Karl Malone vs Larry Bird
Karl Malone and Larry Bird were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 7 seasons. On the floor, Karl Malone was the higher-volume scorer (25.0 points per game to 24.3); Karl Malone was the more efficient scorer (57.7% true shooting to 56.5%); Larry Bird created more for others (6.3 assists per game to 3.6). Larry Bird holds the edge on accolades — 3 MVPs, 3 championships, 2 Finals MVPs and the #10 all-time ranking to Karl Malone's #14.
Career averages
| Karl Malone | Stat | Larry Bird |
|---|---|---|
| 25.0 | Points / game | 24.3 |
| 10.1 | Rebounds / game | 10.0 |
| 3.6 | Assists / game | 6.3 |
| 1.4 | Steals / game | 1.7 |
| 0.8 | Blocks / game | 0.8 |
| 51.4% | Field goal % | 49.4% |
| 21.1% | 3-point % | 34.6% |
| 73.3% | Free throw % | 88.5% |
| 57.7% | True shooting % | 56.5% |
| 1,476 | Games played | 897 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats aren't available for Karl Malone.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Larry Bird's era.
Playoff averages
| Karl Malone | Stat | Larry Bird |
|---|---|---|
| 24.7 | Points / game | 23.7 |
| 10.7 | Rebounds / game | 10.3 |
| 3.2 | Assists / game | 6.5 |
| 1.3 | Steals / game | 1.8 |
| 0.7 | Blocks / game | 0.9 |
| 46.2% | Field goal % | 47.1% |
| 13.7% | 3-point % | 31.6% |
| 72.7% | Free throw % | 88.5% |
| 193 | Playoff games | 164 |
Accolades
| Karl Malone | Stat | Larry Bird |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | MVP awards | 3 |
| 0 | Finals MVP | 2 |
| 0 | Championships | 3 |
| 12 | All-Star selections | 10 |
| 11 | All-NBA 1st Team | 9 |
| #14 | All-time GOAT rank | #10 |
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