Joe Johnson vs. Don Nelson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Don Nelson and Joe 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.

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.

Joe Johnson played 18 years in the NBA, 4 more than Don Nelson, who played 14. Joe Johnson had the first of his seasons in 2001-02, while Don Nelson had his rookie season in 1962-63. 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.

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18
Rookie Season
	Joe Johnson	Don Nelson
Season	2001-02	1962-63
Team	Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns	Chicago Zephyrs
Honors & Awards	All-Rookie Second Team	-
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	77	24.9	7.5	1.0	2.4	3.3	2.3	0.8	0.3	0.9	1.5	3.3	7.6	.430	0.5	1.7	.292	0.5	0.7	.774
Don Nelson	62	17.3	6.8	-	-	4.5	1.2	-	-	-	2.2	2.1	4.7	.440	-	-	-	2.6	3.6	.729
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Don Nelson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 4
	Joe Johnson	Don Nelson
Season	2004-05	1965-66
Team	Phoenix Suns	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Suns Lost West Conf Finals	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	82	39.5	17.1	1.5	3.7	5.1	3.5	1.0	0.3	1.8	2.0	6.6	14.4	.461	2.2	4.5	.478	1.6	2.2	.750
Don Nelson	75	23.5	10.2	-	-	5.4	1.1	-	-	-	2.5	3.6	8.2	.439	-	-	-	3.0	4.3	.684
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	9	39.3	18.8	0.8	3.6	4.3	3.3	1.1	0.4	1.1	2.0	7.0	13.9	.504	2.2	4.0	.556	2.6	3.7	.697
Don Nelson	17	18.6	8.4	-	-	5.0	0.8	-	-	-	2.9	2.9	6.9	.424	-	-	-	2.5	3.1	.808

Season 6
	Joe Johnson	Don Nelson
Season	2006-07	1967-68
Team	Atlanta Hawks	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	57	41.4	25.0	0.9	3.3	4.2	4.4	1.1	0.2	3.1	2.0	9.4	20.0	.471	2.1	5.5	.381	4.1	5.5	.748
Don Nelson	82	18.3	10.0	-	-	5.3	1.3	-	-	-	2.2	3.8	7.7	.494	-	-	-	2.4	3.3	.728
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Don Nelson	19	24.6	12.5	-	-	7.5	1.7	-	-	-	2.6	4.8	9.2	.520	-	-	-	2.9	3.9	.743

Season 7
	Joe Johnson	Don Nelson
Season	2007-08	1968-69
Team	Atlanta Hawks	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Hawks Lost East Conf 1st Rd	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	82	40.8	21.7	1.0	3.5	4.5	5.8	1.0	0.2	2.7	2.0	7.9	18.3	.432	2.1	5.4	.381	3.9	4.6	.834
Don Nelson	82	21.6	11.6	-	-	5.6	1.1	-	-	-	2.4	4.6	9.4	.485	-	-	-	2.5	3.2	.776
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	7	39.3	20.0	1.3	2.6	3.9	4.0	0.3	0.0	2.3	2.3	6.7	16.4	.409	2.3	5.1	.444	4.3	4.7	.909
Don Nelson	18	19.3	12.4	-	-	4.6	1.2	-	-	-	2.8	4.8	9.3	.518	-	-	-	2.8	3.3	.833

Season 8
	Joe Johnson	Don Nelson
Season	2008-09	1969-70
Team	Atlanta Hawks	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Hawks Lost East Conf Semis	Did Not Play

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	79	39.5	21.4	0.8	3.6	4.4	5.8	1.1	0.2	2.5	2.2	7.8	18.0	.437	1.9	5.2	.360	3.8	4.6	.826
Don Nelson	82	27.1	15.4	-	-	7.3	1.8	-	-	-	2.9	5.6	11.2	.501	-	-	-	4.1	5.3	.775
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	11	39.0	16.4	1.5	2.9	4.5	3.5	1.3	0.0	2.9	2.2	6.4	15.3	.417	1.1	3.2	.343	2.5	4.1	.622
Don Nelson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 9
	Joe Johnson	Don Nelson
Season	2009-10	1970-71
Team	Atlanta Hawks	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Third Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Hawks Lost East Conf Semis	Did Not Play

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	76	38.0	21.3	1.0	3.7	4.6	4.9	1.1	0.1	1.9	1.9	8.4	18.2	.458	1.7	4.6	.369	2.9	3.5	.818
Don Nelson	82	27.5	13.9	-	-	6.9	1.9	-	-	-	2.8	5.0	10.7	.468	-	-	-	3.9	5.2	.744
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	11	40.0	17.9	1.8	3.3	5.1	5.0	0.9	0.3	2.3	2.0	7.0	18.1	.387	0.8	3.7	.220	3.1	3.8	.810
Don Nelson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 10
	Joe Johnson	Don Nelson
Season	2010-11	1971-72
Team	Atlanta Hawks	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Hawks Lost East Conf Semis	Celtics Lost East Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	72	35.5	18.2	0.8	3.2	4.0	4.7	0.7	0.1	2.0	1.8	7.1	16.1	.443	1.2	4.2	.297	2.7	3.4	.802
Don Nelson	82	25.4	13.8	-	-	5.5	2.3	-	-	-	2.7	4.7	9.9	.480	-	-	-	4.3	5.5	.788
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	12	41.4	18.8	1.5	3.1	4.6	3.3	1.1	0.1	2.6	1.6	7.3	16.5	.439	1.5	3.5	.429	2.8	3.5	.810
Don Nelson	11	28.0	13.2	-	-	5.5	1.9	-	-	-	2.7	4.7	9.0	.525	-	-	-	3.7	4.4	.854

Season 11
	Joe Johnson	Don Nelson
Season	2011-12	1972-73
Team	Atlanta Hawks	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Hawks Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Celtics Lost East Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	60	35.5	18.8	0.9	2.8	3.7	3.9	0.8	0.2	1.9	1.3	7.1	15.5	.454	2.1	5.4	.388	2.6	3.1	.849
Don Nelson	72	19.8	10.8	-	-	4.4	1.4	-	-	-	2.2	4.3	9.0	.476	-	-	-	2.2	2.6	.846
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	6	40.5	17.2	1.0	2.5	3.5	3.5	1.3	0.2	2.7	1.8	6.3	17.0	.373	1.5	6.0	.250	3.0	4.0	.750
Don Nelson	13	23.3	11.0	-	-	2.9	1.2	-	-	-	2.2	3.6	7.8	.465	-	-	-	3.8	4.3	.875

Season 12
	Joe Johnson	Don Nelson
Season	2012-13	1973-74
Team	Brooklyn Nets	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Nets Lost East Conf 1st Rd	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	72	36.7	16.3	0.7	2.3	3.0	3.5	0.7	0.2	1.7	1.4	6.2	14.6	.423	2.1	5.5	.375	1.8	2.2	.820
Don Nelson	82	21.3	11.5	1.1	3.1	4.2	2.0	0.2	0.2	-	2.3	4.4	8.7	.508	-	-	-	2.6	3.3	.788
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	7	38.7	14.9	0.6	2.6	3.1	2.7	1.1	0.0	1.7	1.9	6.1	14.7	.417	1.4	5.6	.256	1.1	1.3	.889
Don Nelson	18	25.9	11.4	1.4	4.0	5.4	1.9	0.4	0.2	-	3.0	4.6	9.1	.500	-	-	-	2.3	2.9	.774

Season 13
	Joe Johnson	Don Nelson
Season	2013-14	1974-75
Team	Brooklyn Nets	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Nets Lost East Conf Semis	Celtics Lost East Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	79	32.6	15.8	0.6	2.8	3.4	2.7	0.6	0.1	1.5	1.6	5.8	12.9	.454	2.1	5.1	.401	2.0	2.5	.815
Don Nelson	79	26.0	14.0	1.6	4.3	5.9	2.3	0.4	0.2	-	3.0	5.4	9.9	.539	-	-	-	3.3	4.0	.827
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	12	39.1	21.2	0.8	3.1	3.8	2.9	0.5	0.3	1.6	1.7	8.2	15.3	.533	1.8	4.4	.415	3.0	3.6	.837
Don Nelson	11	24.9	15.4	1.6	2.5	4.1	2.4	0.2	0.2	-	3.3	6.0	10.6	.564	-	-	-	3.4	3.7	.902

Season 14
	Joe Johnson	Don Nelson
Season	2014-15	1975-76
Team	Brooklyn Nets	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Nets Lost East Conf 1st Rd	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	80	34.9	14.4	0.7	4.1	4.8	3.7	0.7	0.2	1.7	1.5	5.6	12.8	.435	1.5	4.2	.359	1.8	2.2	.801
Don Nelson	75	12.6	6.4	0.7	1.7	2.4	1.0	0.2	0.1	-	1.5	2.3	5.1	.462	-	-	-	1.7	2.1	.789
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Joe Johnson	6	41.5	16.5	0.8	6.8	7.7	4.8	1.2	0.0	0.8	2.7	5.7	15.7	.362	2.0	6.8	.293	3.2	4.0	.792
Don Nelson	18	17.5	9.1	0.9	2.0	2.9	0.9	0.2	0.1	-	2.6	2.9	6.0	.481	-	-	-	3.3	3.8	.870

Note: Joe Johnson didn't play in 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21.