Larry Bird vs Michael Cooper
Larry Bird and Michael Cooper were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 11 seasons. On the floor, Larry Bird was the higher-volume scorer (24.3 points per game to 8.8); Larry Bird was the more efficient scorer (56.5% true shooting to 54.3%); Larry Bird created more for others (6.3 assists per game to 4.2). Larry Bird holds the edge on accolades — 3 MVPs, 3 championships, 2 Finals MVPs and the #10 all-time ranking to Michael Cooper's #65.
Career averages
| Larry Bird | Stat | Michael Cooper |
|---|---|---|
| 24.3 | Points / game | 8.8 |
| 10.0 | Rebounds / game | 3.2 |
| 6.3 | Assists / game | 4.2 |
| 1.7 | Steals / game | 1.2 |
| 0.8 | Blocks / game | 0.6 |
| 49.4% | Field goal % | 46.8% |
| 34.6% | 3-point % | 29.1% |
| 88.5% | Free throw % | 83.2% |
| 56.5% | True shooting % | 54.3% |
| 897 | Games played | 873 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Larry Bird's era.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Michael Cooper's era.
Playoff averages
| Larry Bird | Stat | Michael Cooper |
|---|---|---|
| 23.7 | Points / game | 9.4 |
| 10.3 | Rebounds / game | 3.4 |
| 6.5 | Assists / game | 4.2 |
| 1.8 | Steals / game | 1.2 |
| 0.9 | Blocks / game | 0.6 |
| 47.1% | Field goal % | 46.1% |
| 31.6% | 3-point % | 32.6% |
| 88.5% | Free throw % | 77.6% |
| 164 | Playoff games | 168 |
Accolades
| Larry Bird | Stat | Michael Cooper |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | MVP awards | 0 |
| 2 | Finals MVP | 0 |
| 3 | Championships | 5 |
| 10 | All-Star selections | 0 |
| 9 | All-NBA 1st Team | 0 |
| #10 | All-time GOAT rank | #65 |
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