Kevin Love vs. Klay Thompson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Klay Thompson and Kevin Love, 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.

Kevin Love played 17 years in the NBA, 5 more than Klay Thompson, who played 12. Kevin Love had the first of his seasons in 2008-09, while Klay Thompson had his rookie season in 2011-12. 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.

Rookie Season
	Kevin Love	Klay Thompson
Season	2008-09	2011-12
Team	Minnesota Timberwolves	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Rookie First Team
	All-Rookie Second Team	-
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	81	25.3	11.1	3.4	5.7	9.1	1.0	0.4	0.6	1.5	2.5	3.9	8.5	.459	0.0	0.2	.105	3.3	4.1	.789
difference:	+15	+0.9	+1.4	+3.0	+3.6	+6.7	+1.0	+0.3	+0.3	-0.1	-0.2	+0.9	+2.4	+.016	+1.7	+3.9	+.309	+2.1	+2.7	+.079
Klay Thompson	66	24.4	12.5	0.4	2.1	2.4	2.0	0.7	0.3	1.6	2.3	4.8	10.9	.443	1.7	4.1	.414	1.2	1.4	.868
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Kevin Love nor Klay Thompson played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 3
	Kevin Love	Klay Thompson
Season	2010-11	2013-14
Team	Minnesota Timberwolves	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	Most Improved Player	-
	Rebounds Leader	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Warriors Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	73	35.8	20.2	4.5	10.7	15.2	2.5	0.6	0.4	2.1	2.0	6.6	14.1	.470	1.2	2.9	.417	5.8	6.8	.850
difference:	+8	+0.4	+1.8	+4.0	+8.1	+12.1	+0.3	+0.3	+0.1	-0.4	-0.9	+0.3	+1.4	+.026	+1.6	+3.7		+4.0	+4.5	+.055
Klay Thompson	81	35.4	18.4	0.5	2.6	3.1	2.2	0.9	0.5	1.7	2.9	6.9	15.5	.444	2.8	6.6	.417	1.8	2.3	.795
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Klay Thompson	7	36.7	16.4	0.6	2.9	3.4	3.6	1.0	0.7	2.1	3.4	5.7	14.0	.408	2.3	6.3	.364	2.7	3.4	.792

Season 4
	Kevin Love	Klay Thompson
Season	2011-12	2014-15
Team	Minnesota Timberwolves	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	-	All-NBA Third Team
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

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4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	55	39.0	26.0	4.1	9.2	13.3	2.0	0.9	0.5	2.3	2.8	8.6	19.3	.448	1.9	5.1	.372	6.9	8.4	.824
difference:	+22	+7.1	+4.3	+3.7	+6.3	+10.1	+0.9	+0.2	+0.3	-0.4	-1.2	+0.8	+2.4	+.015	+1.2	+2.0	+.067	+4.0	+5.1	+.055
Klay Thompson	77	31.9	21.7	0.4	2.9	3.2	2.9	1.1	0.8	1.9	1.6	7.8	16.9	.463	3.1	7.1	.439	2.9	3.3	.879
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Klay Thompson	21	36.2	18.6	0.4	3.4	3.9	2.6	0.8	0.9	2.0	3.0	7.1	15.9	.446	2.7	7.0	.390	1.7	2.1	.800

Season 5
	Kevin Love	Klay Thompson
Season	2012-13	2015-16
Team	Minnesota Timberwolves	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Third Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Warriors Lost NBA Finals

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5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	18	34.3	18.3	3.6	10.4	14.0	2.3	0.7	0.5	2.2	1.9	5.8	16.6	.352	1.1	5.1	.217	5.6	7.9	.704
difference:	+62	+1.0	+3.8	+3.2	+7.0	+10.2	+0.2	+0.1	+0.1	-0.5		+2.3	+0.7	+.118	+2.4	+3.0	+.208	+3.2	+5.1	+.169
Klay Thompson	80	33.3	22.1	0.4	3.4	3.8	2.1	0.8	0.6	1.7	1.9	8.1	17.3	.470	3.5	8.1	.425	2.4	2.8	.873
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Klay Thompson	24	35.4	24.3	0.6	3.0	3.7	2.3	1.1	0.4	2.0	2.2	8.4	18.9	.444	4.1	9.6	.424	3.4	4.0	.854

Season 6
	Kevin Love	Klay Thompson
Season	2013-14	2016-17
Team	Minnesota Timberwolves	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

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6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	77	36.3	26.1	2.9	9.6	12.5	4.4	0.8	0.5	2.5	1.8	8.4	18.5	.457	2.5	6.6	.376	6.8	8.2	.821
difference:	+1	+2.3	+3.8	+2.3	+6.6	+8.8	+2.3			-0.9		+0.1	+0.9	+.011	+0.9	+1.7	+.038	+4.4	+5.4	+.032
Klay Thompson	78	34.0	22.3	0.6	3.0	3.7	2.1	0.8	0.5	1.6	1.8	8.3	17.6	.468	3.4	8.3	.414	2.4	2.8	.853
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Klay Thompson	17	35.1	15.0	0.6	3.2	3.9	2.1	0.8	0.3	1.4	2.6	5.5	13.9	.397	2.4	6.2	.387	1.5	1.9	.788

Season 7
	Kevin Love	Klay Thompson
Season	2014-15	2017-18
Team	Cleveland Cavaliers	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Cavaliers Lost NBA Finals	NBA Champion

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7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	75	33.8	16.4	1.9	7.9	9.7	2.2	0.7	0.5	1.6	1.9	5.5	12.7	.434	1.9	5.2	.367	3.4	4.3	.804
difference:	+2	+0.5	+3.6	+1.5	+4.5	+5.9	+0.3	+0.1		-0.2	-0.3	+2.4	+3.5	+.054	+1.2	+1.9	+.073	+2.3	+3.0	+.033
Klay Thompson	73	34.3	20.0	0.4	3.4	3.8	2.5	0.8	0.5	1.8	1.6	7.9	16.2	.488	3.1	7.1	.440	1.1	1.3	.837
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	4	26.8	14.3	1.5	5.5	7.0	2.5	0.3	0.5	1.5	3.0	4.3	10.3	.415	2.3	5.3	.429	3.5	4.8	.737
difference:	+17	+11.0	+5.3	+1.0	+1.9	+2.9	+0.7	+0.5	+0.2		-0.7	+3.3	+6.0	+.050	+0.9	+2.2	+.002	+2.2	+3.3	+.134
Klay Thompson	21	37.8	19.6	0.5	3.6	4.1	1.8	0.8	0.3	1.5	2.3	7.6	16.3	.465	3.2	7.5	.427	1.3	1.5	.871

Season 8
	Kevin Love	Klay Thompson
Season	2015-16	2018-19
Team	Cleveland Cavaliers	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive Second Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Warriors Lost NBA Finals

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8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	77	31.5	16.0	1.9	8.0	9.9	2.4	0.8	0.5	1.8	2.1	5.3	12.7	.419	2.1	5.7	.360	3.4	4.1	.822
difference:	+1	+2.5	+5.5	+1.4	+4.6	+6.1		+0.3	+0.1	-0.3	-0.1	+3.1	+5.3	+.048	+1.0	+2.0	+.042	+1.7	+2.1	+.006
Klay Thompson	78	34.0	21.5	0.5	3.4	3.8	2.4	1.1	0.6	1.5	2.0	8.4	18.0	.467	3.1	7.7	.402	1.7	2.0	.816
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	20	30.7	14.7	1.7	7.1	8.8	2.1	0.5	0.4	1.4	1.7	4.6	12.0	.385	2.3	5.6	.414	3.2	3.8	.840
difference:	+1	+8.3	+6.0	+1.1	+3.6	+4.7		+0.8	+0.3	-0.4	-1.1	+3.2	+5.1	+.071	+1.0	+1.9	+.029	+1.4	+1.8	+.062
Klay Thompson	21	39.0	20.7	0.6	3.5	4.1	2.1	1.3	0.7	1.8	2.8	7.8	17.1	.456	3.3	7.5	.443	1.8	2.0	.902

Note: Klay Thompson didn't play in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Season 9
	Kevin Love	Klay Thompson
Season	2016-17	2021-22
Team	Cleveland Cavaliers	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Cavaliers Lost NBA Finals	NBA Champion

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9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	60	31.4	19.0	2.5	8.6	11.1	1.9	0.9	0.4	2.0	2.1	6.2	14.5	.427	2.4	6.5	.373	4.3	4.9	.871
difference:	+28	+2.0	+1.4	+2.0	+5.2	+7.2	+0.9	+0.4	+0.1	-0.7	-0.4	+1.5	+3.4	+.002	+1.2	+2.8	+.012	+2.9	+3.3	+.031
Klay Thompson	32	29.4	20.4	0.5	3.4	3.9	2.8	0.5	0.5	1.3	1.7	7.7	17.9	.429	3.6	9.3	.385	1.4	1.6	.902
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	18	32.1	16.8	2.0	8.6	10.6	1.7	1.2	0.9	1.7	2.6	5.3	12.1	.436	2.8	6.2	.450	3.5	4.2	.840
difference:	+4	+3.9	+2.2	+1.7	+5.0	+6.7	+0.6	+0.1	+0.2	-0.4	-0.5	+1.9	+4.6	+.007	+0.7	+2.9	+.065	+2.3	+2.8	+.027
Klay Thompson	22	36.0	19.0	0.3	3.6	3.9	2.3	1.1	0.7	1.3	2.1	7.2	16.7	.429	3.5	9.1	.385	1.2	1.4	.867

Season 10
	Kevin Love	Klay Thompson
Season	2017-18	2022-23
Team	Cleveland Cavaliers	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Cavaliers Lost NBA Finals	Warriors Lost West Conf Semis

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10th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	59	28.0	17.6	1.7	7.5	9.3	1.7	0.7	0.4	1.5	2.0	5.7	12.4	.458	2.3	5.6	.415	4.0	4.5	.880
difference:	+10	+5.0	+4.3	+1.1	+3.9	+5.2	+0.7			-0.3	-0.1	+2.2	+5.7	+.022	+2.1	+5.0	+.003	+2.3	+2.6	+.001
Klay Thompson	69	33.0	21.9	0.6	3.6	4.1	2.4	0.7	0.4	1.8	1.9	7.9	18.1	.436	4.4	10.6	.412	1.7	1.9	.879
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Kevin Love	21	31.4	14.9	2.3	7.9	10.2	1.6	0.7	0.4	2.0	2.8	5.2	13.2	.392	1.7	5.0	.340	2.8	3.0	.922
difference:	+8	+4.6	+3.6	+2.2	+3.8	+6.0	+0.6	+0.2	+0.1		-0.6	+1.3	+3.6	+.004	+2.1	+5.5	+.028	+1.2	+1.2	+.047
Klay Thompson	13	36.0	18.5	0.1	4.1	4.2	2.2	0.5	0.3	2.0	2.2	6.5	16.8	.388	3.8	10.5	.368	1.6	1.8	.875