Kevin McHale vs Magic Johnson
Kevin McHale and Magic Johnson were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 13 seasons. On the floor, Magic Johnson was the higher-volume scorer (19.6 points per game to 17.8); Magic Johnson was the more efficient scorer (61.0% true shooting to 60.4%); Magic Johnson created more for others (11.2 assists per game to 1.7). Magic Johnson holds the edge on accolades — 3 MVPs, 5 championships, 3 Finals MVPs and the #7 all-time ranking to Kevin McHale's #45.
Career averages
| Kevin McHale | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 17.8 | Points / game | 19.6 |
| 7.3 | Rebounds / game | 7.2 |
| 1.7 | Assists / game | 11.2 |
| 0.4 | Steals / game | 1.9 |
| 1.7 | Blocks / game | 0.4 |
| 54.9% | Field goal % | 52.0% |
| 9.3% | 3-point % | 22.9% |
| 78.9% | Free throw % | 84.3% |
| 60.4% | True shooting % | 61.0% |
| 971 | Games played | 906 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Kevin McHale's era.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Magic Johnson's era.
Playoff averages
| Kevin McHale | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 18.8 | Points / game | 19.5 |
| 7.4 | Rebounds / game | 7.7 |
| 1.6 | Assists / game | 12.3 |
| 0.4 | Steals / game | 1.9 |
| 1.7 | Blocks / game | 0.3 |
| 55.7% | Field goal % | 50.6% |
| 14.6% | 3-point % | 18.5% |
| 77.0% | Free throw % | 83.6% |
| 169 | Playoff games | 190 |
Accolades
| Kevin McHale | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | MVP awards | 3 |
| 0 | Finals MVP | 3 |
| 3 | Championships | 5 |
| 7 | All-Star selections | 11 |
| 1 | All-NBA 1st Team | 9 |
| #45 | All-time GOAT rank | #7 |
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