Dennis Johnson vs. Rory Sparrow Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Rory Sparrow 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, 2 more than Rory Sparrow, who played 12. Dennis Johnson had the first of his seasons in 1976-77, while Rory Sparrow had his rookie season in 1980-81. 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
Rory Sparrow 12 5 1980-81 to 1991-92

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 Rory Sparrow
Season 1976-771980-81
Team Seattle SupersonicsNew Jersey Nets
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
Rory Sparrow 15 14.1 3.7 0.5 0.7 1.2 2.1 0.9 0.2 1.2 1.0 1.5 4.2 .349 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.1 .750
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson ------- --- ----------
Rory Sparrow ------- --- ----------

Season 2
Dennis Johnson Rory Sparrow
Season 1977-781981-82
Team Seattle SupersonicsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Supersonics Lost NBA FinalsHawks 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 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
Rory Sparrow 82 31.8 10.5 0.6 2.1 2.7 5.2 1.1 0.2 1.8 2.9 4.5 8.9 .501 0.0 0.2 .067 1.5 1.8 .838
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
Rory Sparrow 2 34.5 7.0 1.0 3.0 4.0 5.5 1.0 0.0 3.5 3.5 2.5 6.0 .417 0.0 0.5 .000 2.0 2.0 1.000

Season 3
Dennis Johnson Rory Sparrow
Season 1978-791982-83
Team Seattle SupersonicsAtlanta Hawks, New York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionKnicks 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 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
Rory Sparrow 81 30.0 11.6 0.8 2.1 2.8 4.9 1.3 0.1 2.4 3.1 4.8 10.0 .484 0.1 0.3 .227 1.8 2.5 .739
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
Rory Sparrow 6 33.7 13.0 0.5 1.7 2.2 7.0 1.2 0.0 2.2 3.0 5.0 11.8 .423 0.2 0.8 .200 2.8 3.5 .810

Season 4
Dennis Johnson Rory Sparrow
Season 1979-801983-84
Team Seattle SupersonicsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Supersonics Lost West Conf FinalsKnicks 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 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
Rory Sparrow 79 30.8 10.4 0.6 1.8 2.4 6.8 1.3 0.1 2.7 2.9 4.4 9.3 .474 0.1 0.5 .256 1.4 1.7 .824
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
Rory Sparrow 12 32.4 11.2 0.8 1.3 2.2 7.2 1.0 0.1 2.5 3.4 4.5 10.1 .446 0.2 0.5 .333 2.0 2.5 .800

Season 5
Dennis Johnson Rory Sparrow
Season 1980-811984-85
Team Phoenix SunsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Suns Lost West 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 %
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
Rory Sparrow 79 29.0 9.9 0.5 1.7 2.1 7.1 1.0 0.1 1.9 2.5 4.1 8.4 .492 0.1 0.4 .226 1.5 1.8 .865
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
Rory Sparrow ------- --- ----------

Season 6
Dennis Johnson Rory Sparrow
Season 1981-821985-86
Team Phoenix SunsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Suns Lost West 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 %
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
Rory Sparrow 74 31.7 10.8 0.7 1.6 2.3 6.4 1.1 0.2 2.1 2.5 4.7 9.8 .477 0.1 0.3 .250 1.4 1.7 .795
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
Rory Sparrow ------- --- ----------

Season 7
Dennis Johnson Rory Sparrow
Season 1982-831986-87
Team Phoenix SunsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf 1st RdDid 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 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
Rory Sparrow 80 24.4 7.6 0.4 1.1 1.4 5.4 0.8 0.1 1.8 2.0 3.3 7.4 .446 0.1 0.5 .262 0.9 1.1 .798
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
Rory Sparrow ------- --- ----------

Season 8
Dennis Johnson Rory Sparrow
Season 1983-841987-88
Team Boston CelticsNew York Knicks, Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionBulls 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
Rory Sparrow 58 18.0 4.5 0.3 1.0 1.2 2.9 0.7 0.1 1.0 1.4 2.0 5.1 .399 0.0 0.2 .154 0.4 0.6 .727
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
Rory Sparrow 7 15.1 3.7 0.0 0.4 0.4 2.6 0.6 0.0 0.6 1.6 1.4 4.6 .313 0.3 0.6 .500 0.6 0.9 .667

Season 9
Dennis Johnson Rory Sparrow
Season 1984-851988-89
Team Boston CelticsMiami Heat
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsDid 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 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
Rory Sparrow 80 32.7 12.5 0.7 2.0 2.7 5.4 1.3 0.2 2.6 2.1 5.6 12.3 .452 0.2 0.9 .243 1.2 1.3 .879
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
Rory Sparrow ------- --- ----------

Season 10
Dennis Johnson Rory Sparrow
Season 1985-861989-90
Team Boston CelticsMiami Heat
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
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 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
Rory Sparrow 82 21.4 5.9 0.5 1.2 1.7 3.6 0.6 0.0 1.2 1.7 2.6 6.2 .412 0.1 0.5 .200 0.7 0.9 .766
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
Rory Sparrow ------- --- ----------

Season 11
Dennis Johnson Rory Sparrow
Season 1986-871990-91
Team Boston CelticsSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsDid 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 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
Rory Sparrow 80 29.7 10.4 0.6 1.8 2.3 4.5 1.0 0.2 1.6 2.4 4.6 9.5 .491 0.4 1.0 .397 0.7 1.0 .699
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
Rory Sparrow ------- --- ----------

Season 12
Dennis Johnson Rory Sparrow
Season 1987-881991-92
Team Boston CelticsChicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsLakers 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 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
Rory Sparrow 46 10.6 2.8 0.1 0.5 0.6 1.8 0.3 0.1 0.7 1.2 1.3 3.3 .384 0.1 0.3 .200 0.2 0.3 .615
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
Rory Sparrow 3 5.3 1.7 0.3 0.0 0.3 1.3 0.3 0.0 0.0 1.7 0.3 1.3 .250 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.3 .750

Season 13
Dennis Johnson Rory Sparrow
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
Rory Sparrow ------- --- ----------
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 -
Rory Sparrow ------- --- ----------

Season 14
Dennis Johnson Rory Sparrow
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
Rory Sparrow ------- --- ----------
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
Rory Sparrow ------- --- ----------
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