Joel Embiid vs. Damian Lillard Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Damian Lillard and Joel Embiid, 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 / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings / 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.

Joel Embiid played 9 years in the NBA, 4 less than Damian Lillard, who played 13. Joel Embiid had the first of his seasons in 2016-17, while Damian Lillard had his rookie season in 2012-13. 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
Joel Embiid 9 7 2016-17 to 2024-25
Damian Lillard 13 10 2012-13 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

Rookie Season
Joel Embiid Damian Lillard
Season 2016-172012-13
Team Philadelphia 76ersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Rookie of the Year
Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement 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%
Joel Embiid 31 25.4 20.2 2.0 5.9 7.8 2.1 0.9 2.5 3.8 3.6 6.5 13.8 .466 1.2 3.2 .367 6.2 7.9 .783
difference:+51+13.2+1.2+1.5+3.3+4.7+4.4+2.3-0.8-1.5+0.2+1.9+.037+1.1+2.9+.001+2.9+4.0+.061
Damian Lillard 82 38.6 19.0 0.5 2.6 3.1 6.5 0.9 0.2 3.0 2.1 6.7 15.7 .429 2.3 6.1 .368 3.3 3.9 .844
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Joel Embiid nor Damian Lillard played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2
Joel Embiid Damian Lillard
Season 2017-182013-14
Team Philadelphia 76ersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
-Achievement All-NBA Third Team
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisTrail Blazers Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 63 30.3 22.9 2.3 8.7 11.0 3.2 0.6 1.8 3.7 3.3 8.1 16.8 .483 1.0 3.4 .308 5.7 7.4 .769
difference:+19+5.5+2.2+1.9+5.6+7.5+2.4+0.2+1.5-1.3-0.9+1.4+0.9+.059+1.7+3.4+.086+1.2+2.2+.102
Damian Lillard 82 35.8 20.7 0.4 3.1 3.5 5.6 0.8 0.3 2.4 2.4 6.7 15.9 .424 2.7 6.8 .394 4.5 5.2 .871
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 8 34.8 21.4 2.9 9.8 12.6 3.0 0.9 1.8 3.6 3.9 7.5 17.3 .435 1.0 3.6 .276 5.4 7.6 .705
difference:+3+7.6+1.5+1.8+5.8+7.5+3.5+0.1+1.7-0.9-1.3+0.1+.004+1.5+2.8+.110+1.6+.189
Damian Lillard 11 42.4 22.9 1.1 4.0 5.1 6.5 1.0 0.1 2.7 2.6 7.5 17.2 .439 2.5 6.4 .386 5.4 6.0 .894

Season 3
Joel Embiid Damian Lillard
Season 2018-192014-15
Team Philadelphia 76ersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisTrail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 64 33.7 27.5 2.5 11.1 13.6 3.7 0.7 1.9 3.5 3.3 9.1 18.7 .484 1.2 4.1 .300 8.2 10.1 .804
difference:+18+2.0+6.5+1.9+7.1+9.0+2.5+0.5+1.6-0.8-1.3+1.9+2.1+.050+1.2+2.9+.043+4.0+5.2+.060
Damian Lillard 82 35.7 21.0 0.6 4.0 4.6 6.2 1.2 0.3 2.7 2.0 7.2 16.6 .434 2.4 7.0 .343 4.2 4.9 .864
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 11 30.4 20.2 1.9 8.5 10.5 3.4 0.7 2.3 3.6 3.1 6.2 14.5 .428 1.1 3.5 .308 6.7 8.2 .822
difference:+6+9.8+1.4+1.5+4.9+6.5+1.2+0.3+1.7-1.2-0.1+1.6+4.7+.022+0.1+2.7+.147+1.7+1.8+.041
Damian Lillard 5 40.2 21.6 0.4 3.6 4.0 4.6 0.4 0.6 2.4 3.0 7.8 19.2 .406 1.0 6.2 .161 5.0 6.4 .781

Season 4
Joel Embiid Damian Lillard
Season 2019-202015-16
Team Philadelphia 76ersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf 1st RdTrail Blazers Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 51 29.5 23.0 2.8 8.9 11.6 3.0 0.9 1.3 3.1 3.4 7.5 15.7 .477 1.1 3.4 .331 6.9 8.5 .807
difference:+24+6.2+2.1+2.2+5.5+7.6+3.8+0.9-0.1-1.2+0.7+4.0+.058+2.0+4.7+.044+1.4+2.3+.085
Damian Lillard 75 35.7 25.1 0.6 3.4 4.0 6.8 0.9 0.4 3.2 2.2 8.2 19.7 .419 3.1 8.1 .375 5.5 6.2 .892
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 4 36.3 30.0 2.8 9.5 12.3 1.3 1.5 1.3 3.8 4.5 8.5 18.5 .459 1.0 4.0 .250 12.0 14.8 .814
difference:+7+3.4+3.5+1.7+6.3+8.0+5.0+0.2+1.0-0.8-2.4+0.4+3.5+.091+2.8+5.7+.143+5.5+7.7+.096
Damian Lillard 11 39.7 26.5 1.1 3.2 4.3 6.3 1.3 0.3 3.0 2.1 8.1 22.0 .368 3.8 9.7 .393 6.5 7.1 .910

Season 5
Joel Embiid Damian Lillard
Season 2020-212016-17
Team Philadelphia 76ersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisTrail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 51 31.1 28.5 2.2 8.4 10.6 2.8 1.0 1.4 3.1 2.4 9.0 17.6 .513 1.1 3.0 .377 9.2 10.7 .859
difference:+24+4.8+1.5+1.6+4.1+5.7+3.1+0.1+1.1-0.5-0.4+0.2+2.2+.069+1.8+4.7+.007+2.7+3.4+.036
Damian Lillard 75 35.9 27.0 0.6 4.3 4.9 5.9 0.9 0.3 2.6 2.0 8.8 19.8 .444 2.9 7.7 .370 6.5 7.3 .895
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 11 32.5 28.1 1.5 9.1 10.5 3.4 1.0 1.5 3.8 3.0 9.2 17.9 .513 1.5 3.7 .390 8.3 9.9 .835
difference:+7+5.3+0.3+0.5+5.6+6.0+0.1+0.3+1.0-0.5-0.2+0.6+4.6+.080+0.8+4.3+.109+2.3+3.6+.125
Damian Lillard 4 37.8 27.8 1.0 3.5 4.5 3.3 1.3 0.5 3.3 2.8 9.8 22.5 .433 2.3 8.0 .281 6.0 6.3 .960

Season 6
Joel Embiid Damian Lillard
Season 2021-222017-18
Team Philadelphia 76ersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisTrail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 68 33.8 30.6 2.1 9.6 11.7 4.2 1.1 1.5 3.1 2.7 9.8 19.6 .499 1.4 3.7 .371 9.6 11.8 .814
difference:+5+2.8+3.7+1.3+6.0+7.2+2.4+1.1-0.3-1.1+1.3+0.2+.060+1.7+4.9+.010+2.8+4.4+.102
Damian Lillard 73 36.6 26.9 0.8 3.6 4.5 6.6 1.1 0.4 2.8 1.6 8.5 19.4 .439 3.1 8.6 .361 6.8 7.4 .916
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 10 38.5 23.6 2.1 8.6 10.7 2.1 0.4 0.8 3.2 3.4 7.8 16.1 .484 0.7 3.3 .212 7.3 8.9 .820
difference:+6+2.0+5.1+1.3+4.8+6.2+2.7+0.9+0.8-0.8-1.4+1.5+1.7+.132+1.6+4.2+.088+3.5+4.6+.062
Damian Lillard 4 40.5 18.5 0.8 3.8 4.5 4.8 1.3 0.0 4.0 2.0 6.3 17.8 .352 2.3 7.5 .300 3.8 4.3 .882

Season 7
Joel Embiid Damian Lillard
Season 2022-232018-19
Team Philadelphia 76ersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisTrail Blazers Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 66 34.6 33.1 1.7 8.4 10.2 4.2 1.0 1.7 3.4 3.1 11.0 20.1 .548 1.0 3.0 .330 10.0 11.7 .857
difference:+14+0.9+7.3+0.8+4.6+5.6+2.7+0.1+1.3-0.7-1.2+2.5+0.9+.104+2.0+5.0+.039+4.1+5.3+.055
Damian Lillard 80 35.5 25.8 0.9 3.8 4.6 6.9 1.1 0.4 2.7 1.9 8.5 19.2 .444 3.0 8.0 .369 5.9 6.4 .912
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 9 37.3 23.7 1.8 8.0 9.8 2.7 0.7 2.8 3.9 3.0 7.3 17.0 .431 0.6 3.1 .179 8.4 9.3 .905
difference:+7+3.3+3.2+1.3+3.7+5.0+3.9+1.0+2.5-0.1-0.5+1.3+3.6+.013+3.1+6.8+.194+2.5+2.2+.072
Damian Lillard 16 40.6 26.9 0.5 4.3 4.8 6.6 1.7 0.3 3.8 2.5 8.6 20.6 .418 3.7 9.9 .373 5.9 7.1 .833

Season 8
Joel Embiid Damian Lillard
Season 2023-242019-20
Team Philadelphia 76ersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf 1st RdTrail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 39 33.6 34.7 2.4 8.6 11.0 5.6 1.2 1.7 3.8 2.9 11.5 21.8 .529 1.4 3.6 .388 10.2 11.6 .883
difference:+27+3.9+4.7+1.9+4.8+6.7+2.4+0.1+1.4-0.9-1.2+2.0+1.4+.066+2.7+6.6+.013+3.2+3.8+.005
Damian Lillard 66 37.5 30.0 0.5 3.8 4.3 8.0 1.1 0.3 2.9 1.7 9.5 20.4 .463 4.1 10.2 .401 7.0 7.8 .888
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 6 41.3 33.0 3.2 7.7 10.8 5.7 1.2 1.5 4.2 3.3 9.8 22.2 .444 2.2 6.5 .333 11.2 13.0 .859
difference:+2+5.5+8.7+2.9+4.4+7.3+1.4+0.7+1.2-0.7-2.3+3.3+6.2+.038+1.1+1.8+.061+3.2+4.7+.111
Damian Lillard 4 35.8 24.3 0.3 3.3 3.5 4.3 0.5 0.3 3.5 1.0 6.5 16.0 .406 3.3 8.3 .394 8.0 8.3 .970

Season 9
Joel Embiid Damian Lillard
Season 2024-252020-21
Team Philadelphia 76ersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayTrail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid 19 30.2 23.8 1.9 6.3 8.2 4.5 0.7 0.9 3.3 2.2 7.4 16.6 .444 1.2 4.1 .299 7.8 8.9 .882
difference:+48+5.6+5.0+1.4+2.6+4.0+3.0+0.2+0.6-0.3-0.7+1.6+3.3+.007+2.9+6.4+.092+1.1+1.7+.046
Damian Lillard 67 35.8 28.8 0.5 3.7 4.2 7.5 0.9 0.3 3.0 1.5 9.0 19.9 .451 4.1 10.5 .391 6.7 7.2 .928
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Joel Embiid DNP------ --- ----------
Damian Lillard 6 41.3 34.3 0.2 4.2 4.3 10.2 1.0 0.7 2.2 1.5 10.3 22.3 .463 5.8 13.0 .449 7.8 8.3 .940

Additional Years

* Damian Lillard played 4 seasons more than Joel Embiid in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 10 to 13, from 2022 to 2025—Damian Lillard played in two Playoffs and one NBA Cup.

In those 4 extra years over Joel Embiid, Damian Lillard got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 All-NBA Third Team
Achievement 1 Cup All-Tournament Team
Achievement 3 All-Star Game
Achievement 1 All-Star Game MVP
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