Bob Lanier vs. Wes Matthews Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Wes Matthews 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, 5 more than Wes Matthews, who played 9. Bob Lanier had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while Wes Matthews had his rookie season in 1980-81. 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
Wes Matthews 9 7 1980-81 to 1989-90

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 Wes Matthews
Season 1970-711980-81
Team Detroit PistonsWashington Bullets, Atlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
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 82 24.6 15.6 - - 8.1 1.8 - - - 3.3 6.1 13.5 .455 - - - 3.3 4.6 .726
Wes Matthews 79 28.7 12.4 0.6 1.2 1.8 5.2 1.4 0.2 3.3 3.1 4.9 9.9 .494 0.1 0.3 .238 2.6 3.2 .802
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Wes Matthews ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Bob Lanier Wes Matthews
Season 1971-721981-82
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 80 38.7 25.7 - - 14.2 3.1 - - - 3.7 10.4 21.1 .493 - - - 4.9 6.3 .768
Wes Matthews 47 17.8 6.9 0.4 0.8 1.2 3.0 1.1 0.0 1.3 2.7 2.8 6.3 .440 0.0 0.2 .250 1.3 1.7 .759
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Wes Matthews 2 14.0 4.0 0.0 0.0 0 2.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 2.0 1.0 5.0 .200 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.0 1.000

Season 3

Bob Lanier Wes Matthews
Season 1972-731982-83
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 81 38.9 23.8 - - 14.9 3.2 - - - 3.4 10.0 20.4 .490 - - - 3.8 4.9 .773
Wes Matthews 64 18.5 6.9 0.4 1.0 1.4 3.9 0.9 0.1 1.9 2.0 2.7 6.6 .403 0.2 0.8 .292 1.3 1.8 .768
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Wes Matthews 3 12.7 3.3 0.0 0.0 0 3.7 0.0 0.3 1.0 1.7 1.0 3.0 .333 0.0 0.3 .000 1.3 1.7 .800

Season 4

Bob Lanier Wes Matthews
Season 1973-741983-84
Team Detroit PistonsAtlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf Semis76ers 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 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
Wes Matthews 20 19.4 7.5 0.4 1.0 1.4 4.2 0.8 0.2 2.0 2.3 3.1 6.6 .466 0.1 0.4 .125 1.4 1.8 .750
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
Wes Matthews 4 5.8 2.5 0.0 0.0 0 1.0 0.3 0.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 .500 0.3 0.5 .500 0.3 0.5 .500

Season 5

Bob Lanier Wes Matthews
Season 1974-751984-85
Team Detroit PistonsChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf 1st RdBulls 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 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
Wes Matthews 78 19.5 5.7 0.2 0.7 0.9 4.5 0.9 0.2 1.6 1.7 2.4 4.9 .495 0.0 0.2 .125 0.8 1.1 .694
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
Wes Matthews 4 22.8 7.3 0.5 1.0 1.5 3.0 1.3 0.0 1.8 2.5 2.8 8.0 .344 0.0 0.8 .000 1.8 2.3 .778

Season 6

Bob Lanier Wes Matthews
Season 1975-761985-86
Team Detroit PistonsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf SemisSpurs 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 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
Wes Matthews 75 24.7 10.9 0.4 1.3 1.7 6.3 1.2 0.4 3.1 2.2 4.3 8.0 .531 0.1 0.3 .160 2.3 2.8 .820
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
Wes Matthews 3 38.7 25.3 0.3 2.0 2.3 8.0 2.0 0.0 3.7 2.3 11.7 18.0 .648 0.0 0.3 .000 2.0 2.7 .750

Season 7

Bob Lanier Wes Matthews
Season 1976-771986-87
Team Detroit PistonsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
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
Wes Matthews 50 10.6 4.2 0.3 0.7 0.9 2.0 0.5 0.1 1.0 1.1 1.8 3.7 .476 0.0 0.1 .333 0.6 0.7 .806
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
Wes Matthews 12 5.1 2.3 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.8 0.1 0.0 1.1 0.8 0.9 1.9 .478 0.0 0.1 .000 0.5 0.6 .857

Season 8

Bob Lanier Wes Matthews
Season 1977-781987-88
Team Detroit PistonsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
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
Wes Matthews 51 13.8 5.7 0.3 1.0 1.3 2.7 0.5 0.1 1.4 1.3 2.2 4.9 .460 0.1 0.6 .233 1.1 1.3 .831
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Wes Matthews 10 2.7 1.2 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.5 .400 0.0 0.1 .000 0.8 1.0 .800

Note: Wes Matthews didn't play in 1988-89.

Season 9

Bob Lanier Wes Matthews
Season 1978-791989-90
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 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
Wes Matthews 1 13.0 4.0 0.0 0.0 0 5.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 3.0 .333 0.0 1.0 .000 2.0 2.0 1.000
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Wes Matthews ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Bob Lanier Wes Matthews
Season 1979-80-
Team Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks 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 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
Wes Matthews ------- --- ----------
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
Wes Matthews ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Bob Lanier Wes Matthews
Season 1980-81-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks 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 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
Wes Matthews ------- --- ----------
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
Wes Matthews ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Bob Lanier Wes Matthews
Season 1981-82-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bucks 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 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
Wes Matthews ------- --- ----------
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
Wes Matthews ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Bob Lanier Wes Matthews
Season 1982-83-
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 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
Wes Matthews ------- --- ----------
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
Wes Matthews ------- --- ----------

Season 14

Bob Lanier Wes Matthews
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
Wes Matthews ------- --- ----------
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
Wes Matthews ------- --- ----------