John Havlicek vs Bill Russell
John Havlicek and Bill Russell were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 7 seasons. On the floor, John Havlicek was the higher-volume scorer (20.8 points per game to 15.1); John Havlicek was the more efficient scorer (49.2% true shooting to 47.1%); Bill Russell controlled the glass (22.5 rebounds per game to 6.3). Bill Russell holds the edge on accolades — 5 MVPs, 11 championships and the #5 all-time ranking to John Havlicek's #11.
Career averages
| John Havlicek | Stat | Bill Russell |
|---|---|---|
| 20.8 | Points / game | 15.1 |
| 6.3 | Rebounds / game | 22.5 |
| 4.8 | Assists / game | 4.3 |
| 0.4 | Steals / game | 0.0 |
| 0.1 | Blocks / game | 0.0 |
| 43.9% | Field goal % | 44.0% |
| 0.0% | 3-point % | 0.0% |
| 81.3% | Free throw % | 56.1% |
| 49.2% | True shooting % | 47.1% |
| 1,270 | Games played | 963 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats weren't tracked in John Havlicek's era.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Bill Russell's era.
Playoff averages
| John Havlicek | Stat | Bill Russell |
|---|---|---|
| 22.0 | Points / game | 16.2 |
| 6.9 | Rebounds / game | 24.9 |
| 4.8 | Assists / game | 4.7 |
| 0.3 | Steals / game | 0.0 |
| 0.1 | Blocks / game | 0.0 |
| 43.5% | Field goal % | 42.7% |
| 0.0% | 3-point % | 0.0% |
| 82.7% | Free throw % | 59.9% |
| 172 | Playoff games | 165 |
Accolades
| John Havlicek | Stat | Bill Russell |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | MVP awards | 5 |
| 1 | Finals MVP | 0 |
| 8 | Championships | 11 |
| 13 | All-Star selections | 12 |
| 4 | All-NBA 1st Team | 3 |
| #11 | All-time GOAT rank | #5 |
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