Larry Bird vs Dennis Johnson
Larry Bird and Dennis Johnson were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 11 seasons. On the floor, Larry Bird was the higher-volume scorer (24.3 points per game to 14.1); Larry Bird was the more efficient scorer (56.5% true shooting to 51.1%); Larry Bird created more for others (6.3 assists per game to 5.0). Larry Bird holds the edge on accolades — 3 MVPs, 3 championships, 2 Finals MVPs and the #10 all-time ranking to Dennis Johnson's #59.
Career averages
| Larry Bird | Stat | Dennis Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 24.3 | Points / game | 14.1 |
| 10.0 | Rebounds / game | 3.9 |
| 6.3 | Assists / game | 5.0 |
| 1.7 | Steals / game | 1.3 |
| 0.8 | Blocks / game | 0.6 |
| 49.4% | Field goal % | 44.6% |
| 34.6% | 3-point % | 13.3% |
| 88.5% | Free throw % | 80.0% |
| 56.5% | True shooting % | 51.1% |
| 897 | Games played | 1,100 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Larry Bird's era.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Dennis Johnson's era.
Playoff averages
| Larry Bird | Stat | Dennis Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 23.7 | Points / game | 17.3 |
| 10.3 | Rebounds / game | 4.3 |
| 6.5 | Assists / game | 5.6 |
| 1.8 | Steals / game | 1.4 |
| 0.9 | Blocks / game | 0.6 |
| 47.1% | Field goal % | 43.6% |
| 31.6% | 3-point % | 18.5% |
| 88.5% | Free throw % | 80.1% |
| 164 | Playoff games | 180 |
Accolades
| Larry Bird | Stat | Dennis Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | MVP awards | 0 |
| 2 | Finals MVP | 1 |
| 3 | Championships | 3 |
| 10 | All-Star selections | 5 |
| 9 | All-NBA 1st Team | 1 |
| #10 | All-time GOAT rank | #59 |
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