Dave Cowens vs. Cliff Robinson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Cliff Robinson and Dave Cowens, 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.

Dave Cowens and Cliff Robinson both played 11 years in the NBA. Dave Cowens had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while Cliff Robinson 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
Dave Cowens 11 7 1970-71 to 1982-83
Cliff Robinson 11 4 1979-80 to 1991-92

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Dave Cowens Cliff Robinson
Season 1970-711979-80
Team Boston CelticsNew Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
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 %
Dave Cowens 81 38.0 17.0 - - 15.0 2.8 - - - 4.3 6.8 16.1 .422 - - - 3.4 4.6 .732
Cliff Robinson 70 23.7 13.6 2.5 4.7 7.2 1.4 0.9 0.5 2.0 2.5 5.6 11.9 .469 0.0 0.1 .250 2.4 3.5 .694
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Cliff Robinson ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Dave Cowens Cliff Robinson
Season 1971-721980-81
Team Boston CelticsNew Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens 79 40.3 18.8 - - 15.2 3.1 - - - 4.0 8.3 17.2 .484 - - - 2.2 3.1 .720
Cliff Robinson 63 28.9 19.5 1.9 5.7 7.6 1.7 0.9 0.8 2.9 3.4 8.3 17.0 .491 0.0 0.0 1.000 2.8 3.9 .718
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens 11 40.1 15.5 - - 13.8 3.0 - - - 4.5 6.5 14.2 .455 - - - 2.5 4.3 .596
Cliff Robinson ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Dave Cowens Cliff Robinson
Season 1972-731981-82
Team Boston CelticsKansas City Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens 82 41.8 20.5 - - 16.2 4.1 - - - 3.8 9.0 20.0 .452 - - - 2.5 3.2 .779
Cliff Robinson 68 32.0 18.5 2.6 6.4 9.0 1.8 1.3 1.5 2.2 3.3 7.6 16.8 .453 0.0 0.1 .000 3.3 4.6 .709
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens 13 46.0 21.9 - - 16.6 3.7 - - - 4.2 9.9 21.0 .473 - - - 2.1 3.2 .659
Cliff Robinson ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Dave Cowens Cliff Robinson
Season 1973-741982-83
Team Boston CelticsCleveland Cavaliers
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 %
Dave Cowens 80 41.9 19.0 3.3 12.4 15.7 4.4 1.2 1.3 - 3.7 8.1 18.4 .437 - - - 2.9 3.4 .832
Cliff Robinson 77 33.8 18.0 2.5 8.6 11.1 1.9 0.8 0.8 2.9 3.5 7.6 16.0 .477 0.0 0.1 .000 2.8 3.9 .708
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens 18 42.9 20.5 3.3 10.0 13.3 3.7 1.2 0.9 - 4.7 8.9 20.6 .435 - - - 2.6 3.3 .797
Cliff Robinson ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Dave Cowens Cliff Robinson
Season 1974-751983-84
Team Boston CelticsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens 65 40.5 20.4 3.5 11.2 14.7 4.6 1.3 1.1 - 3.7 8.8 18.4 .475 - - - 2.9 3.8 .783
Cliff Robinson 73 32.9 17.8 2.1 8.2 10.3 2.5 0.7 0.4 2.6 2.7 7.3 16.2 .450 0.0 0.0 .500 3.2 4.6 .701
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens 11 43.5 20.5 4.5 12.0 16.5 4.2 1.6 0.5 - 4.5 9.2 21.5 .428 - - - 2.1 2.4 .885
Cliff Robinson ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Dave Cowens Cliff Robinson
Season 1975-761984-85
Team Boston CelticsWashington Bullets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionBullets 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 %
Dave Cowens 78 39.8 19.0 4.3 11.7 16.0 4.2 1.2 0.9 - 4.0 7.8 16.7 .468 - - - 3.3 4.4 .756
Cliff Robinson 60 31.2 16.7 2.4 6.8 9.1 2.5 0.9 0.8 2.7 3.1 7.0 14.9 .471 0.0 0.1 .333 2.6 3.6 .742
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens 18 44.3 21.0 4.8 11.6 16.4 4.6 1.2 0.7 - 4.7 8.7 18.9 .457 - - - 3.7 4.8 .759
Cliff Robinson 4 30.8 14.8 3.0 4.5 7.5 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.8 3.5 6.3 14.0 .446 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.0 .750

Season 7

Dave Cowens Cliff Robinson
Season 1976-771985-86
Team Boston CelticsWashington Bullets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisBullets 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 %
Dave Cowens 50 37.8 16.4 2.9 11.0 13.9 5.0 0.9 1.0 - 3.6 6.6 15.1 .434 - - - 3.2 4.0 .818
Cliff Robinson 78 32.9 18.7 2.3 6.4 8.7 2.4 1.3 0.6 2.6 2.8 7.6 16.1 .474 0.0 0.1 .250 3.4 4.5 .762
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens 9 42.1 16.6 3.2 11.7 14.9 4.0 0.9 1.4 - 4.1 7.3 16.4 .446 - - - 1.9 2.4 .773
Cliff Robinson 5 35.4 21.4 3.4 5.2 8.6 3.4 2.0 0.6 3.0 3.8 9.2 18.6 .495 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 6.2 .484

Season 8

Dave Cowens Cliff Robinson
Season 1977-781986-87
Team Boston CelticsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not Play76ers 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 %
Dave Cowens 77 41.8 18.6 3.2 10.8 14.0 4.6 1.3 0.9 2.8 3.9 7.8 15.8 .490 - - - 3.1 3.7 .842
Cliff Robinson 55 28.8 14.8 1.6 4.0 5.6 1.6 1.6 0.5 2.2 2.7 6.1 13.3 .464 0.0 0.1 .000 2.5 3.3 .755
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Cliff Robinson 5 27.6 14.6 2.0 6.6 8.6 1.2 0.6 1.4 1.6 3.0 6.0 12.2 .492 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 3.0 .867

Season 9

Dave Cowens Cliff Robinson
Season 1978-791987-88
Team Boston CelticsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards
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 %
Dave Cowens 68 37.0 16.6 2.2 7.4 9.6 3.6 1.1 0.8 2.6 3.9 7.2 14.9 .483 - - - 2.2 2.8 .807
Cliff Robinson 62 34.0 19.0 1.9 4.7 6.5 2.1 1.3 0.6 2.6 3.1 7.8 16.8 .464 0.0 0.1 .222 3.4 4.7 .717
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Cliff Robinson ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Dave Cowens Cliff Robinson
Season 1979-801988-89
Team Boston CelticsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens 66 32.7 14.2 1.9 6.2 8.1 3.1 1.0 0.9 1.6 3.3 6.4 14.1 .453 0.0 0.2 .083 1.4 1.8 .779
Cliff Robinson 14 29.7 15.1 1.4 4.0 5.4 2.3 1.2 0.1 2.4 2.6 6.4 13.4 .481 0.0 0.1 .000 2.3 3.1 .727
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens 9 33.4 12.0 2.0 5.3 7.3 2.3 1.0 0.8 0.9 4.1 5.4 11.4 .476 0.0 0.2 .000 1.1 1.2 .909
Cliff Robinson ------- --- ----------

Note: Dave Cowens didn't play in 1980-81 and 1981-82.

Note: Cliff Robinson didn't play in 1989-90 and 1990-91.

Season 11

Dave Cowens Cliff Robinson
Season 1982-831991-92
Team Milwaukee BucksLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers 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 %
Dave Cowens 40 25.4 8.1 1.8 5.0 6.9 2.1 0.8 0.4 1.1 3.4 3.4 7.7 .444 0.0 0.1 .000 1.3 1.6 .825
Cliff Robinson 9 8.7 3.2 0.8 1.3 2.1 1.0 0.6 0.0 0.8 0.4 1.2 3.0 .407 0.0 0.1 .000 0.8 0.9 .875
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Cliff Robinson 3 8.0 3.7 0.7 1.3 2.0 0.3 1.0 0.3 0.7 2.0 1.0 3.3 .300 0.0 0.0 - 1.7 2.7 .625