during your time on this planet.
Below are 20 Trail Blazers-themed trivia questions, followed immediately by 20 answers. The rules are simple:
No cheating!
Let’s begin.
- It’s widely known that the Blazers lost a coin toss in 1984, ceding the No. 1 draft pick to the Houston Rockets and earning themselves the second selection. But many forget that this pick was actually acquired by Portland in 1981 via trade. Which NBA team traded the pick to Rip City that eventually became Sam Bowie?
A) Indiana Pacers
B) Philadelphia 76ers
C) Kansas City Kings
D) Phoenix Suns
- How old was Paul Allen when he bought the Blazers in the mid-80s, making him the youngest owner in all four major professional sports leagues?
A) 30
B) 35
C) 40
D) 45
- Clyde Drexler is the franchise leader in total points, having tallied 18,040 over the course of his Blazers career. Who leads the team in all-time points-per-game average?
A) Clyde Drexler
B) Kiki Vandeweghe
C) Geoff Petrie
D) Damian Lillard
- How many retired numbers are hanging in the building forever known as the Rose Garden Arena?
A) 10
B) 11
C) 12
D) 13
- During his time with the team, Bob Whitsitt acquired Isaiah Rider, Rasheed Wallace, Shawn Kemp and Dale Davis. He traded for all of them. Bob earned a nickname for trading. What was his nickname?
A) Trader Bob
B) Later, Bob
C) Hater Bob
D) Bob Misfit
- “Can I Get a Headband” is the greatest song in the history of music—this is undisputed. Who did the Blazers play when Nate McMillan broke his “no headband” rule for Gerald Wallace?
A) Atlanta Hawks
B) Houston Rockets
C) Denver Nuggets
D) Los Angeles Clippers
- Bill Walton is the Trail Blazers’ all-time leader in blocks per game at 2.6, but he shares this honor with with a player from the post-Jail Blazers era. Who is that other rim-protector?
A) Joel Przybilla
B) Marcus Camby
C) Theo Ratliff
D) Greg Oden
- An NBA roster typically holds either 14 or 15 active players at any given point in a season. How many total players suited up for the Blazers during the 2003-04 campaign—the year Portland traded Rasheed Wallace?
A) 18
B) 20
C) 22
D) 24
- 10 Portland players have worn the No. 31 during the franchise’s existence. Who wore that number 31 years ago?
A) Pete Verhoeven
B) Sam Bowie
C) Terry Porter
D) Alaa Abdelnaby
- Damian Lillard has maybe the most important shot in Blazers history on his resume, needing just 0.9 seconds to get Portland to the second round for the first time in 14 years. Who was the last team the Blazers had played in the second round of a playoff series before that 2013-14 campaign?
A) Utah Jazz
B) Los Angeles Lakers
C) Dallas Mavericks
D) Phoenix Suns
- In 2016, Pat Connaughton made offseason headlines for tossing a football 80 yards. Which Trail Blazers opponent punted a game basketball (probably) 80 yards into the Rose Garden crowd after being ejected in 2000?
A) Ron Artest
B) Kenyon Martin
C) Charles Oakley
D) Greg Ostertag
- Seven players in Blazers history have worn more than one jersey number during their tenure with the team. Who is the only player to wear three different jersey numbers?
A) Dan Dickau
B) Steve Blake
C) Joel Przybilla
D) Martell Webster
- Portland has made three different NBA Finals appearances since it joined the league in 1970. How many conference finals has the team participated in?
A) 6
B) 7
C) 8
D) 9
- According to InfoPlease.com, “Smith” is the most common surname in America. How many Smiths have played for the Blazers throughout the team’s history?
A) 8
B) 11
C) 17
D) 23
- In 2009, Portland-based company “Brazi Bites” started its business selling packaged Pão de Queijo, a Brazilian-style cheese bread. Who is the one player to ever play for the Blazers whose nationality is Brazilian?
A) Ike Diogu
B) Andre Miller
C) Fabricio Oberto
D) Rolando Ferreira
- Harry Glickman was one of the founders of the Portland franchise back in 1970. How many people with a last name ending in “man” have been named to the Blazers’ roster since the team’s inception?
A) 4
B) 8
C) 12
D) 16
- Many Rip Citizens know that the Pinwheel logo represents a five-on-five basketball game. Who designed the original logo?
A) Harry Glickman’s cousin
B) Bill Schonely’s son
C) Then-majority owner Herman Sarkowsky’s nephew
D) Marvin Bowman: A fan submission
- Which of the following Portland Trail Blazers is NOT in the Hall of Fame?
A) Arvydas Sabonis
B) Dražen Petrović
C) Terry Porter
D) Lenny Wilkens
- The Blazers sold out 814 consecutive home games between 1977 and 1995, the longest streak in all four major sports. Which pro team went on to pass that, pushing Portland back to No. 2 all time?
A) New York Knicks
B) Toronto Maple Leafs
C) Boston Red Sox
D) Green Bay Packers
- Despite a disappointing showing in the postseason, the Blazers can hold their heads high (I suppose) that they qualified for the NBA Playoffs for the fifth year in a row. Which NBA franchise has Portland played in the postseason more than anyone else?
A) Los Angeles Lakers
B) Phoenix Suns
C) Utah Jazz
D) San Antonio Spurs
Answers
- It’s widely known that the Blazers lost a coin toss in 1984, ceding the No. 1 draft pick to the Houston Rockets and earning themselves No. 2. But many forget that this pick was actually acquired by Portland in 1981 via trade. Which NBA team traded the pick to Rip City that eventually became Sam Bowie?
A) Indiana Pacers
Portland traded Tom Owens to Indiana for the rights to the future draft pick. So if Sam Bowie still haunts your dreams, realize the Blazers didn’t miss out on Michael Jordan—they ditched a guy you’ve probably never heard of. Perspective.
- How old was Paul Allen when he bought the Blazers in the mid-80s, making him the youngest owner in all four major professional sports leagues?
B) 35
In 1988, Allen purchased the team for a cool $70 million. Right on par with your biggest purchase at 35, right?
- Clyde Drexler is the Blazers’ franchise leader in total points, having tallied 18,040 over the course of his Portland career. Who leads the team in all-time points-per-game average?
B) Kiki Vandeweghe
Watch out, Kiki. Damian Lillard may have a thing for the number 0.9, but he’s sitting pretty at just 0.4 points per game behind your 23.5 average.
- How many retired numbers are hanging in the building forever known as the Rose Garden Arena?
C) 12
Can we just call it 13 already and get Brandon Roy in the rafters?
- During his time with the team, Bob Whitsitt acquired Isaiah Rider, Rasheed Wallace, Shawn Kemp and Dale Davis. He traded for all of them. Bob earned a nickname for trading. What was his nickname?
A) Trader Bob
Soooo, you got this one right, right?
- “Can I Get a Headband” is the greatest song in the history of music—this is undisputed. Who did the Blazers play when Nate McMillan broke his “no headband” rule for Gerald Wallace?
B) Houston Rockets
Gerald Wallace was in house for Denver, in the lineup sans headband vs. Atlanta, and rocking the cranial ornament vs. Houston.
- Bill Walton is the Trail Blazers’ all-time leader in blocks per game at 2.6, but he shares this honor with with a player from the post-Jail Blazers era. Who is that other rim-protector?
C) Theo Ratliff
20th All-Time in career blocks. 1st in our hearts.
- An NBA roster typically holds either 14 or 15 active players at any given point in a season. How many total players suited up for the Blazers during the 2003-04 campaign—the year Portland traded Rasheed Wallace?
D) 24
The same number Qyntel Woods wore that season.
- 10 Portland players have worn the No. 31 during the franchise’s existence. Who wore that number 31 years ago?
B) Sam Bowie
Soooo not Tom Owens.
- Damian Lillard has maybe the most important shot in Blazers history on his resume, needing just 0.9 seconds to get Portland to the second round for the first time in 14 years. Who was the last team the Blazers had played in the second round of a playoff series before that 2013-14 campaign?
A) Utah Jazz
Portland was the No. 3 seed that year and went on to play the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conf…never mind.
- In 2016, Pat Connaughton made offseason headlines for tossing a football 80 yards. Which Trail Blazers opponent punted a game basketball (probably) 80 yards into the Rose Garden crowd after being ejected in 2000?
D) Greg Ostertag
He also donated a kidney to save his sister’s life two years later, so we’ll give him a pass.
- Seven players in Blazers history have worn more than one jersey number during their tenure with the team. Who is the only player to wear three different jersey numbers?
B) Steve Blake
2, 5, 25
- Portland has made three different NBA Finals appearances since it joined the league in 1970. How many conference finals has the team participated in?
A) 6
They’ve played the Lakers three times, Suns once, Jazz once, and Spurs once.
- According to InfoPlease.com, “Smith” is the most common surname in America. How many Smiths have played for the Blazers throughout the team’s history?
A) 8
Charles, Craig, Greg, Nolan, Steve, Reggie, William, Willie.
- In 2009, Portland-based company “Brazi Bites” started its business selling packaged Pão de Queijo, a Brazilian-style cheese bread. Who is the one player to ever play for the Blazers with Brazilian nationality?
D) Rolando Ferreira
Rolando tocou para os Blazers de 1988 a 1989.
- Harry Glickman was one of the founders of the Portland franchise back in 1970. How many people with a last name ending in “man” have been named to the Blazers’ roster since the team’s inception?
A) 4
Adel, Ka, Lay, Quarter.
- Many Rip Citizens know that the Pinwheel logo represents a five-on-five basketball game. Who designed the original logo?
A) Harry Glickman’s cousin
The last question was a hint 😉
- Which of the following Portland Trail Blazers is NOT in the Hall of Fame?
C) Terry Porter
We still heart you, Terry.
- The Blazers sold out 814 consecutive home games between 1977 and 1995, the longest streak in all four major sports. Which pro team went on to pass that, pushing Portland back to No. 2 all time?
C) Boston Red Sox
They love it when you call them Big Papi.
- Despite a disappointing showing in the postseason, the Blazers can hold their heads high (I suppose) that they qualified for the NBA Playoffs for the fifth year in a row. Which NBA franchise has Portland played in the postseason more than anyone else?
A) Los Angeles Lakers
The Blazers won their very first series against L.A. in 1977 en route to one of the more improbable championships in NBA history. That’s awesome.
They are 1-9 since. That’s less awesome.
How Did You Do?
0-4—You are Greg Oden:
Despite such promise, you completed 20 percent or less of your total possible points, just like the center who played in exactly 20 percent of his possible regular-season games in five years. Maybe try an Ohio State quiz.
5-10—You are Darius Miles:
All the potential in the world if you apply yourself and stay healthy. Too bad neither of those things happened, as you’re probably sick knowing you could’ve done better.
11-15—You are Brandon Roy:
So close to greatness. So far from a championship.
16-20—You are Bill Schonely:
A legend who can do no wrong. RIP CITY, BABY!
