Julius Erving vs Magic Johnson
Julius Erving and Magic Johnson were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 8 seasons. On the floor, Julius Erving was the higher-volume scorer (22.0 points per game to 19.6); Magic Johnson was the more efficient scorer (61.0% true shooting to 55.8%); Magic Johnson created more for others (11.2 assists per game to 3.9). Magic Johnson holds the edge on accolades — 3 MVPs, 5 championships, 3 Finals MVPs and the #7 all-time ranking to Julius Erving's #21.
Career averages
| Julius Erving | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 22.0 | Points / game | 19.6 |
| 6.7 | Rebounds / game | 7.2 |
| 3.9 | Assists / game | 11.2 |
| 1.8 | Steals / game | 1.9 |
| 1.5 | Blocks / game | 0.4 |
| 50.6% | Field goal % | 52.0% |
| 18.6% | 3-point % | 22.9% |
| 77.9% | Free throw % | 84.3% |
| 55.8% | True shooting % | 61.0% |
| 836 | Games played | 906 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Julius Erving's era.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Magic Johnson's era.
Playoff averages
| Julius Erving | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 21.9 | Points / game | 19.5 |
| 7.0 | Rebounds / game | 7.7 |
| 4.2 | Assists / game | 12.3 |
| 1.7 | Steals / game | 1.9 |
| 1.7 | Blocks / game | 0.3 |
| 48.4% | Field goal % | 50.6% |
| 8.0% | 3-point % | 18.5% |
| 78.1% | Free throw % | 83.6% |
| 141 | Playoff games | 190 |
Accolades
| Julius Erving | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MVP awards | 3 |
| 0 | Finals MVP | 3 |
| 3 | Championships | 5 |
| 11 | All-Star selections | 11 |
| 9 | All-NBA 1st Team | 9 |
| #21 | All-time GOAT rank | #7 |
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