Bill Russell vs Nate Thurmond
Bill Russell and Nate Thurmond were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 6 seasons. On the floor, Bill Russell was the higher-volume scorer (15.1 points per game to 15.0); Bill Russell created more for others (4.3 assists per game to 2.7); Bill Russell controlled the glass (22.5 rebounds per game to 15.0). Bill Russell holds the edge on accolades — 5 MVPs, 11 championships and the #5 all-time ranking to Nate Thurmond's #75.
Career averages
| Bill Russell | Stat | Nate Thurmond |
|---|---|---|
| 15.1 | Points / game | 15.0 |
| 22.5 | Rebounds / game | 15.0 |
| 4.3 | Assists / game | 2.7 |
| 0.0 | Steals / game | 0.1 |
| 0.0 | Blocks / game | 0.6 |
| 44.0% | Field goal % | 42.1% |
| 0.0% | 3-point % | 0.0% |
| 56.1% | Free throw % | 66.7% |
| 47.1% | True shooting % | 47.0% |
| 963 | Games played | 964 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Bill Russell's era.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Nate Thurmond's era.
Playoff averages
| Bill Russell | Stat | Nate Thurmond |
|---|---|---|
| 16.2 | Points / game | 11.9 |
| 24.9 | Rebounds / game | 13.6 |
| 4.7 | Assists / game | 2.8 |
| 0.0 | Steals / game | 0.1 |
| 0.0 | Blocks / game | 0.6 |
| 42.7% | Field goal % | 41.2% |
| 0.0% | 3-point % | 0.0% |
| 59.9% | Free throw % | 59.7% |
| 165 | Playoff games | 81 |
Accolades
| Bill Russell | Stat | Nate Thurmond |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | MVP awards | 0 |
| 0 | Finals MVP | 0 |
| 11 | Championships | 0 |
| 12 | All-Star selections | 5 |
| 3 | All-NBA 1st Team | 0 |
| #5 | All-time GOAT rank | #75 |
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