Danny Ainge vs. Magic Johnson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Magic Johnson and Danny Ainge, 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.

Danny Ainge played 14 years in the NBA, 1 more than Magic Johnson, who played 13. Danny Ainge had the first of his seasons in 1981-82, while Magic Johnson had his rookie season in 1979-80. 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
Danny Ainge	14	12	1981-82 to 1994-95
Magic Johnson	13	13	1979-80 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
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1981-82	1979-80
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	All-Rookie First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Conf Finals	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	53	10.6	4.1	0.5	0.6	1.1	1.6	0.7	0.1	1.0	1.6	1.5	4.2	.357	0.1	0.3	.294	1.1	1.2	.862
Magic Johnson	77	36.3	18.0	2.2	5.6	7.7	7.3	2.4	0.5	4.0	2.8	6.5	12.3	.530	0.1	0.4	.226	4.9	6.0	.810

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	10	12.9	5.0	0.6	0.7	1.3	1.1	0.2	0.1	1.1	2.1	1.9	4.5	.422	0.2	0.4	.500	1.0	1.3	.769
Magic Johnson	16	41.1	18.3	3.3	7.3	10.5	9.4	3.1	0.4	4.1	2.9	6.4	12.4	.518	0.1	0.5	.250	5.3	6.6	.802


Season 2
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1982-83	1980-81
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Steals Leader
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Conf Semis	Lakers Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	80	25.6	9.9	1.0	1.6	2.7	3.1	1.4	0.1	1.2	3.2	4.5	9.0	.496	0.1	0.4	.172	0.9	1.2	.742
Magic Johnson	37	37.1	21.6	2.7	5.9	8.6	8.6	3.4	0.7	3.9	2.7	8.4	15.9	.532	0.1	0.5	.176	4.6	6.1	.760

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	7	28.7	9.4	0.3	1.7	2.0	3.6	0.7	0.1	0.9	3.4	4.0	10.3	.389	0.3	0.7	.400	1.1	1.6	.727
Magic Johnson	3	42.3	17.0	2.7	11.0	13.7	7.0	2.7	1.0	3.7	4.7	6.3	16.3	.388	0.0	0.0	-	4.3	6.7	.650


Season 3
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1983-84	1981-82
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	Steals Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	71	16.3	5.4	0.4	1.2	1.6	2.3	0.6	0.1	1.0	2.0	2.3	5.1	.460	0.1	0.3	.273	0.6	0.8	.821
Magic Johnson	78	38.3	18.6	3.2	6.4	9.6	9.5	2.7	0.4	3.7	2.9	7.1	13.3	.537	0.1	0.4	.207	4.2	5.6	.760

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	19	13.3	4.8	0.2	0.6	0.8	2.0	0.5	0.1	0.7	1.9	2.2	4.7	.456	0.1	0.5	.222	0.4	0.5	.700
Magic Johnson	14	40.1	17.4	3.9	7.4	11.3	9.3	2.9	0.2	3.1	3.6	5.9	11.2	.529	0.0	0.3	.000	5.5	6.6	.828


Season 4
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1984-85	1982-83
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Assists Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Celtics Lost NBA Finals	Lakers Lost NBA Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	75	34.2	12.9	1.0	2.6	3.6	5.3	1.6	0.1	2.0	3.0	5.6	10.6	.529	0.2	0.7	.268	1.6	1.8	.868
Magic Johnson	79	36.8	16.8	2.7	5.9	8.6	10.5	2.2	0.6	3.8	2.5	6.5	11.8	.548	0.0	0.3	.000	3.8	4.8	.800

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	21	32.7	11.0	1.0	1.8	2.8	5.8	1.5	0.0	1.5	3.6	4.6	9.9	.466	0.3	0.8	.438	1.4	1.9	.769
Magic Johnson	15	42.9	17.9	3.4	5.1	8.5	12.8	2.3	0.8	4.3	3.3	6.7	13.7	.485	0.0	0.7	.000	4.5	5.4	.840


Season 5
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1985-86	1983-84
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Assists Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Lakers Lost NBA Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	80	30.1	10.7	0.6	2.4	2.9	5.1	1.2	0.1	1.6	2.6	4.4	8.8	.504	0.3	0.9	.356	1.5	1.7	.904
Magic Johnson	67	38.3	17.6	1.5	5.9	7.3	13.1	2.2	0.7	4.6	2.5	6.6	11.6	.565	0.1	0.4	.207	4.3	5.3	.810

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	18	36.2	15.6	1.2	3.0	4.2	5.2	2.3	0.1	1.7	3.2	5.9	10.7	.554	0.8	1.9	.412	2.9	3.3	.867
Magic Johnson	21	39.9	18.2	1.2	5.4	6.6	13.5	2.0	1.0	3.8	3.4	7.2	13.0	.551	0.0	0.3	.000	3.8	4.8	.800


Season 6
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1986-87	1984-85
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Celtics Lost NBA Finals	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	71	35.2	14.8	0.7	2.7	3.4	5.6	1.4	0.2	2.0	2.7	5.8	11.9	.486	1.2	2.7	.443	2.1	2.3	.897
Magic Johnson	77	36.1	18.3	1.2	5.0	6.2	12.6	1.5	0.3	4.0	2.0	6.5	11.7	.561	0.1	0.5	.189	5.1	6.0	.843

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	20	38.1	14.8	0.7	2.0	2.6	4.6	1.2	0.2	2.1	3.1	5.8	11.9	.487	1.6	3.7	.438	1.6	1.8	.861
Magic Johnson	19	36.2	17.5	1.0	6.1	7.1	15.2	1.7	0.2	4.0	2.5	6.1	11.9	.513	0.1	0.4	.143	5.3	6.2	.847


Season 7
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1987-88	1985-86
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Assists Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Conf Finals	Lakers Lost West Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	81	37.3	15.7	0.7	2.3	3.1	6.2	1.4	0.2	1.9	2.5	6.0	12.1	.491	1.8	4.4	.415	2.0	2.2	.878
Magic Johnson	72	35.8	18.8	1.2	4.7	5.9	12.6	1.6	0.2	3.8	1.8	6.7	12.8	.526	0.1	0.6	.233	5.3	6.0	.871

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	17	39.4	11.6	0.9	2.2	3.1	6.4	0.5	0.1	2.4	3.8	4.2	10.8	.386	1.1	3.4	.328	2.2	2.5	.881
Magic Johnson	14	38.6	21.6	1.5	5.6	7.1	15.1	1.9	0.1	3.2	3.1	7.9	14.6	.537	0.0	0.8	.000	5.9	7.6	.766


Season 8
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1988-89	1986-87
Team	Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Assists Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	73	32.6	17.5	1.0	2.5	3.5	5.5	1.3	0.1	2.0	2.5	6.6	14.4	.457	1.6	4.2	.380	2.8	3.3	.854
Magic Johnson	80	36.3	23.9	1.5	4.8	6.3	12.2	1.7	0.5	3.8	2.1	8.5	16.4	.522	0.1	0.5	.205	6.7	7.9	.848

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magic Johnson	18	37.0	21.8	1.6	6.2	7.7	12.2	1.7	0.4	2.8	2.1	8.1	15.1	.539	0.1	0.6	.200	5.4	6.6	.831


Season 9
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1989-90	1987-88
Team	Sacramento Kings	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	75	36.4	17.9	0.9	3.4	4.3	6.0	1.5	0.2	2.5	3.2	6.7	15.4	.438	1.4	3.9	.374	3.0	3.6	.831
Magic Johnson	72	36.6	19.6	1.2	5.0	6.2	11.9	1.6	0.2	3.7	2.0	6.8	13.8	.492	0.2	0.8	.196	5.8	6.8	.853

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magic Johnson	24	40.2	19.9	1.3	4.1	5.4	12.6	1.4	0.2	3.5	2.5	7.0	13.7	.514	0.3	0.6	.500	5.5	6.5	.852


Season 10
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1990-91	1988-89
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Finals	Lakers Lost NBA Finals

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	80	21.4	11.1	0.6	2.0	2.6	3.6	0.8	0.2	1.3	2.4	4.2	8.9	.472	1.3	3.1	.406	1.4	1.7	.826
Magic Johnson	77	37.5	22.5	1.4	6.4	7.9	12.8	1.8	0.3	4.1	2.2	7.5	14.8	.509	0.8	2.4	.314	6.7	7.3	.911

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	16	17.3	8.0	0.1	1.7	1.8	1.9	0.8	0.3	1.5	2.1	2.9	6.6	.448	0.7	2.3	.306	1.4	1.8	.821
Magic Johnson	14	37.0	18.4	1.1	4.9	5.9	11.8	1.9	0.2	3.8	2.1	6.1	12.4	.489	0.7	2.5	.286	5.6	6.1	.907


Season 11
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1991-92	1989-90
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost NBA Finals	Lakers 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		%
Danny Ainge	81	19.7	9.7	0.5	1.3	1.8	2.5	0.9	0.2	0.9	1.8	3.7	8.3	.442	1.0	2.8	.339	1.3	1.6	.824
Magic Johnson	79	37.2	22.3	1.6	5.0	6.6	11.5	1.7	0.4	3.7	2.1	6.9	14.4	.480	1.3	3.5	.384	7.2	8.1	.890

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	21	21.4	10.6	0.4	1.5	1.9	2.3	0.7	0.0	1.2	2.8	3.9	8.0	.479	1.0	2.5	.404	1.9	2.2	.830
Magic Johnson	9	41.8	25.2	1.3	5.0	6.3	12.8	1.2	0.1	4.0	3.1	8.4	17.2	.490	0.6	2.8	.200	7.8	8.8	.886


Season 12
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1992-93	1990-91
Team	Phoenix Suns	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Suns Lost NBA Finals	Lakers Lost NBA Finals

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	80	27.0	11.8	0.6	2.1	2.7	3.3	0.9	0.1	1.4	2.2	4.2	9.1	.462	1.9	4.7	.403	1.5	1.8	.848
Magic Johnson	79	37.1	19.4	1.3	5.6	7.0	12.5	1.3	0.2	4.0	1.9	5.9	12.4	.477	1.0	3.2	.320	6.6	7.3	.906

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	24	24.6	8.1	0.8	1.7	2.5	2.3	0.5	0.1	0.9	2.5	2.7	7.1	.376	1.4	3.3	.413	1.4	1.6	.872
Magic Johnson	19	43.3	21.8	1.2	6.9	8.1	12.6	1.2	0.0	4.1	2.3	6.2	14.1	.440	1.1	3.7	.296	8.3	9.4	.882

Note: Magic Johnson didn't play in 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994-95.


Season 13
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1993-94	1995-96
Team	Phoenix Suns	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Suns Lost West Conf Semis	Lakers 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		%
Danny Ainge	68	22.9	8.9	0.4	1.5	1.9	2.6	0.8	0.1	1.2	2.1	3.3	7.9	.417	1.2	3.6	.328	1.1	1.4	.830
Magic Johnson	32	29.9	14.6	1.3	4.5	5.7	6.9	0.8	0.4	3.2	1.5	4.3	9.2	.466	0.7	1.8	.379	5.4	6.3	.856

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	10	23.0	8.6	0.7	1.6	2.3	2.1	0.6	0.1	0.5	2.6	2.7	5.9	.458	1.7	4.0	.425	1.5	2.1	.714
Magic Johnson	4	33.8	15.3	2.0	6.5	8.5	6.5	0.0	0.0	3.0	0.8	3.8	9.8	.385	0.8	2.3	.333	7.0	8.3	.848


Season 14
	Danny Ainge	Magic Johnson
Season	1994-95	-
Team	Phoenix Suns	-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Suns 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		%
Danny Ainge	74	18.6	7.7	0.3	1.1	1.5	2.8	0.6	0.1	1.1	2.1	2.6	5.7	.460	1.1	2.9	.364	1.4	1.8	.808
Magic Johnson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Danny Ainge	10	13.7	6.0	0.2	0.8	1.0	1.0	0.5	0.0	0.6	1.5	1.9	3.8	.500	1.2	2.6	.462	1.0	1.1	.909
Magic Johnson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Danny Ainge vs. Magic Johnson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Magic Johnson and Danny Ainge, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8

Season 9

Season 10

Season 11

Season 12

Season 13

Season 14