Kyrie Irving vs. Jeremy Lin Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Jeremy Lin and Kyrie Irving, 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 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.

Kyrie Irving played 14 years in the NBA, 5 more than Jeremy Lin, who played 9. Kyrie Irving had the first of his seasons in 2011-12, while Jeremy Lin had his rookie season in 2010-11. 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
Kyrie Irving 14 7 2011-12 to 2024-25
Jeremy Lin 9 4 2010-11 to 2018-19

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season
Kyrie Irving Jeremy Lin
Season 2011-122010-11
Team Cleveland CavaliersGolden State Warriors
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%
Kyrie Irving 51 30.5 18.5 0.9 2.9 3.7 5.4 1.1 0.4 3.1 2.2 6.9 14.6 .469 1.4 3.6 .399 3.4 3.8 .872
difference:+22+20.7+15.9+0.5+2.1+2.5+4.0+0.1-2.5-1.1+5.9+12.1+.080+1.4+3.4+.199+2.7+2.9+.112
Jeremy Lin 29 9.8 2.6 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.4 1.1 0.3 0.6 1.1 1.0 2.5 .389 0.0 0.2 .200 0.7 0.9 .760
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Kyrie Irving nor Jeremy Lin played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2
Kyrie Irving Jeremy Lin
Season 2012-132011-12
Team Cleveland CavaliersNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kyrie Irving 59 34.7 22.5 0.6 3.1 3.7 5.9 1.5 0.4 3.2 2.5 8.2 18.1 .452 1.8 4.7 .391 4.2 4.9 .855
difference:+24+7.8+7.9+0.1+0.6+0.6+0.3+0.1+0.1-0.4-0.3+3.3+7.2+.006+1.1+2.6+.071+0.3+.057
Jeremy Lin 35 26.9 14.6 0.5 2.5 3.1 6.2 1.6 0.3 3.6 2.2 4.9 10.9 .446 0.7 2.1 .320 4.2 5.2 .798
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Kyrie Irving nor Jeremy Lin played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3
Kyrie Irving Jeremy Lin
Season 2013-142012-13
Team Cleveland CavaliersHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game MVP-
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets 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%
Kyrie Irving 71 35.2 20.8 0.7 2.9 3.6 6.1 1.5 0.3 2.7 2.3 7.5 17.4 .430 1.7 4.8 .358 4.1 4.8 .861
difference:+11+3.0+7.4+0.3+0.3+0.6+0.1+0.1-0.2-0.2+2.7+6.5+.011+0.6+1.7+.019+1.5+1.4+.076
Jeremy Lin 82 32.2 13.4 0.4 2.6 3.0 6.1 1.6 0.4 2.9 2.5 4.8 10.9 .441 1.1 3.1 .339 2.6 3.4 .785
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kyrie Irving DNP------ --- ----------
Jeremy Lin 4 21.0 4.0 0.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 0.5 0.3 2.0 2.3 1.5 6.0 .250 0.5 3.0 .167 0.5 0.5 1.000

Season 4
Kyrie Irving Jeremy Lin
Season 2014-152013-14
Team Cleveland CavaliersHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost NBA FinalsRockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kyrie Irving 75 36.4 21.7 0.7 2.4 3.2 5.2 1.5 0.3 2.5 1.9 7.7 16.5 .468 2.1 5.0 .415 4.2 4.9 .863
difference:+4+7.5+9.2+0.2+0.2+0.6+1.1+0.5+0.1-0.4+3.5+7.2+.022+0.9+1.8+.057+1.1+1.2+.040
Jeremy Lin 71 28.9 12.5 0.5 2.2 2.6 4.1 1.0 0.4 2.5 2.3 4.2 9.3 .446 1.2 3.2 .358 3.1 3.7 .823
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kyrie Irving 13 35.7 19.0 0.8 2.8 3.6 3.8 1.3 0.8 1.5 2.2 6.2 14.2 .438 2.1 4.6 .450 4.5 5.3 .841
difference:+7+6.2+7.7+0.4+0.3+0.1+0.5+0.8+0.6-0.7-0.3+2.0+4.0+.028+1.3+0.8+.233+2.3+2.6+.028
Jeremy Lin 6 29.5 11.3 1.2 2.5 3.7 4.3 0.5 0.2 2.2 2.5 4.2 10.2 .410 0.8 3.8 .217 2.2 2.7 .813

Season 5
Kyrie Irving Jeremy Lin
Season 2015-162014-15
Team Cleveland CavaliersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kyrie Irving 53 31.5 19.6 0.8 2.1 3.0 4.7 1.1 0.3 2.3 2.0 7.4 16.6 .448 1.6 4.9 .321 3.2 3.6 .885
difference:+21+5.7+8.4+0.4+0.2+0.4+0.1+0.1-0.1-0.6+3.7+7.8+.024+0.7+2.5+.048+0.3+.090
Jeremy Lin 74 25.8 11.2 0.4 2.3 2.6 4.6 1.1 0.4 2.2 2.6 3.7 8.8 .424 0.9 2.4 .369 2.9 3.6 .795
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kyrie Irving 21 36.9 25.2 0.7 2.2 3.0 4.7 1.7 0.6 2.3 2.2 9.6 20.1 .475 2.4 5.5 .440 3.7 4.2 .875
Jeremy Lin DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6
Kyrie Irving Jeremy Lin
Season 2016-172015-16
Team Cleveland CavaliersCharlotte Hornets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost NBA FinalsHornets Lost East 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%
Kyrie Irving 72 35.1 25.2 0.7 2.5 3.2 5.8 1.2 0.3 2.5 2.2 9.3 19.7 .473 2.5 6.1 .401 4.1 4.6 .905
difference:+6+8.8+13.5+0.2+0.2+2.8+0.5+0.2-0.6-0.1+5.5+10.4+.061+1.5+3.2+.065+1.0+0.9+.090
Jeremy Lin 78 26.3 11.7 0.5 2.7 3.2 3.0 0.7 0.5 1.9 2.1 3.8 9.3 .412 1.0 2.9 .336 3.1 3.7 .815
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kyrie Irving 18 36.3 25.9 0.7 2.1 2.8 5.3 1.3 0.4 2.7 2.1 9.6 20.6 .468 2.4 6.6 .373 4.2 4.7 .905
difference:+11+9.3+13.5+0.3+0.2+0.5+2.7+0.6+0.4-1.1-0.9+5.9+11.6+.055+2.0+4.6+.159+0.4+0.9+.084
Jeremy Lin 7 27.0 12.4 0.4 1.9 2.3 2.6 0.7 0.0 1.6 3.0 3.7 9.0 .413 0.4 2.0 .214 4.6 5.6 .821

Season 7
Kyrie Irving Jeremy Lin
Season 2017-182016-17
Team Boston CelticsBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid 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%
Kyrie Irving 60 32.2 24.4 0.6 3.2 3.8 5.1 1.1 0.3 2.3 2.0 8.9 18.1 .491 2.8 6.8 .408 3.9 4.4 .889
difference:+24+7.7+9.9+0.3+0.2+0.1+0.1-0.1-0.2+4.0+7.0+.053+1.2+2.5+.036+0.7+0.5+.073
Jeremy Lin 36 24.5 14.5 0.3 3.4 3.8 5.1 1.2 0.4 2.4 2.2 4.9 11.1 .438 1.6 4.3 .372 3.2 3.9 .816
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Kyrie Irving nor Jeremy Lin played in the postseason in their season 7

Season 8
Kyrie Irving Jeremy Lin
Season 2018-192017-18
Team Boston CelticsBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kyrie Irving 67 33.0 23.8 1.1 3.9 5.0 6.9 1.5 0.5 2.6 2.5 9.0 18.5 .487 2.6 6.5 .401 3.2 3.7 .873
difference:+66+8.0+5.8+1.1+3.9+5.0+2.9+1.5+0.5-0.4-0.5+4.0+6.5+.070+1.6+4.5+.099+3.8+3.3+.127
Jeremy Lin 1 25.0 18.0 0.0 0.0 0 4.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 12.0 .417 1.0 2.0 .500 7.0 7.0 1.000
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kyrie Irving 9 36.7 21.3 0.6 3.8 4.3 7.0 1.4 0.4 3.1 2.9 7.7 19.9 .385 2.0 6.4 .310 4.0 4.4 .900
Jeremy Lin DNP------ --- ----------

Season 9
Kyrie Irving Jeremy Lin
Season 2019-202018-19
Team Brooklyn NetsAtlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kyrie Irving 20 32.9 27.4 1.1 4.1 5.2 6.4 1.4 0.5 2.6 2.7 10.0 20.8 .478 2.8 7.1 .394 4.7 5.1 .922
difference:+54+13.5+17.8+0.8+2.0+2.8+3.3+0.8+0.3-0.9-0.8+6.8+13.5+.038+2.1+4.6+.100+2.3+2.3+.084
Jeremy Lin 74 19.4 9.6 0.3 2.1 2.4 3.1 0.6 0.2 1.7 1.9 3.2 7.3 .440 0.7 2.5 .294 2.4 2.8 .838
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kyrie Irving DNP------ --- ----------
Jeremy Lin 8 3.4 1.1 0.0 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.1 0.0 0.6 0.3 0.3 1.1 .222 0.1 0.3 .500 0.5 0.5 1.000

Additional Years

* Kyrie Irving played 5 seasons more than Jeremy Lin in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 10 to 14, from 2021 to 2025—Kyrie Irving played in 3 Playoffs.

In those 5 extra years over Jeremy Lin, Kyrie Irving got these achievements:

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