Dave DeBusschere vs. Bob Thornton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bob Thornton and Dave DeBusschere, 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 DeBusschere played 12 years in the NBA, 4 more than Bob Thornton, who played 8. Dave DeBusschere had the first of his seasons in 1962-63, while Bob Thornton had his rookie season in 1985-86. 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 DeBusschere 12 8 1962-63 to 1973-74
Bob Thornton 8 2 1985-86 to 1995-96

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12

Rookie Season

Dave DeBusschere Bob Thornton
Season 1962-631985-86
Team Detroit PistonsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Div 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 DeBusschere 80 29.4 12.7 - - 8.7 2.6 - - - 3.1 5.1 11.8 .430 - - - 2.6 3.6 .718
Bob Thornton 71 18.6 4.7 1.6 2.5 4.1 0.6 0.4 0.1 1.2 2.9 1.8 3.9 .456 0.0 0.0 - 1.2 2.3 .531
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave DeBusschere 4 39.8 20.0 - - 15.8 1.5 - - - 3.5 6.3 14.8 .424 - - - 7.5 11.0 .682
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Dave DeBusschere Bob Thornton
Season 1963-641986-87
Team Detroit PistonsNew York Knicks
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 DeBusschere 15 20.3 8.6 - - 7.0 1.5 - - - 2.1 3.5 8.9 .391 - - - 1.7 2.9 .581
Bob Thornton 33 8.5 2.2 0.5 1.2 1.7 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.7 1.5 0.9 2.0 .433 0.0 0.0 .000 0.4 0.6 .650
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave DeBusschere ------- --- ----------
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Dave DeBusschere Bob Thornton
Season 1964-651987-88
Team Detroit PistonsNew York Knicks, Philadelphia 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 DeBusschere 79 35.1 16.7 - - 11.1 3.2 - - - 3.1 6.4 15.1 .425 - - - 3.9 5.5 .700
Bob Thornton 48 12.4 3.4 1.0 1.4 2.3 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.7 2.1 1.4 2.7 .500 0.0 0.0 .000 0.7 1.1 .618
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave DeBusschere ------- --- ----------
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Dave DeBusschere Bob Thornton
Season 1965-661988-89
Team Detroit PistonsPhiladelphia 76ers
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 DeBusschere 79 34.1 16.4 - - 11.6 2.6 - - - 3.2 6.6 16.3 .408 - - - 3.2 4.8 .659
Bob Thornton 54 8.3 2.4 0.7 1.0 1.7 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.4 1.6 0.9 2.1 .423 0.0 0.1 .333 0.6 1.1 .533
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave DeBusschere ------- --- ----------
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Dave DeBusschere Bob Thornton
Season 1966-671989-90
Team Detroit PistonsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not Play76ers 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 %
Dave DeBusschere 78 37.1 18.2 - - 11.8 2.8 - - - 3.8 6.8 16.4 .415 - - - 4.6 6.6 .705
Bob Thornton 56 10.6 2.2 0.8 1.6 2.4 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.6 1.9 0.9 2.0 .429 0.0 0.1 .333 0.5 0.9 .510
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave DeBusschere ------- --- ----------
Bob Thornton 9 9.9 2.1 1.2 0.4 1.7 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.2 2.4 0.8 2.0 .389 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 1.1 .500

Season 6

Dave DeBusschere Bob Thornton
Season 1967-681990-91
Team Detroit PistonsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Pistons Lost East Div 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 DeBusschere 80 39.1 17.9 - - 13.5 2.3 - - - 3.8 7.2 16.2 .442 - - - 3.6 5.4 .664
Bob Thornton 12 9.2 1.3 0.1 1.2 1.3 0.1 0.0 0.3 0.8 1.5 0.3 1.1 .308 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 0.8 .800
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave DeBusschere 6 43.8 19.3 - - 16.2 2.2 - - - 3.8 7.5 17.7 .425 - - - 4.3 7.5 .578
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Dave DeBusschere Bob Thornton
Season 1968-691991-92
Team Detroit Pistons, New York KnicksUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Div FinalsJazz Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave DeBusschere 76 38.7 16.3 - - 11.7 2.5 - - - 3.8 6.7 15.0 .444 - - - 3.0 4.3 .698
Bob Thornton 2 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 3.5 .143 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.0 1.000
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave DeBusschere 10 41.9 16.3 - - 14.8 3.3 - - - 4.3 6.1 17.4 .351 - - - 4.1 5.0 .820
Bob Thornton 7 4.6 1.0 0.6 0.7 1.3 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.4 0.3 0.7 .400 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 0.6 .750

Note: Bob Thornton didn't play in 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994-95.

Season 8

Dave DeBusschere Bob Thornton
Season 1969-701995-96
Team New York KnicksWashington Bullets
Honors & Awards 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 DeBusschere 79 33.3 14.6 - - 10.0 2.5 - - - 3.1 6.2 13.7 .451 - - - 2.2 3.2 .688
Bob Thornton 7 4.4 0.4 0.9 0.9 1.7 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 1.0 0.1 0.9 .167 0.0 0.0 - 0.1 0.3 .500
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave DeBusschere 19 36.9 16.1 - - 11.6 2.4 - - - 3.3 6.8 16.3 .421 - - - 2.4 3.6 .662
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Dave DeBusschere Bob Thornton
Season 1970-71-
Team New York Knicks-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Knicks 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 DeBusschere 81 35.7 15.6 - - 11.1 2.7 - - - 2.9 6.5 15.3 .421 - - - 2.7 3.9 .696
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave DeBusschere 12 40.7 16.4 - - 13.0 1.8 - - - 3.3 7.0 16.8 .416 - - - 2.4 3.7 .659
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Dave DeBusschere Bob Thornton
Season 1971-72-
Team New York Knicks-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Knicks 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 DeBusschere 80 38.4 15.4 - - 11.3 3.6 - - - 2.7 6.5 15.2 .427 - - - 2.4 3.3 .728
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave DeBusschere 16 38.5 16.6 - - 12.1 2.3 - - - 3.2 6.8 15.1 .450 - - - 3.0 4.0 .750
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Dave DeBusschere Bob Thornton
Season 1972-73-
Team New York Knicks-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA 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 DeBusschere 77 36.7 16.3 - - 10.2 3.4 - - - 2.8 6.9 15.9 .435 - - - 2.5 3.4 .746
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave DeBusschere 17 37.2 15.6 - - 10.5 3.4 - - - 3.4 6.9 15.6 .442 - - - 1.8 2.4 .775
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Dave DeBusschere Bob Thornton
Season 1973-74-
Team New York Knicks-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Knicks 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 DeBusschere 71 38.0 18.1 1.9 8.8 10.7 3.6 0.9 0.5 - 3.1 7.9 17.1 .461 - - - 2.3 3.1 .756
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave DeBusschere 12 33.7 12.0 2.1 6.2 8.3 3.2 0.6 0.3 - 3.0 5.3 13.8 .380 - - - 1.5 2.4 .621
Bob Thornton ------- --- ----------