Bob Lanier vs. Doc Rivers Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Doc Rivers and Bob Lanier, 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 / Games against each other

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.

Bob Lanier played 14 years in the NBA, 1 more than Doc Rivers, who played 13. Bob Lanier had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while Doc Rivers had his rookie season in 1983-84. 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
Bob Lanier 14 9 1970-71 to 1983-84
Doc Rivers 13 10 1983-84 to 1995-96

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1970-711983-84
Team Detroit PistonsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks 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 %
Bob Lanier 82 24.6 15.6 - - 8.1 1.8 - - - 3.3 6.1 13.5 .455 - - - 3.3 4.6 .726
Doc Rivers 81 23.9 9.3 0.9 1.8 2.7 3.9 1.6 0.4 2.1 3.5 3.1 6.7 .462 0.0 0.1 .167 3.1 4.0 .785
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 5 26.0 13.6 1.4 0.6 2.0 3.2 2.4 0.8 1.8 3.2 3.2 6.4 .500 0.0 0.6 .000 7.2 8.2 .878

Season 2

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1971-721984-85
Team Detroit PistonsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 80 38.7 25.7 - - 14.2 3.1 - - - 3.7 10.4 21.1 .493 - - - 4.9 6.3 .768
Doc Rivers 69 30.8 14.1 1.0 2.1 3.1 5.9 2.4 0.8 2.6 3.6 4.8 10.2 .476 0.2 0.5 .417 4.2 5.5 .770
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1972-731985-86
Team Detroit PistonsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards 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 %
Bob Lanier 81 38.9 23.8 - - 14.9 3.2 - - - 3.4 10.0 20.4 .490 - - - 3.8 4.9 .773
Doc Rivers 53 29.6 11.5 0.9 2.1 3.1 8.4 2.3 0.2 2.7 3.5 4.2 8.8 .474 0.0 0.3 .000 3.2 5.3 .608
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 9 29.1 12.7 1.1 3.6 4.7 8.7 2.0 0.0 2.9 4.2 4.4 10.2 .435 0.3 0.7 .500 3.4 4.7 .738

Season 4

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1973-741986-87
Team Detroit PistonsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf SemisHawks 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 %
Bob Lanier 81 37.6 22.5 3.3 9.9 13.3 4.2 1.4 3.0 - 3.4 9.2 18.3 .504 - - - 4.0 5.0 .797
Doc Rivers 82 31.6 12.8 1.0 2.6 3.6 10.0 2.1 0.4 2.6 3.5 4.2 9.2 .451 0.0 0.3 .190 4.5 5.4 .828
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 7 43.3 26.3 3.7 11.6 15.3 3.0 0.6 2.0 - 4.0 11.0 21.7 .507 - - - 4.3 5.4 .789
Doc Rivers 8 30.6 7.8 0.8 2.6 3.4 11.3 1.1 0.4 3.1 4.0 2.3 5.9 .383 0.0 0.0 - 3.3 6.5 .500

Season 5

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1974-751987-88
Team Detroit PistonsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf 1st RdHawks 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 %
Bob Lanier 76 39.3 24.0 3.0 9.1 12.0 4.6 1.0 2.3 - 3.1 9.6 18.9 .510 - - - 4.8 5.9 .802
Doc Rivers 80 31.3 14.2 1.0 3.5 4.6 9.3 1.8 0.5 2.6 3.4 5.0 11.1 .453 0.1 0.4 .273 4.0 5.3 .758
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 3 42.7 20.3 1.7 9.0 10.7 6.3 1.3 4.0 - 3.3 8.7 17.0 .510 - - - 3.0 4.0 .750
Doc Rivers 12 34.1 15.7 0.7 4.3 4.9 9.6 2.1 0.2 2.1 3.3 5.9 11.6 .511 0.6 1.8 .318 3.3 3.6 .907

Season 6

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1975-761988-89
Team Detroit PistonsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf SemisHawks 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 %
Bob Lanier 64 36.9 21.3 3.4 8.3 11.7 3.4 1.2 1.3 - 3.2 8.5 15.9 .532 - - - 4.4 5.8 .768
Doc Rivers 76 32.4 13.6 1.2 2.6 3.8 6.9 2.4 0.5 2.1 3.5 4.9 10.7 .455 0.6 1.6 .347 3.3 3.8 .861
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 9 39.9 26.1 4.3 8.3 12.7 3.3 0.9 2.3 - 3.8 10.6 19.1 .552 - - - 5.0 5.6 .900
Doc Rivers 5 38.2 13.4 0.8 4.0 4.8 6.8 1.4 0.4 2.4 4.4 4.4 11.4 .386 1.2 3.8 .316 3.4 4.8 .708

Season 7

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1976-771989-90
Team Detroit PistonsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 64 38.2 25.3 3.1 8.5 11.6 3.3 1.1 2.0 - 2.7 10.6 19.8 .534 - - - 4.1 5.0 .818
Doc Rivers 48 31.8 12.5 1.0 3.2 4.2 5.5 2.4 0.5 2.0 3.1 4.5 10.0 .454 0.5 1.4 .364 2.9 3.5 .812
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 3 39.3 28.0 4.3 12.3 16.7 2.0 1.0 2.3 - 3.3 11.3 18.0 .630 - - - 5.3 6.3 .842
Doc Rivers ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1977-781990-91
Team Detroit PistonsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks 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 %
Bob Lanier 63 36.7 24.5 3.1 8.2 11.3 3.4 1.3 1.5 3.6 2.9 9.9 18.4 .537 - - - 4.7 6.1 .772
Doc Rivers 79 32.7 15.2 0.6 2.6 3.2 4.3 1.9 0.6 1.6 2.7 5.6 12.9 .435 1.1 3.3 .336 2.8 3.3 .844
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 5 34.6 15.6 1.2 2.8 4.0 3.0 1.0 0.4 0.8 2.8 6.0 12.8 .469 0.2 2.2 .091 3.4 3.8 .895

Season 9

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1978-791991-92
Team Detroit PistonsLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayClippers 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 %
Bob Lanier 53 34.6 23.6 3.1 6.2 9.3 2.6 0.9 1.4 3.3 3.4 9.2 17.9 .515 - - - 5.2 6.9 .749
Doc Rivers 59 28.1 10.9 0.4 2.1 2.5 3.9 1.9 0.3 1.6 2.8 3.8 9.0 .424 0.4 1.6 .283 2.8 3.3 .832
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 5 37.4 15.2 0.8 3.0 3.8 4.2 1.2 0.0 0.6 3.2 5.0 11.2 .446 0.8 1.6 .500 4.4 5.4 .815

Season 10

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1979-801992-93
Team Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee BucksNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks Lost West Conf SemisKnicks 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 %
Bob Lanier 63 33.8 19.2 2.4 6.3 8.8 2.9 1.2 1.4 2.6 3.2 7.4 13.8 .537 0.0 0.1 .167 4.4 5.6 .782
Doc Rivers 77 24.5 7.8 0.3 2.2 2.5 5.3 1.6 0.1 1.5 2.8 2.8 6.4 .437 0.5 1.6 .317 1.7 2.1 .821
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 7 36.6 19.3 2.4 6.9 9.3 4.4 1.0 1.1 2.4 3.3 7.4 14.4 .515 0.0 0.0 - 4.4 6.0 .738
Doc Rivers 15 30.5 10.2 0.4 2.2 2.6 5.7 1.9 0.1 2.0 2.9 3.2 7.1 .453 0.7 2.1 .355 3.1 4.0 .767

Season 11

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1980-811993-94
Team Milwaukee BucksNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks 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 %
Bob Lanier 67 26.2 14.3 1.9 4.3 6.2 2.7 1.1 1.2 2.1 2.7 5.6 10.7 .525 0.0 0.0 1.000 3.1 4.1 .751
Doc Rivers 19 26.3 7.5 0.2 1.8 2.1 5.3 1.3 0.3 1.5 2.3 2.9 6.7 .433 1.0 2.7 .365 0.7 1.2 .636
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 7 33.7 17.6 1.7 5.7 7.4 4.0 1.7 1.1 2.1 2.6 7.1 12.1 .588 0.0 0.0 - 3.3 4.6 .719
Doc Rivers ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1981-821994-95
Team Milwaukee BucksNew York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bucks Lost East Conf SemisSpurs 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 %
Bob Lanier 74 26.8 13.5 1.2 4.0 5.2 3.0 1.0 0.8 2.2 2.9 5.5 9.9 .558 0.0 0.0 .000 2.5 3.3 .752
Doc Rivers 63 15.7 5.1 0.2 1.5 1.7 2.6 1.0 0.3 1.0 2.4 1.7 4.8 .358 0.7 2.0 .354 1.0 1.3 .732
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 6 35.3 16.0 3.0 4.5 7.5 3.7 1.3 0.8 2.3 3.5 6.8 13.3 .513 0.0 0.2 .000 2.3 4.2 .560
Doc Rivers 15 21.2 7.8 0.2 1.7 1.9 1.6 0.9 0.6 1.2 2.7 2.5 6.3 .389 1.1 3.1 .370 1.7 2.1 .839

Season 13

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1982-831995-96
Team Milwaukee BucksSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks Lost East Conf FinalsSpurs 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 %
Bob Lanier 39 25.1 10.7 1.5 3.6 5.1 2.7 0.9 0.6 2.1 3.2 4.2 8.5 .491 0.0 0.0 .000 2.3 3.4 .684
Doc Rivers 78 15.8 4.0 0.4 1.4 1.8 1.6 0.9 0.3 0.7 2.2 1.4 3.7 .372 0.6 1.8 .343 0.6 0.8 .750
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 9 27.8 13.7 1.9 5.1 7.0 2.6 0.6 1.6 2.3 3.6 5.7 9.9 .573 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.9 .600
Doc Rivers 2 10.0 1.5 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 1.5 0.5 1.5 .333 0.5 1.0 .500 0.0 0.0 -

Season 14

Bob Lanier Doc Rivers
Season 1983-84-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks 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 %
Bob Lanier 72 27.9 13.6 2.0 4.4 6.3 2.6 0.8 0.7 2.3 3.2 5.4 9.5 .572 0.0 0.0 .000 2.7 3.8 .708
Doc Rivers ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 16 31.2 12.7 2.0 5.3 7.3 3.4 0.7 0.6 2.4 3.6 5.1 10.7 .480 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 2.8 .886
Doc Rivers ------- --- ----------