Larry Bird vs Isiah Thomas
Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 11 seasons. On the floor, Larry Bird was the higher-volume scorer (24.3 points per game to 19.2); Larry Bird was the more efficient scorer (56.5% true shooting to 51.6%); Isiah Thomas created more for others (9.3 assists per game to 6.3). Larry Bird holds the edge on accolades — 3 MVPs, 3 championships, 2 Finals MVPs and the #10 all-time ranking to Isiah Thomas's #36.
Career averages
| Larry Bird | Stat | Isiah Thomas |
|---|---|---|
| 24.3 | Points / game | 19.2 |
| 10.0 | Rebounds / game | 3.6 |
| 6.3 | Assists / game | 9.3 |
| 1.7 | Steals / game | 1.9 |
| 0.8 | Blocks / game | 0.3 |
| 49.4% | Field goal % | 45.2% |
| 34.6% | 3-point % | 29.0% |
| 88.5% | Free throw % | 75.9% |
| 56.5% | True shooting % | 51.6% |
| 897 | Games played | 979 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Larry Bird's era.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Isiah Thomas's era.
Playoff averages
| Larry Bird | Stat | Isiah Thomas |
|---|---|---|
| 23.7 | Points / game | 20.4 |
| 10.3 | Rebounds / game | 4.7 |
| 6.5 | Assists / game | 8.9 |
| 1.8 | Steals / game | 2.1 |
| 0.9 | Blocks / game | 0.3 |
| 47.1% | Field goal % | 43.8% |
| 31.6% | 3-point % | 32.3% |
| 88.5% | Free throw % | 77.0% |
| 164 | Playoff games | 111 |
Accolades
| Larry Bird | Stat | Isiah Thomas |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | MVP awards | 0 |
| 2 | Finals MVP | 1 |
| 3 | Championships | 2 |
| 10 | All-Star selections | 11 |
| 9 | All-NBA 1st Team | 3 |
| #10 | All-time GOAT rank | #36 |
More comparisons
Compare Larry Bird with…
Compare Isiah Thomas with…
Want a different matchup? Use the interactive comparison tool.