Karl Malone vs Magic Johnson
Karl Malone and Magic Johnson were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 11 seasons. On the floor, Karl Malone was the higher-volume scorer (25.0 points per game to 19.6); Magic Johnson was the more efficient scorer (61.0% true shooting to 57.7%); Magic Johnson created more for others (11.2 assists per game to 3.6). Magic Johnson holds the edge on accolades — 3 MVPs, 5 championships, 3 Finals MVPs and the #7 all-time ranking to Karl Malone's #14.
Career averages
| Karl Malone | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 25.0 | Points / game | 19.6 |
| 10.1 | Rebounds / game | 7.2 |
| 3.6 | Assists / game | 11.2 |
| 1.4 | Steals / game | 1.9 |
| 0.8 | Blocks / game | 0.4 |
| 51.4% | Field goal % | 52.0% |
| 21.1% | 3-point % | 22.9% |
| 73.3% | Free throw % | 84.3% |
| 57.7% | True shooting % | 61.0% |
| 1,476 | Games played | 906 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats aren't available for Karl Malone.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Magic Johnson's era.
Playoff averages
| Karl Malone | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 24.7 | Points / game | 19.5 |
| 10.7 | Rebounds / game | 7.7 |
| 3.2 | Assists / game | 12.3 |
| 1.3 | Steals / game | 1.9 |
| 0.7 | Blocks / game | 0.3 |
| 46.2% | Field goal % | 50.6% |
| 13.7% | 3-point % | 18.5% |
| 72.7% | Free throw % | 83.6% |
| 193 | Playoff games | 190 |
Accolades
| Karl Malone | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | MVP awards | 3 |
| 0 | Finals MVP | 3 |
| 0 | Championships | 5 |
| 12 | All-Star selections | 11 |
| 11 | All-NBA 1st Team | 9 |
| #14 | All-time GOAT rank | #7 |
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