Dave Cowens vs. Jim Petersen Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Jim Petersen 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

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 played 11 years in the NBA, 3 more than Jim Petersen, who played 8. Dave Cowens had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while Jim Petersen had his rookie season in 1984-85. 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
Jim Petersen 8 5 1984-85 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 Jim Petersen
Season 1970-711984-85
Team Boston CelticsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets 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 81 38.0 17.0 - - 15.0 2.8 - - - 4.3 6.8 16.1 .422 - - - 3.4 4.6 .732
Jim Petersen 60 11.9 3.2 0.7 1.7 2.5 0.5 0.2 0.5 1.2 2.1 1.2 2.4 .486 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.1 .758
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Jim Petersen 3 2.7 0.7 0.3 0.3 0.7 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.7 0.3 0.3 1.000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 2

Dave Cowens Jim Petersen
Season 1971-721985-86
Team Boston CelticsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsRockets Lost NBA Finals
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
Jim Petersen 82 20.3 6.2 1.8 3.0 4.8 1.0 0.5 0.7 1.0 2.8 2.4 5.0 .477 0.0 0.0 .000 1.4 2.0 .706
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
Jim Petersen 20 18.9 5.6 2.4 3.2 5.6 1.1 0.5 0.5 0.8 2.9 2.2 5.4 .407 0.0 0.0 - 1.2 1.7 .697

Season 3

Dave Cowens Jim Petersen
Season 1972-731986-87
Team Boston CelticsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsRockets 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 %
Dave Cowens 82 41.8 20.5 - - 16.2 4.1 - - - 3.8 9.0 20.0 .452 - - - 2.5 3.2 .779
Jim Petersen 82 29.3 11.3 2.2 4.6 6.8 1.5 0.5 1.2 1.9 3.3 4.7 9.2 .511 0.0 0.0 .000 1.9 2.5 .727
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
Jim Petersen 10 18.7 6.8 1.4 3.2 4.6 0.6 0.5 0.2 1.0 2.6 2.8 5.1 .549 0.0 0.0 - 1.2 1.8 .667

Season 4

Dave Cowens Jim Petersen
Season 1973-741987-88
Team Boston CelticsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionRockets 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 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
Jim Petersen 69 26.0 8.9 2.1 4.2 6.3 1.5 0.5 0.6 1.7 2.9 3.6 7.1 .510 0.0 0.1 .167 1.7 2.2 .745
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
Jim Petersen 4 24.5 7.8 1.8 3.5 5.3 1.5 0.3 0.5 1.0 2.8 3.0 5.8 .522 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 3.0 .583

Season 5

Dave Cowens Jim Petersen
Season 1974-751988-89
Team Boston CelticsSacramento Kings
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
Jim Petersen 66 24.7 10.2 1.8 4.4 6.3 1.2 0.7 1.0 2.2 3.6 4.2 9.2 .459 0.0 0.1 .000 1.7 2.3 .747
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
Jim Petersen ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Dave Cowens Jim Petersen
Season 1975-761989-90
Team Boston CelticsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First 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 %
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
Jim Petersen 43 13.8 4.0 1.1 2.6 3.7 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.8 2.4 1.4 3.3 .426 0.0 0.0 .000 1.2 1.7 .712
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
Jim Petersen ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Dave Cowens Jim Petersen
Season 1976-771990-91
Team Boston CelticsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisWarriors 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 %
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
Jim Petersen 62 13.5 4.5 1.1 2.1 3.2 0.4 0.2 0.7 0.8 2.5 1.8 3.8 .483 0.0 0.1 .250 0.8 1.2 .658
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
Jim Petersen 9 13.0 3.2 0.4 2.6 3.0 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.2 3.9 1.3 1.9 .706 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 0.9 .625

Season 8

Dave Cowens Jim Petersen
Season 1977-781991-92
Team Boston CelticsGolden State Warriors
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 %
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
Jim Petersen 27 6.3 1.6 0.4 1.2 1.7 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 1.3 0.7 1.5 .450 0.0 0.1 .000 0.3 0.4 .700
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Jim Petersen ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Dave Cowens Jim Petersen
Season 1978-79-
Team Boston Celtics-
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 %
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
Jim Petersen ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Jim Petersen ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Dave Cowens Jim Petersen
Season 1979-80-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
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
Jim Petersen ------- --- ----------
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
Jim Petersen ------- --- ----------

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

Season 11

Dave Cowens Jim Petersen
Season 1982-83-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
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 %
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
Jim Petersen ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Jim Petersen ------- --- ----------