Dave Cowens vs. Rodney McCray Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Rodney McCray 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, 1 more than Rodney McCray, who played 10. Dave Cowens had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while Rodney McCray 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
Dave Cowens 11 7 1970-71 to 1982-83
Rodney McCray 10 5 1983-84 to 1992-93

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Dave Cowens Rodney McCray
Season 1970-711983-84
Team Boston CelticsHouston Rockets
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
Rodney McCray 79 26.3 10.8 2.2 3.5 5.7 2.2 0.7 0.7 1.5 2.6 4.2 8.5 .499 0.0 0.1 .250 2.3 3.2 .731
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Rodney McCray ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Dave Cowens Rodney McCray
Season 1971-721984-85
Team Boston CelticsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsRockets 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 79 40.3 18.8 - - 15.2 3.1 - - - 4.0 8.3 17.2 .484 - - - 2.2 3.1 .720
Rodney McCray 82 36.6 14.4 2.5 4.1 6.6 4.3 1.1 0.9 2.2 2.6 5.8 10.9 .535 0.0 0.1 .000 2.8 3.8 .738
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
Rodney McCray 5 36.2 10.6 1.8 4.2 6.0 2.2 1.2 0.2 2.6 3.4 3.8 6.8 .559 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 4.6 .652

Season 3

Dave Cowens Rodney McCray
Season 1972-731985-86
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 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 82 41.8 20.5 - - 16.2 4.1 - - - 3.8 9.0 20.0 .452 - - - 2.5 3.2 .779
Rodney McCray 82 31.8 10.3 1.9 4.4 6.3 3.6 0.6 0.7 1.6 2.4 4.1 7.7 .537 0.0 0.0 .000 2.1 2.7 .770
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
Rodney McCray 20 41.8 13.0 1.2 4.8 5.9 6.3 0.9 1.0 1.9 2.3 5.4 10.1 .535 0.0 0.2 .000 2.2 2.9 .741

Season 4

Dave Cowens Rodney McCray
Season 1973-741986-87
Team Boston CelticsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionRockets 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 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
Rodney McCray 81 38.7 14.4 2.3 4.8 7.1 5.4 1.1 0.7 2.6 2.1 5.3 9.7 .552 0.0 0.1 .000 3.8 4.9 .779
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
Rodney McCray 10 43.6 15.7 3.2 5.1 8.3 5.6 0.5 0.9 2.6 2.1 5.7 10.1 .564 0.0 0.2 .000 4.3 5.4 .796

Season 5

Dave Cowens Rodney McCray
Season 1974-751987-88
Team Boston CelticsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsRockets 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 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
Rodney McCray 81 33.2 12.4 2.9 4.9 7.8 3.3 0.7 0.6 1.8 2.0 4.4 9.2 .481 0.0 0.0 .000 3.6 4.5 .785
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
Rodney McCray 4 39.8 8.0 3.8 3.0 6.8 2.3 1.0 0.8 1.8 3.0 3.0 7.8 .387 0.0 0.3 .000 2.0 3.0 .667

Season 6

Dave Cowens Rodney McCray
Season 1975-761988-89
Team Boston CelticsSacramento Kings
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
Rodney McCray 68 35.8 12.6 2.1 5.5 7.6 4.3 0.8 0.5 2.5 1.8 5.0 10.7 .466 0.1 0.3 .227 2.5 3.4 .722
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
Rodney McCray ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Dave Cowens Rodney McCray
Season 1976-771989-90
Team Boston CelticsSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
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
Rodney McCray 82 39.5 16.6 2.3 5.8 8.2 4.6 0.7 0.9 2.1 2.1 6.5 12.7 .515 0.1 0.5 .262 3.3 4.2 .784
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
Rodney McCray ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Dave Cowens Rodney McCray
Season 1977-781990-91
Team Boston CelticsDallas Mavericks
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
Rodney McCray 74 34.6 11.4 2.1 5.5 7.6 3.5 0.9 0.7 1.7 2.7 4.5 9.2 .495 0.2 0.5 .333 2.1 2.7 .803
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Rodney McCray ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Dave Cowens Rodney McCray
Season 1978-791991-92
Team Boston CelticsDallas Mavericks
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
Rodney McCray 75 28.1 9.0 2.0 4.3 6.2 2.9 0.6 0.4 1.5 2.4 3.6 8.3 .436 0.3 1.1 .294 1.5 2.0 .719
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Rodney McCray ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Dave Cowens Rodney McCray
Season 1979-801992-93
Team Boston CelticsChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
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
Rodney McCray 64 15.9 3.5 0.8 1.6 2.5 1.3 0.2 0.2 0.8 1.5 1.4 3.2 .451 0.0 0.1 .400 0.6 0.8 .692
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
Rodney McCray 7 5.6 0.3 0.3 1.6 1.9 0.7 0.0 0.1 0.6 0.6 0.1 0.9 .167 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

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

Season 11

Dave Cowens Rodney McCray
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
Rodney McCray ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Rodney McCray ------- --- ----------