Larry Bird vs. Paul Millsap Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Paul Millsap and Larry Bird, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season

Who had the better rookie season? Who had best stats in their 10th season? Who won a championship first? These questions and many others, are answered here.

Larry Bird played 13 years in the NBA, 3 less than Paul Millsap, who played 16. Larry Bird had the first of his seasons in 1979-80, while Paul Millsap had his rookie season in 2006-07. With that starting point, here you can take a look at each of their seasons side by side and compare how their careers evolved in achivements, awards and championships won, the stats they recorded both in the Regular Season and the Playoffs and how their teams performed in the postseason.

Their Careers

Player		 Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
Larry Bird 13 12 1979-80 to 1991-92
Paul Millsap 16 13 2006-07 to 2021-22

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16

Rookie Season
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season 1979-802006-07
Team Boston CelticsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
-Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsJazz Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 82 36.0 21.3 2.6 7.8 10.4 4.5 1.7 0.6 3.2 3.4 8.5 17.8 .474 0.7 1.7 .406 3.7 4.4 .836
Paul Millsap 82 18.0 6.8 2.2 2.9 5.2 0.8 0.8 0.9 1.1 2.9 2.5 4.9 .525 0.0 0.0 .333 1.7 2.5 .673
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 9 41.3 21.3 2.4 8.8 11.2 4.7 1.6 0.9 3.7 3.3 9.2 19.7 .469 0.4 1.7 .267 2.4 2.8 .880
Paul Millsap 17 15.5 5.9 2.2 2.2 4.4 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.8 2.3 2.5 4.7 .525 0.0 0.1 .000 0.9 1.4 .667

Season 2
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season 1980-812007-08
Team Boston CelticsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionJazz Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 82 39.5 21.2 2.3 8.6 10.9 5.5 2.0 0.8 3.5 2.9 8.8 18.3 .478 0.2 0.9 .270 3.5 4.0 .863
Paul Millsap 82 20.8 8.1 2.0 3.6 5.6 1.0 0.9 0.9 1.1 3.3 3.1 6.1 .504 0.0 0.0 .000 1.9 2.8 .677
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 17 44.1 21.9 2.9 11.1 14.0 6.1 2.3 1.0 3.6 3.1 8.6 18.4 .470 0.2 0.5 .375 4.5 5.0 .894
Paul Millsap 12 17.5 6.4 1.9 2.0 3.9 0.3 0.6 1.3 0.8 3.1 2.7 5.2 .516 0.0 0.1 .000 1.1 2.1 .520

Season 3
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season 1981-822008-09
Team Boston CelticsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsJazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 77 38.0 22.9 2.6 8.3 10.9 5.8 1.9 0.9 3.3 3.2 9.2 18.4 .503 0.1 0.7 .212 4.3 4.9 .863
Paul Millsap 76 30.1 13.5 3.3 5.3 8.6 1.8 1.0 1.0 1.7 3.8 5.3 9.9 .534 0.0 0.1 .000 3.0 4.3 .699
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 12 40.8 17.8 2.8 9.8 12.5 5.6 1.9 1.4 3.2 3.6 7.3 17.2 .427 0.1 0.5 .167 3.1 3.8 .822
Paul Millsap 5 31.0 11.8 4.0 4.0 8.0 1.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 3.4 5.0 9.8 .510 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 3.6 .500

Season 4
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season 1982-832009-10
Team Boston CelticsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisJazz Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 79 37.7 23.6 2.4 8.6 11.0 5.8 1.9 0.9 3.0 2.5 9.5 18.7 .504 0.3 1.0 .286 4.4 5.3 .840
Paul Millsap 82 27.8 11.6 2.3 4.5 6.8 1.6 0.8 1.2 1.4 3.5 4.7 8.7 .538 0.0 0.1 .111 2.2 3.2 .693
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 6 40.0 20.5 3.3 9.2 12.5 6.8 2.2 0.5 3.2 2.5 8.2 19.3 .422 0.2 0.7 .250 4.0 4.8 .828
Paul Millsap 10 32.3 18.0 3.4 5.4 8.8 2.2 1.1 1.4 1.3 3.6 7.0 12.2 .574 0.0 0.2 .000 4.0 5.8 .690

Season 5
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season 1983-842010-11
Team Boston CelticsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 79 38.3 24.2 2.3 7.8 10.1 6.6 1.8 0.9 3.0 2.5 9.6 19.5 .492 0.2 0.9 .247 4.7 5.3 .888
Paul Millsap 76 34.3 17.3 2.2 5.5 7.6 2.5 1.4 0.9 1.9 3.6 6.9 13.0 .531 0.1 0.3 .391 3.4 4.4 .757
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 23 41.8 27.5 2.7 8.3 11.0 5.9 2.3 1.2 3.8 3.1 10.0 19.0 .524 0.3 0.7 .412 7.3 8.3 .879
Paul Millsap ------- --- ----------

Season 6
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season 1984-852011-12
Team Boston CelticsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsJazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 80 39.5 28.7 2.1 8.5 10.5 6.6 1.6 1.2 3.1 2.6 11.5 22.0 .522 0.7 1.6 .427 5.0 5.7 .882
Paul Millsap 64 32.8 16.6 2.8 6.0 8.8 2.3 1.8 0.8 1.8 3.5 6.7 13.5 .495 0.1 0.5 .226 3.2 4.0 .792
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 20 40.8 26.0 2.7 6.5 9.1 5.8 1.7 1.0 2.9 2.7 9.8 21.3 .461 0.4 1.3 .280 6.1 6.8 .890
Paul Millsap 4 34.8 12.0 4.3 6.8 11.0 0.5 0.3 2.5 2.3 2.8 5.0 13.5 .370 0.0 0.8 .000 2.0 4.0 .500

Season 7
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season 1985-862012-13
Team Boston CelticsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 82 38.0 25.8 2.3 7.5 9.8 6.8 2.0 0.6 3.2 2.2 9.7 19.6 .496 1.0 2.4 .423 5.4 6.0 .896
Paul Millsap 78 30.4 14.6 2.3 4.8 7.1 2.6 1.3 1.0 1.8 3.0 5.5 11.2 .490 0.2 0.5 .333 3.4 4.6 .742
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 18 42.8 25.9 1.9 7.4 9.3 8.2 2.1 0.6 2.6 3.1 9.5 18.4 .517 1.3 3.1 .411 5.6 6.1 .927
Paul Millsap ------- --- ----------

Season 8
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season 1986-872013-14
Team Boston CelticsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsHawks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 74 40.6 28.1 1.7 7.5 9.2 7.6 1.8 0.9 3.2 2.5 10.6 20.2 .525 1.2 3.0 .400 5.6 6.1 .910
Paul Millsap 74 33.5 17.9 2.1 6.4 8.5 3.1 1.7 1.1 2.5 2.8 6.5 14.1 .461 1.0 2.9 .358 3.9 5.3 .731
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 23 44.1 27.0 1.8 8.3 10.0 7.2 1.2 0.8 3.1 2.4 9.4 19.7 .476 0.6 1.8 .341 7.7 8.4 .912
Paul Millsap 7 38.1 19.4 3.0 7.9 10.9 2.9 1.4 1.9 2.9 3.6 5.9 14.7 .398 1.3 3.9 .333 6.4 8.0 .804

Season 9
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season 1987-882014-15
Team Boston CelticsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsHawks Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 76 39.0 29.9 1.4 7.8 9.3 6.1 1.6 0.8 2.8 2.1 11.6 22.0 .527 1.3 3.1 .414 5.5 6.0 .916
Paul Millsap 73 32.7 16.7 1.9 5.9 7.8 3.1 1.8 0.9 2.3 2.8 6.1 12.7 .476 1.1 3.0 .356 3.5 4.6 .757
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 17 44.9 24.5 1.7 7.1 8.8 6.8 2.1 0.8 2.9 2.6 8.9 19.9 .450 0.7 1.9 .375 5.9 6.6 .894
Paul Millsap 16 35.4 15.2 2.3 6.4 8.7 3.4 1.6 0.9 2.1 3.3 5.3 13.1 .407 0.9 3.1 .306 3.6 4.9 .744

Season 10
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season 1988-892015-16
Team Boston CelticsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 6 31.5 19.3 0.2 6.0 6.2 4.8 1.0 0.8 1.8 3.0 8.2 17.3 .471 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 3.2 .947
Paul Millsap 81 32.7 17.1 2.4 6.6 9.0 3.3 1.8 1.7 2.4 2.9 6.2 13.2 .470 0.9 2.9 .319 3.8 5.0 .757
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird ------- --- ----------
Paul Millsap 10 36.5 16.7 2.8 6.6 9.4 2.7 1.3 2.3 2.6 2.9 5.9 13.7 .431 0.8 3.3 .242 4.1 5.5 .745

Season 11
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season 1989-902016-17
Team Boston CelticsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf 1st RdHawks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 75 39.3 24.3 1.2 8.3 9.5 7.5 1.4 0.8 3.2 2.3 9.6 20.2 .473 0.9 2.6 .333 4.3 4.6 .930
Paul Millsap 69 34.0 18.1 1.6 6.1 7.7 3.7 1.3 0.9 2.3 2.7 6.2 14.1 .442 1.1 3.5 .311 4.5 5.9 .768
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 5 41.4 24.4 1.4 7.8 9.2 8.8 1.0 1.0 3.6 2.0 8.8 19.8 .444 1.0 3.8 .263 5.8 6.4 .906
Paul Millsap 6 36.5 24.3 1.5 7.8 9.3 4.3 1.7 0.7 3.8 3.2 8.3 16.5 .505 0.5 2.8 .176 7.2 8.8 .811

Season 12
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season 1990-912017-18
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 60 38.0 19.4 0.9 7.6 8.5 7.2 1.8 1.0 3.1 2.0 7.7 17.0 .454 1.3 3.3 .389 2.7 3.1 .891
Paul Millsap 38 30.1 14.6 1.7 4.7 6.4 2.8 1.0 1.2 1.9 2.6 5.3 11.4 .464 1.0 3.0 .345 2.9 4.2 .696
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 10 39.6 17.1 0.8 6.4 7.2 6.5 1.3 0.3 1.9 2.8 6.2 15.2 .408 0.3 2.1 .143 4.4 5.1 .863
Paul Millsap ------- --- ----------

Season 13
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season 1991-922018-19
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisNuggets Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 45 36.9 20.2 1.0 8.6 9.6 6.8 0.9 0.7 2.8 1.8 7.8 16.8 .466 1.2 2.8 .406 3.3 3.6 .926
Paul Millsap 70 27.1 12.6 2.2 5.0 7.2 2.0 1.2 0.8 1.4 2.6 4.6 9.5 .484 0.8 2.3 .365 2.6 3.6 .727
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 4 26.8 11.3 0.5 4.0 4.5 5.3 0.3 0.5 1.5 1.8 5.3 10.5 .500 0.0 1.3 .000 0.8 1.0 .750
Paul Millsap 14 33.5 14.6 1.7 5.0 6.7 0.8 0.9 1.1 1.3 3.4 5.2 11.1 .468 0.9 2.7 .316 3.4 4.4 .770

Season 14
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season -2019-20
Team -Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Nuggets Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird ------- --- ----------
Paul Millsap 51 24.3 11.6 1.9 3.8 5.7 1.6 0.9 0.6 1.4 2.9 4.1 8.6 .482 1.1 2.4 .435 2.3 2.8 .816
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird ------- --- ----------
Paul Millsap 19 24.2 8.0 1.4 3.3 4.7 1.2 0.6 0.5 1.3 2.6 2.5 6.2 .398 0.8 2.3 .341 2.3 2.8 .796

Season 15
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season -2020-21
Team -Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Nuggets Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird ------- --- ----------
Paul Millsap 56 20.8 9.0 1.4 3.3 4.7 1.8 0.9 0.6 0.9 2.0 3.4 7.2 .476 0.9 2.6 .343 1.3 1.8 .724
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird ------- --- ----------
Paul Millsap 9 12.1 6.4 1.0 2.9 3.9 1.7 0.3 0.7 0.9 1.6 2.4 5.6 .440 0.7 2.6 .261 0.9 1.4 .615

Season 16
Larry Bird Paul Millsap
Season -2021-22
Team -Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -76ers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird ------- --- ----------
Paul Millsap 33 11.4 3.5 1.2 2.2 3.5 0.9 0.3 0.4 0.6 2.0 1.4 3.5 .391 0.2 1.1 .229 0.5 0.7 .708
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird ------- --- ----------
Paul Millsap 1 6.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
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