Tom Heinsohn vs. Norm Nixon Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Norm Nixon and Tom Heinsohn, 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.

Tom Heinsohn played 9 years in the NBA, 1 less than Norm Nixon, who played 10. Tom Heinsohn had the first of his seasons in 1956-57, while Norm Nixon had his rookie season in 1977-78. 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
Tom Heinsohn 9 9 1956-57 to 1964-65
Norm Nixon 10 6 1977-78 to 1988-89

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

Rookie Season

Tom Heinsohn Norm Nixon
Season 1956-571977-78
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
-Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionLakers 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 %
Tom Heinsohn 72 29.9 16.2 - - 9.8 1.6 - - - 4.2 6.2 15.6 .397 - - - 3.8 4.8 .790
Norm Nixon 81 34.3 13.7 0.5 2.4 3.0 6.8 1.7 0.1 3.1 3.2 6.1 12.3 .497 - - - 1.4 2.0 .714
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn 10 37.0 22.9 - - 11.7 2.0 - - - 4.0 9.0 23.1 .390 - - - 4.9 6.9 .710
Norm Nixon 3 30.7 8.0 1.3 1.7 3.0 5.3 1.3 0.3 1.7 4.3 3.7 8.0 .458 - - - 0.7 1.0 .667

Season 2

Tom Heinsohn Norm Nixon
Season 1957-581978-79
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsLakers 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 %
Tom Heinsohn 69 32.0 17.8 - - 10.2 1.8 - - - 4.0 6.8 17.8 .382 - - - 4.3 5.7 .746
Norm Nixon 82 38.4 17.1 0.6 2.2 2.8 9.0 2.5 0.2 2.8 3.0 7.6 14.0 .542 - - - 1.9 2.5 .775
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn 11 31.7 17.5 - - 10.8 1.6 - - - 4.7 6.2 17.6 .351 - - - 5.1 6.5 .778
Norm Nixon 8 40.9 15.4 0.8 2.8 3.5 11.8 1.4 0.0 3.0 4.6 7.0 14.9 .471 - - - 1.4 1.9 .733

Season 3

Tom Heinsohn Norm Nixon
Season 1958-591979-80
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn 66 31.7 18.8 - - 9.7 2.5 - - - 4.1 7.0 18.1 .390 - - - 4.7 5.9 .798
Norm Nixon 82 39.3 17.6 0.6 2.2 2.8 7.8 1.8 0.2 3.5 2.9 7.6 14.7 .516 0.0 0.1 .125 2.4 3.1 .779
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn 11 31.6 19.9 - - 8.9 2.9 - - - 3.7 8.3 20.0 .414 - - - 3.4 5.1 .661
Norm Nixon 16 40.5 16.9 0.8 2.7 3.5 7.8 2.0 0.2 3.1 3.7 7.1 14.9 .477 0.1 0.3 .200 2.6 3.2 .804

Season 4

Tom Heinsohn Norm Nixon
Season 1959-601980-81
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionLakers 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 %
Tom Heinsohn 75 32.3 21.7 - - 10.6 2.3 - - - 3.7 9.0 21.2 .423 - - - 3.8 5.1 .733
Norm Nixon 79 37.5 17.1 0.8 2.1 2.9 8.8 1.8 0.1 3.6 2.9 7.3 15.3 .476 0.0 0.2 .167 2.5 3.2 .778
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn 13 32.5 21.8 - - 9.7 2.1 - - - 4.1 8.6 20.5 .419 - - - 4.6 6.2 .750
Norm Nixon 3 44.3 19.3 0.3 3.3 3.7 8.7 0.3 0.3 1.7 3.0 8.3 16.3 .510 0.0 0.0 - 2.7 3.3 .800

Season 5

Tom Heinsohn Norm Nixon
Season 1960-611981-82
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn 74 30.5 21.3 - - 9.9 1.9 - - - 3.5 8.5 21.2 .400 - - - 4.4 5.7 .767
Norm Nixon 82 36.9 17.6 0.5 1.7 2.1 8.0 1.6 0.1 2.9 3.2 7.7 15.5 .493 0.0 0.1 .250 2.2 2.7 .808
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn 10 29.1 19.7 - - 9.9 2.0 - - - 3.6 8.2 20.1 .408 - - - 3.3 4.3 .767
Norm Nixon 14 39.2 20.4 0.9 2.1 3.1 8.1 1.6 0.1 2.4 3.1 8.6 18.1 .478 0.1 0.2 .333 3.1 4.1 .754

Season 6

Tom Heinsohn Norm Nixon
Season 1961-621982-83
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionLakers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn 79 30.2 22.1 - - 9.5 2.1 - - - 3.5 8.8 20.4 .429 - - - 4.5 5.5 .819
Norm Nixon 79 34.3 15.1 0.8 1.8 2.6 7.2 1.3 0.1 3.0 2.2 6.7 14.2 .475 0.0 0.2 .000 1.6 2.1 .744
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn 14 31.8 20.7 - - 8.2 2.4 - - - 4.1 8.3 20.8 .399 - - - 4.1 5.4 .763
Norm Nixon 14 38.4 19.0 0.9 2.5 3.4 6.4 1.3 0.1 2.4 2.9 8.1 16.9 .477 0.2 0.5 .429 2.6 3.6 .740

Season 7

Tom Heinsohn Norm Nixon
Season 1962-631983-84
Team Boston CelticsSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA 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 %
Tom Heinsohn 76 26.4 18.9 - - 7.5 1.3 - - - 3.6 7.2 17.1 .423 - - - 4.5 5.4 .835
Norm Nixon 82 37.2 17.0 0.7 1.8 2.5 11.1 1.1 0.0 3.1 2.2 7.2 15.5 .462 0.1 0.6 .239 2.5 3.3 .760
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn 13 31.8 24.7 - - 8.9 1.2 - - - 4.2 9.5 20.8 .456 - - - 5.8 7.5 .765
Norm Nixon ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Tom Heinsohn Norm Nixon
Season 1963-641984-85
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement 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 %
Tom Heinsohn 76 26.8 16.5 - - 6.1 2.4 - - - 3.5 6.4 16.1 .398 - - - 3.7 4.5 .827
Norm Nixon 81 35.7 17.2 0.7 2.0 2.7 8.8 1.2 0.0 3.4 2.2 7.4 15.8 .465 0.4 1.2 .333 2.1 2.7 .780
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn 10 30.8 17.4 - - 8.0 2.6 - - - 3.6 7.0 18.0 .389 - - - 3.4 4.2 .810
Norm Nixon ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Tom Heinsohn Norm Nixon
Season 1964-651985-86
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards 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 %
Tom Heinsohn 67 25.5 13.6 - - 6.0 2.3 - - - 3.8 5.4 14.2 .383 - - - 2.7 3.4 .795
Norm Nixon 67 31.9 14.6 0.7 2.0 2.7 8.6 1.3 0.0 2.8 2.1 6.0 13.7 .438 0.6 1.8 .347 2.0 2.4 .809
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn 12 23.0 12.7 - - 7.0 1.9 - - - 3.8 5.5 15.1 .365 - - - 1.7 2.7 .625
Norm Nixon ------- --- ----------

Note: Norm Nixon didn't play in 1986-87 and 1987-88.

Season 10

Tom Heinsohn Norm Nixon
Season -1988-89
Team -Los Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn ------- --- ----------
Norm Nixon 53 24.9 6.8 0.2 1.2 1.5 6.4 0.9 0.0 2.2 1.3 2.9 7.0 .414 0.2 0.5 .276 0.9 1.2 .738
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Tom Heinsohn ------- --- ----------
Norm Nixon ------- --- ----------