Dave Cowens vs Magic Johnson
Dave Cowens and Magic Johnson were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 4 seasons. On the floor, Magic Johnson was the higher-volume scorer (19.6 points per game to 17.6); Magic Johnson was the more efficient scorer (61.0% true shooting to 49.5%); Magic Johnson created more for others (11.2 assists per game to 3.8). Magic Johnson holds the edge on accolades — 3 MVPs, 5 championships, 3 Finals MVPs and the #7 all-time ranking to Dave Cowens's #51.
Career averages
| Dave Cowens | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 17.6 | Points / game | 19.6 |
| 13.6 | Rebounds / game | 7.2 |
| 3.8 | Assists / game | 11.2 |
| 0.8 | Steals / game | 1.9 |
| 0.6 | Blocks / game | 0.4 |
| 45.9% | Field goal % | 52.0% |
| 0.7% | 3-point % | 22.9% |
| 78.5% | Free throw % | 84.3% |
| 49.5% | True shooting % | 61.0% |
| 766 | Games played | 906 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Dave Cowens's era.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Magic Johnson's era.
Playoff averages
| Dave Cowens | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 18.9 | Points / game | 19.5 |
| 14.4 | Rebounds / game | 7.7 |
| 3.7 | Assists / game | 12.3 |
| 0.9 | Steals / game | 1.9 |
| 0.6 | Blocks / game | 0.3 |
| 45.3% | Field goal % | 50.6% |
| 0.0% | 3-point % | 18.5% |
| 76.4% | Free throw % | 83.6% |
| 89 | Playoff games | 190 |
Accolades
| Dave Cowens | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MVP awards | 3 |
| 0 | Finals MVP | 3 |
| 2 | Championships | 5 |
| 6 | All-Star selections | 11 |
| 0 | All-NBA 1st Team | 9 |
| #51 | All-time GOAT rank | #7 |
More comparisons
Compare Dave Cowens with…
Compare Magic Johnson with…
Want a different matchup? Use the interactive comparison tool.