Jalen Brunson vs. Dave Cowens Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dave Cowens and Jalen Brunson, 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.

Jalen Brunson played 7 years in the NBA, 4 less than Dave Cowens, who played 11. Jalen Brunson had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while Dave Cowens had his rookie season in 1970-71. 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 achievements, 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
Jalen Brunson 7 5 2018-19 to 2024-25
Dave Cowens 11 7 1970-71 to 1982-83

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7

Rookie Season
Jalen Brunson Dave Cowens
Season 2018-191970-71
Team Dallas MavericksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Rookie of the Year
-Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 73 21.8 9.3 0.3 2.0 2.3 3.2 0.5 0.1 1.2 1.7 3.6 7.7 .467 0.9 2.5 .348 1.2 1.6 .725
difference:+8+16.2+7.7+12.7+0.4-2.6+3.2+8.4+.045+2.2+3.0+.007
Dave Cowens 81 38.0 17.0 - - 15.0 2.8 - - - 4.3 6.8 16.1 .422 - - - 3.4 4.6 .732
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Jalen Brunson nor Dave Cowens played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2
Jalen Brunson Dave Cowens
Season 2019-201971-72
Team Dallas MavericksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 57 17.9 8.2 0.4 2.0 2.4 3.3 0.4 0.1 1.2 1.3 3.2 6.8 .466 0.8 2.1 .358 1.1 1.3 .813
difference:+22+22.4+10.6+12.8+0.2-2.7+5.1+10.4+.018+1.1+1.8+.093
Dave Cowens 79 40.3 18.8 - - 15.2 3.1 - - - 4.0 8.3 17.2 .484 - - - 2.2 3.1 .720
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson DNP------ --- ----------
Dave Cowens 11 40.1 15.5 - - 13.8 3.0 - - - 4.5 6.5 14.2 .455 - - - 2.5 4.3 .596

Season 3
Jalen Brunson Dave Cowens
Season 2020-211972-73
Team Dallas MavericksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 68 25.0 12.6 0.4 3.0 3.4 3.5 0.5 0.0 1.2 1.6 4.8 9.2 .523 1.2 2.9 .405 1.8 2.2 .795
difference:+14+16.8+7.9+12.8+0.6-2.2+4.2+10.8+.071+0.7+1.0+.016
Dave Cowens 82 41.8 20.5 - - 16.2 4.1 - - - 3.8 9.0 20.0 .452 - - - 2.5 3.2 .779
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 7 16.3 8.0 0.9 1.7 2.6 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.9 2.9 6.3 .455 0.9 1.9 .462 1.4 1.9 .769
difference:+6+29.7+13.9+14.0+2.3-3.3+7.0+14.7+.018+0.7+1.3+.110
Dave Cowens 13 46.0 21.9 - - 16.6 3.7 - - - 4.2 9.9 21.0 .473 - - - 2.1 3.2 .659

Season 4
Jalen Brunson Dave Cowens
Season 2021-221973-74
Team Dallas MavericksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 79 31.9 16.3 0.5 3.4 3.9 4.8 0.8 0.0 1.6 1.9 6.4 12.8 .502 1.2 3.2 .373 2.3 2.7 .840
difference:+1+10.0+2.7+2.8+9.0+11.8+0.4+0.4+1.3-1.8+1.7+5.6+.065+0.6+0.7+.008
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 18 34.9 21.6 0.8 3.8 4.6 3.7 0.8 0.1 1.1 2.1 8.1 17.3 .466 1.4 4.2 .347 4.0 5.0 .800
difference:+8.0+1.1+2.5+6.2+8.7+0.4+0.8-2.6+0.8+3.3+.031+1.4+1.7+.003
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

Season 5
Jalen Brunson Dave Cowens
Season 2022-231974-75
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 68 35.0 24.0 0.6 3.0 3.5 6.2 0.9 0.2 2.1 2.2 8.6 17.6 .491 2.0 4.7 .416 4.8 5.8 .829
difference:+3+5.5+3.6+2.9+8.2+11.2+1.6+0.4+0.9-1.5+0.2+0.8+.016+1.9+2.0+.046
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 11 40.3 27.8 0.8 4.1 4.9 5.6 1.5 0.1 2.1 2.4 9.9 20.9 .474 2.4 7.3 .325 5.6 6.2 .912
difference:+3.2+7.3+3.7+7.9+11.6+1.4+0.1+0.4-2.1+0.7+0.6+.046+3.5+3.8+.027
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

Season 6
Jalen Brunson Dave Cowens
Season 2023-241975-76
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second TeamAchievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 77 35.4 28.7 0.6 3.1 3.6 6.7 0.9 0.2 2.4 1.9 10.3 21.4 .479 2.7 6.8 .401 5.5 6.5 .847
difference:+1+4.4+9.7+3.7+8.6+12.4+2.5+0.3+0.7-2.1+2.5+4.7+.011+2.2+2.1+.091
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 13 39.8 32.4 0.6 2.7 3.3 7.5 0.8 0.2 2.7 2.0 11.6 26.2 .444 2.0 6.5 .310 7.2 9.2 .775
difference:+5+4.5+11.4+4.2+8.9+13.1+2.9+0.4+0.5-2.7+2.9+7.3+.013+3.5+4.4+.016
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

Season 7
Jalen Brunson Dave Cowens
Season 2024-251976-77
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement Clutch Player of the Year-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf FinalsCeltics Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 65 35.4 26.0 0.4 2.5 2.9 7.3 0.9 0.1 2.5 2.1 9.0 18.5 .488 2.3 6.1 .383 5.7 6.9 .821
difference:+15+2.4+9.6+2.5+8.5+11.0+2.3+0.9-1.5+2.4+3.4+.054+2.5+2.9+.003
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 18 37.8 29.4 0.7 2.8 3.4 7.0 0.4 0.3 3.1 3.3 10.1 21.8 .461 2.7 7.4 .358 6.7 7.8 .851
difference:+9+4.3+12.8+2.5+8.9+11.5+3.0+0.5+1.1-0.8+2.8+5.4+.015+4.8+5.4+.078
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

Additional Years

* Dave Cowens played 4 seasons more than Jalen Brunson in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 11, from 1978 to 1983—Dave Cowens played in one postseason.

In those 4 extra years over Jalen Brunson, Dave Cowens got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement 2 All-Star Game
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