Dennis Johnson vs. Donald Royal Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Donald Royal and Dennis Johnson, 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.

Dennis Johnson played 14 years in the NBA, 6 more than Donald Royal, who played 8. Dennis Johnson had the first of his seasons in 1976-77, while Donald Royal had his rookie season in 1989-90. 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
Dennis Johnson 14 13 1976-77 to 1989-90
Donald Royal 8 6 1989-90 to 1997-98

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14

Rookie Season

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1976-771989-90
Team Seattle SupersonicsMinnesota Timberwolves
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 %
Dennis Johnson 81 20.6 9.2 2.0 1.7 3.7 1.5 1.5 0.7 - 2.7 3.5 7.0 .504 - - - 2.2 3.5 .624
Donald Royal 66 11.3 5.9 1.0 1.0 2.1 0.7 0.5 0.1 1.2 1.6 1.8 3.9 .459 0.0 0.0 .000 2.3 3.0 .777
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson ------- --- ----------
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------

Note: Donald Royal didn't play in 1990-91.

Season 2

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1977-781991-92
Team Seattle SupersonicsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Supersonics Lost NBA FinalsSpurs 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 %
Dennis Johnson 81 27.3 12.7 1.9 1.8 3.6 2.8 1.5 0.6 2.0 2.6 4.5 10.9 .417 - - - 3.7 5.0 .732
Donald Royal 60 12.0 4.2 1.1 1.0 2.1 0.6 0.4 0.1 0.7 1.2 1.3 3.0 .449 0.0 0.0 - 1.5 2.2 .692
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 22 37.6 16.1 2.1 2.5 4.6 3.3 1.0 1.0 2.5 2.9 5.5 13.4 .412 - - - 5.1 7.2 .704
Donald Royal 3 19.0 5.0 1.7 2.3 4.0 0.0 0.7 0.7 2.0 2.3 1.7 3.0 .556 0.0 0.0 - 1.7 3.0 .556

Season 3

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1978-791992-93
Team Seattle SupersonicsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
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 %
Dennis Johnson 80 34.0 15.9 1.8 2.9 4.7 3.5 1.3 1.2 2.4 2.6 6.0 13.9 .434 - - - 3.8 4.9 .781
Donald Royal 77 21.2 9.2 1.5 2.3 3.8 1.0 0.5 0.3 1.5 2.3 2.5 5.1 .496 0.0 0.0 .000 4.1 5.1 .815
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 17 40.1 20.9 2.6 3.5 6.1 4.1 1.6 1.5 3.0 3.7 8.0 17.8 .450 - - - 4.9 6.4 .771
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1979-801993-94
Team Seattle SupersonicsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Supersonics Lost West Conf FinalsMagic 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 %
Dennis Johnson 81 36.3 19.0 2.1 3.0 5.1 4.1 1.8 1.0 2.8 3.3 7.1 16.8 .422 0.1 0.7 .207 4.7 6.0 .780
Donald Royal 74 18.3 7.4 1.3 2.1 3.4 0.8 0.7 0.2 1.0 1.6 2.4 4.7 .501 0.0 0.0 .000 2.7 3.6 .740
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 15 38.8 17.1 1.7 2.6 4.3 3.8 1.8 0.7 2.9 3.2 6.7 16.3 .410 0.3 1.0 .333 3.5 4.1 .839
Donald Royal 3 15.0 7.0 0.3 1.0 1.3 1.7 0.3 0.0 0.7 1.0 2.0 4.7 .429 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 4.0 .750

Season 5

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1980-811994-95
Team Phoenix SunsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisMagic Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 79 33.1 18.8 2.0 2.6 4.6 3.7 1.7 0.8 2.6 3.1 6.7 15.4 .436 0.1 0.6 .216 5.2 6.3 .820
Donald Royal 70 26.3 9.1 1.2 2.8 4.0 2.8 0.6 0.2 1.8 2.2 2.9 6.2 .475 0.0 0.1 .000 3.2 4.3 .746
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 7 38.1 19.6 1.0 3.7 4.7 2.9 1.3 1.3 2.7 2.6 7.4 15.7 .473 0.1 0.7 .200 4.6 6.0 .762
Donald Royal 18 11.0 2.1 0.3 0.7 1.1 0.5 0.2 0.0 0.7 1.2 0.6 1.8 .333 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.1 .750

Season 6

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1981-821995-96
Team Phoenix SunsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisMagic 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 %
Dennis Johnson 80 36.7 19.5 1.8 3.4 5.1 4.6 1.3 0.7 2.9 3.2 7.2 15.4 .470 0.1 0.5 .190 5.0 6.2 .806
Donald Royal 64 15.0 5.3 0.9 1.5 2.4 0.7 0.5 0.2 0.8 1.5 1.7 3.4 .491 0.0 0.0 .000 2.0 2.6 .762
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 7 38.7 22.3 1.9 2.6 4.4 4.6 2.1 0.6 3.6 4.0 9.0 18.9 .477 0.0 0.4 .000 4.3 5.6 .769
Donald Royal 7 13.1 3.6 0.6 1.0 1.6 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.3 1.0 1.0 1.7 .583 0.0 0.0 - 1.6 2.3 .688

Season 7

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1982-831996-97
Team Phoenix SunsOrlando Magic, Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf 1st RdHornets 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 %
Dennis Johnson 77 33.1 14.2 1.2 3.2 4.4 5.0 1.3 0.5 2.6 2.6 5.2 11.2 .462 0.1 0.4 .161 3.8 4.8 .791
Donald Royal 62 13.8 3.5 0.8 1.6 2.5 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.8 1.6 1.0 2.4 .425 0.0 0.0 .000 1.5 1.9 .803
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 3 36.0 18.0 2.0 5.7 7.7 5.7 1.7 0.7 2.7 3.0 7.3 16.0 .458 0.0 0.3 .000 3.3 4.0 .833
Donald Royal 1 4.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 8

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1983-841997-98
Team Boston CelticsOrlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionHornets 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 %
Dennis Johnson 80 33.3 13.2 1.1 2.4 3.5 4.2 1.2 0.7 2.2 3.1 4.8 11.0 .437 0.1 0.4 .125 3.5 4.1 .852
Donald Royal 31 10.4 2.5 0.6 0.7 1.3 0.5 0.2 0.0 0.3 1.1 0.8 2.2 .362 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.1 .879
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 22 36.7 16.6 1.4 2.2 3.6 4.4 1.1 0.3 2.4 3.4 5.9 14.5 .404 0.1 0.3 .429 4.7 5.5 .867
Donald Royal 4 7.0 2.3 0.0 1.0 1.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.0 0.8 1.8 .429 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.0 .750

Season 9

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1984-85-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 80 37.2 15.7 1.1 2.8 4.0 6.8 1.2 0.5 2.7 2.8 6.2 13.3 .462 0.1 0.3 .269 3.3 3.8 .853
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 21 40.4 17.3 1.1 2.9 4.0 7.3 1.5 0.4 3.4 3.1 6.8 15.2 .445 0.0 0.7 .000 3.8 4.4 .860
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1985-86-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
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 %
Dennis Johnson 78 35.0 15.6 0.9 2.6 3.4 5.8 1.4 0.4 2.2 2.6 6.2 13.6 .455 0.1 0.5 .143 3.1 3.8 .818
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 18 39.7 16.2 1.3 2.9 4.2 5.9 2.2 0.3 2.8 3.2 6.1 13.6 .445 0.3 0.9 .375 3.7 4.7 .798
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1986-87-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 79 37.1 13.4 0.6 2.7 3.3 7.5 1.1 0.5 2.2 2.5 5.4 12.1 .444 0.1 0.8 .113 2.6 3.2 .833
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 23 41.9 18.9 1.0 2.9 4.0 8.9 0.7 0.3 1.9 3.1 7.3 15.7 .465 0.1 1.1 .115 4.2 4.9 .850
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1987-88-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
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 %
Dennis Johnson 77 34.7 12.6 0.8 2.3 3.1 7.8 1.2 0.4 2.5 2.6 4.6 10.4 .438 0.2 0.6 .261 3.3 3.9 .856
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 17 41.3 15.9 0.9 3.6 4.5 8.2 1.4 0.5 2.6 3.0 5.4 12.4 .433 0.4 0.9 .375 4.8 6.1 .796
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1988-89-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Dennis Johnson 72 32.1 10.0 0.4 2.2 2.6 6.6 1.3 0.3 2.4 2.9 3.8 8.9 .434 0.1 0.7 .140 2.2 2.7 .821
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 3 19.7 2.7 0.7 0.7 1.3 3.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 2.7 1.3 5.0 .267 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------

Season 14

Dennis Johnson Donald Royal
Season 1989-90-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Dennis Johnson 75 27.1 7.1 0.6 2.0 2.7 6.5 1.1 0.2 1.6 2.4 2.7 6.3 .434 0.0 0.3 .042 1.6 1.9 .843
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 5 32.4 13.8 0.4 2.4 2.8 5.6 0.4 0.4 2.0 3.4 6.0 12.4 .484 0.4 1.2 .333 1.4 1.4 1.000
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------