Kevin McHale vs. Michael Porter Jr. Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Michael Porter Jr. and Kevin McHale, 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 / Stats / Stats Rankings

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 McHale played 13 years in the NBA, 6 more than Michael Porter Jr., who played 7. Kevin McHale had the first of his seasons in 1980-81, while Michael Porter Jr. had his rookie season in 2019-20. 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
Kevin McHale 13 13 1980-81 to 1992-93
Michael Porter Jr. 7 5 2019-20 to 2025-26

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season
Kevin McHale Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1980-812019-20
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNuggets Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kevin McHale 82 20.1 10.0 1.9 2.5 4.4 0.7 0.3 1.8 1.3 3.2 4.3 8.1 .533 0.0 0.0 - 1.3 1.9 .679
difference:+27+3.7+0.7+0.7+1.0+0.3+0.1+0.2+1.3-0.4-1.4+0.8+1.1+.024+1.1+2.7+0.2+0.6+.154
Michael Porter Jr. 55 16.4 9.3 1.2 3.5 4.7 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.9 1.8 3.5 7.0 .509 1.1 2.7 .422 1.1 1.3 .833
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kevin McHale 17 17.4 8.5 1.7 1.8 3.5 0.8 0.2 1.5 0.9 3.0 3.6 6.6 .540 0.0 0.0 - 1.4 2.1 .639
difference:+2+6.3+2.9+0.6+3.8+3.2+0.5+1.2-0.4-0.7+0.5+2.0+.064+1.8+4.7+0.3+.104
Michael Porter Jr. 19 23.7 11.4 1.1 5.6 6.7 0.8 0.7 0.3 1.3 2.3 4.1 8.6 .476 1.8 4.7 .382 1.4 1.8 .743

Season 2
Kevin McHale Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1981-822020-21
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsNuggets 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%
Kevin McHale 82 28.4 13.6 2.3 4.5 6.8 1.1 0.4 2.3 1.7 3.2 5.7 10.7 .531 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.0 .754
difference:+21+2.9+5.4+0.8+1.3+0.5+0.3+1.4-0.4-1.1+1.6+2.7+.011+2.8+6.3+0.6+0.8+.037
Michael Porter Jr. 61 31.3 19.0 1.5 5.8 7.3 1.1 0.7 0.9 1.3 2.1 7.3 13.4 .542 2.8 6.3 .445 1.7 2.2 .791
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kevin McHale 12 28.7 16.2 3.4 3.7 7.1 0.9 0.4 2.3 1.3 3.7 6.4 11.2 .575 0.0 0.0 - 3.3 4.4 .755
difference:+2+4.5+1.2+2.2+1.3+0.9+0.4+0.7+2.0-0.3-0.6+2.3+.101+2.9+7.3+1.6+2.3+.055
Michael Porter Jr. 10 33.2 17.4 1.2 5.0 6.2 1.3 1.1 0.3 1.6 3.1 6.4 13.5 .474 2.9 7.3 .397 1.7 2.1 .810

Season 3
Kevin McHale Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1982-832021-22
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kevin McHale 82 28.6 14.1 2.6 4.1 6.7 1.3 0.4 2.3 1.9 2.9 5.9 10.9 .541 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 3.3 .717
difference:+73+0.8+4.2+1.6+1.5+0.1+0.6+0.7+2.1-0.6-1.1+1.8+0.5+.182+1.1+5.3+1.8+2.3+.161
Michael Porter Jr. 9 29.4 9.9 1.0 5.6 6.6 1.9 1.1 0.2 1.3 1.8 4.1 11.4 .359 1.1 5.3 .208 0.6 1.0 .556
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kevin McHale 7 25.3 11.1 2.1 3.9 6.0 0.7 0.4 1.0 1.4 2.3 4.9 8.9 .548 0.0 0.1 .000 1.4 2.6 .556
Michael Porter Jr. DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4
Kevin McHale Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1983-842022-23
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement Sixth Man of the Year-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNBA 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%
Kevin McHale 82 31.4 18.4 2.5 4.9 7.4 1.3 0.3 1.5 1.8 3.0 7.2 12.9 .556 0.0 0.0 - 4.1 5.4 .765
difference:+20+2.4+1.0+1.5+0.4+1.9+0.3+0.3+1.0-0.7-1.1+0.8+0.3+.069+3.0+7.3+2.6+3.5+.035
Michael Porter Jr. 62 29.0 17.4 1.0 4.5 5.5 1.0 0.6 0.5 1.1 1.9 6.4 13.2 .487 3.0 7.3 .414 1.5 1.9 .800
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kevin McHale 23 30.5 14.8 2.7 3.5 6.2 1.2 0.1 1.5 1.7 3.3 5.3 10.6 .504 0.0 0.1 .000 4.1 5.3 .777
difference:+3+2.2+1.4+1.7+3.6+1.9+0.4+0.4+0.9-1.2-1.2+0.3+1.1+.081+2.3+6.5+.351+2.9+3.8+.016
Michael Porter Jr. 20 32.7 13.4 1.0 7.1 8.1 1.6 0.5 0.6 0.5 2.1 5.0 11.7 .423 2.3 6.6 .351 1.2 1.5 .793

Season 5
Kevin McHale Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1984-852023-24
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement Sixth Man of the Year-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsNuggets Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kevin McHale 79 33.6 19.8 2.9 6.1 9.0 1.8 0.4 1.5 2.0 3.0 7.7 13.4 .570 0.0 0.1 .000 4.5 5.9 .760
difference:+2+1.9+3.1+1.6+0.4+2.0+0.3+0.1+0.8-0.9-1.2+1.3+0.1+.086+2.7+6.7+.397+3.4+4.5+.076
Michael Porter Jr. 81 31.7 16.7 1.3 5.7 7.0 1.5 0.5 0.7 1.1 1.8 6.4 13.3 .484 2.7 6.8 .397 1.1 1.4 .836
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kevin McHale 21 39.9 22.1 3.5 6.4 9.9 1.5 0.6 2.2 2.9 3.5 8.2 14.4 .568 0.0 0.0 - 5.8 7.1 .807
difference:+9+3.0+6.3+2.8+0.2+3.1+0.4+0.3+1.4-1.4-1.2+2.5+2.2+.102+2.8+6.8+4.1+4.9+.038
Michael Porter Jr. 12 36.9 15.8 0.7 6.2 6.8 1.1 0.9 0.8 1.5 2.3 5.7 12.2 .466 2.8 6.8 .407 1.7 2.2 .769

Season 6
Kevin McHale Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1985-862024-25
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNuggets Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kevin McHale 68 35.3 21.3 2.5 5.6 8.1 2.7 0.4 2.0 2.2 2.8 8.3 14.4 .574 0.0 0.0 - 4.8 6.2 .776
difference:+9+1.6+3.1+0.7+0.4+1.1+0.6+0.2+1.5-0.8-0.8+1.4+0.8+.070+2.5+6.4+2.9+3.7+.008
Michael Porter Jr. 77 33.7 18.2 1.8 5.2 7.0 2.1 0.6 0.5 1.4 2.0 6.9 13.6 .504 2.5 6.4 .395 1.9 2.5 .768
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kevin McHale 18 39.7 24.9 2.8 5.8 8.6 2.7 0.4 2.4 2.7 3.6 9.3 16.1 .579 0.0 0.1 .000 6.2 7.8 .794
difference:+4+8.6+15.8+1.8+1.3+3.1+2.1+0.2+2.0-1.8-1.7+5.9+7.5+.187+1.7+4.9+.343+5.5+6.8+.080
Michael Porter Jr. 14 31.1 9.1 1.0 4.5 5.5 0.6 0.6 0.4 0.9 1.9 3.4 8.6 .392 1.7 5.0 .343 0.7 1.0 .714

Season 7
Kevin McHale Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1986-872025-26
Team Boston CelticsBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kevin McHale 77 39.7 26.1 3.2 6.7 9.9 2.6 0.5 2.2 2.6 3.1 10.3 17.0 .604 0.0 0.1 .000 5.6 6.6 .836
difference:+72+7.7+4.3+2.4+1.3+3.7+0.6+0.1+2.0-0.8-0.9+1.7+.098+3.2+7.7+.410+4.2+4.6+.136
Michael Porter Jr. 5 32.0 21.8 0.8 5.4 6.2 3.2 0.6 0.2 1.8 2.2 8.6 17.0 .506 3.2 7.8 .410 1.4 2.0 .700
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kevin McHale 21 39.4 21.1 3.1 6.1 9.2 1.9 0.3 1.4 2.6 3.4 8.3 14.2 .584 0.0 0.0 - 4.6 6.0 .762
Michael Porter Jr. DNP------ --- ----------

Additional Years

* Kevin McHale played 6 seasons more than Michael Porter Jr. in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 13, from 1988 to 1993—Kevin McHale played in 6 Playoffs.

In those 6 extra years over Michael Porter Jr., Kevin McHale got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 All-Defensive First Team
Achievement 2 All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement 4 All-Star Game
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