Bob Pettit vs Bill Russell
Bob Pettit and Bill Russell were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 9 seasons. On the floor, Bob Pettit was the higher-volume scorer (26.4 points per game to 15.1); Bob Pettit was the more efficient scorer (51.1% true shooting to 47.1%); Bill Russell created more for others (4.3 assists per game to 3.0). Bill Russell holds the edge on accolades — 5 MVPs, 11 championships and the #5 all-time ranking to Bob Pettit's #22.
Career averages
| Bob Pettit | Stat | Bill Russell |
|---|---|---|
| 26.4 | Points / game | 15.1 |
| 16.2 | Rebounds / game | 22.5 |
| 3.0 | Assists / game | 4.3 |
| 0.0 | Steals / game | 0.0 |
| 0.0 | Blocks / game | 0.0 |
| 43.5% | Field goal % | 44.0% |
| 0.0% | 3-point % | 0.0% |
| 76.2% | Free throw % | 56.1% |
| 51.1% | True shooting % | 47.1% |
| 792 | Games played | 963 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Bob Pettit's era.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Bill Russell's era.
Playoff averages
| Bob Pettit | Stat | Bill Russell |
|---|---|---|
| 25.5 | Points / game | 16.2 |
| 14.8 | Rebounds / game | 24.9 |
| 2.7 | Assists / game | 4.7 |
| 0.0 | Steals / game | 0.0 |
| 0.0 | Blocks / game | 0.0 |
| 41.4% | Field goal % | 42.7% |
| 0.0% | 3-point % | 0.0% |
| 77.9% | Free throw % | 59.9% |
| 88 | Playoff games | 165 |
Accolades
| Bob Pettit | Stat | Bill Russell |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | MVP awards | 5 |
| 0 | Finals MVP | 0 |
| 1 | Championships | 11 |
| 11 | All-Star selections | 12 |
| 10 | All-NBA 1st Team | 3 |
| #22 | All-time GOAT rank | #5 |
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