Larry Bird vs. John Collins Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of John Collins and Larry Bird, 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

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.

Larry Bird played 13 years in the NBA, 5 more than John Collins, who played 8. Larry Bird had the first of his seasons in 1979-80, while John Collins had his rookie season in 2017-18. 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
Larry Bird 13 12 1979-80 to 1991-92
John Collins 8 3 2017-18 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season

Larry Bird John Collins
Season 1979-802017-18
Team Boston CelticsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
-Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsDid 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%
Larry Bird 82 36.0 21.3 2.6 7.8 10.4 4.5 1.7 0.6 3.2 3.4 8.5 17.8 .474 0.7 1.7 .406 3.7 4.4 .836
difference:+8+11.9+10.8+0.2+2.9+3.1+3.2+1.1+0.5-1.8-0.5+4.3+10.4+.102+0.5+1.1+.066+1.9+1.9+.121
John Collins 74 24.1 10.5 2.4 4.9 7.3 1.3 0.6 1.1 1.4 2.9 4.2 7.4 .576 0.2 0.6 .340 1.8 2.5 .715
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Larry Bird 9 41.3 21.3 2.4 8.8 11.2 4.7 1.6 0.9 3.7 3.3 9.2 19.7 .469 0.4 1.7 .267 2.4 2.8 .880
John Collins DNP------ --- ----------

Season 2

Larry Bird John Collins
Season 1980-812018-19
Team Boston CelticsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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%
Larry Bird 82 39.5 21.2 2.3 8.6 10.9 5.5 2.0 0.8 3.5 2.9 8.8 18.3 .478 0.2 0.9 .270 3.5 4.0 .863
difference:+21+9.5+1.7+1.3+2.4+1.1+3.5+1.6+0.2-1.5-0.4+1.2+4.7+.082+0.7+1.7+.078+0.2+0.4+.100
John Collins 61 30.0 19.5 3.6 6.2 9.8 2.0 0.4 0.6 2.0 3.3 7.6 13.6 .560 0.9 2.6 .348 3.3 4.4 .763
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Larry Bird 17 44.1 21.9 2.9 11.1 14.0 6.1 2.3 1.0 3.6 3.1 8.6 18.4 .470 0.2 0.5 .375 4.5 5.0 .894
John Collins DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3

Larry Bird John Collins
Season 1981-822019-20
Team Boston CelticsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game MVP-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsDid 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%
Larry Bird 77 38.0 22.9 2.6 8.3 10.9 5.8 1.9 0.9 3.3 3.2 9.2 18.4 .503 0.1 0.7 .212 4.3 4.9 .863
difference:+36+4.8+1.3+0.2+1.0+0.8+4.3+1.1+0.7-1.5-0.2+0.6+3.6+.080+1.3+2.9+.189+1.4+1.2+.063
John Collins 41 33.2 21.6 2.8 7.3 10.1 1.5 0.8 1.6 1.8 3.4 8.6 14.8 .583 1.4 3.6 .401 2.9 3.7 .800
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Larry Bird 12 40.8 17.8 2.8 9.8 12.5 5.6 1.9 1.4 3.2 3.6 7.3 17.2 .427 0.1 0.5 .167 3.1 3.8 .822
John Collins DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4

Larry Bird John Collins
Season 1982-832020-21
Team Boston CelticsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisHawks Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Larry Bird 79 37.7 23.6 2.4 8.6 11.0 5.8 1.9 0.9 3.0 2.5 9.5 18.7 .504 0.3 1.0 .286 4.4 5.3 .840
difference:+16+8.4+6.0+0.5+3.1+3.6+4.6+1.4+0.1-1.7-0.6+2.7+6.5+.052+1.0+2.3+.113+1.7+2.1+.007
John Collins 63 29.3 17.6 1.9 5.5 7.4 1.2 0.5 1.0 1.3 3.1 6.8 12.2 .556 1.3 3.3 .399 2.7 3.2 .833
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Larry Bird 6 40.0 20.5 3.3 9.2 12.5 6.8 2.2 0.5 3.2 2.5 8.2 19.3 .422 0.2 0.7 .250 4.0 4.8 .828
difference:+12+8.0+6.6+1.3+2.5+3.8+5.9+1.8+0.1-1.9-0.8+2.6+9.2+.127+0.9+2.4+.107+2.3+2.8+.005
John Collins 18 32.0 13.9 2.0 6.7 8.7 0.9 0.4 0.6 1.3 3.3 5.6 10.1 .549 1.1 3.1 .357 1.7 2.0 .833

Season 5

Larry Bird John Collins
Season 1983-842021-22
Team Boston CelticsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionHawks Lost East 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%
Larry Bird 79 38.3 24.2 2.3 7.8 10.1 6.6 1.8 0.9 3.0 2.5 9.6 19.5 .492 0.2 0.9 .247 4.7 5.3 .888
difference:+25+7.5+8.0+0.6+1.7+2.3+4.8+1.2+0.1-1.9-0.5+3.3+7.6+.034+1.0+2.4+.117+2.2+2.2+.095
John Collins 54 30.8 16.2 1.7 6.1 7.8 1.8 0.6 1.0 1.1 3.0 6.3 11.9 .526 1.2 3.3 .364 2.5 3.1 .793
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Larry Bird 23 41.8 27.5 2.7 8.3 11.0 5.9 2.3 1.2 3.8 3.1 10.0 19.0 .524 0.3 0.7 .412 7.3 8.3 .879
difference:+18+17.4+18.1+2.3+4.1+6.4+4.7+1.9+1.0-2.8-0.7+6.2+11.2+.037+0.5+1.5+.048+6.3+6.3+.379
John Collins 5 24.4 9.4 0.4 4.2 4.6 1.2 0.4 0.2 1.0 2.4 3.8 7.8 .487 0.8 2.2 .364 1.0 2.0 .500

Season 6

Larry Bird John Collins
Season 1984-852022-23
Team Boston CelticsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsHawks 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%
Larry Bird 80 39.5 28.7 2.1 8.5 10.5 6.6 1.6 1.2 3.1 2.6 11.5 22.0 .522 0.7 1.6 .427 5.0 5.7 .882
difference:+9+9.5+15.6+1.0+3.1+4.0+5.4+1.0+0.2-2.0-0.5+6.4+12.0+.014+0.3+1.8+.135+3.0+3.2+.079
John Collins 71 30.0 13.1 1.1 5.4 6.5 1.2 0.6 1.0 1.1 3.1 5.1 10.0 .508 1.0 3.4 .292 2.0 2.5 .803
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Larry Bird 20 40.8 26.0 2.7 6.5 9.1 5.8 1.7 1.0 2.9 2.7 9.8 21.3 .461 0.4 1.3 .280 6.1 6.8 .890
difference:+14+13.5+14.7+1.5+3.3+4.8+5.0+1.4-1.4-0.5+5.5+11.3+.028+1.4+4.0+.064+5.3+5.8+.057
John Collins 6 27.3 11.3 1.2 3.2 4.3 0.8 0.3 1.0 1.5 2.2 4.3 10.0 .433 1.8 5.3 .344 0.8 1.0 .833

Season 7

Larry Bird John Collins
Season 1985-862023-24
Team Boston CelticsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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%
Larry Bird 82 38.0 25.8 2.3 7.5 9.8 6.8 2.0 0.6 3.2 2.2 9.7 19.6 .496 1.0 2.4 .423 5.4 6.0 .896
difference:+14+10.0+10.7+1.4+1.3+5.7+1.4+0.3-1.8-0.6+3.9+8.6+.036+0.3+1.0+.052+3.2+3.3+.101
John Collins 68 28.0 15.1 2.3 6.1 8.5 1.1 0.6 0.9 1.4 2.8 5.8 11.0 .532 1.3 3.4 .371 2.2 2.7 .795
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Larry Bird 18 42.8 25.9 1.9 7.4 9.3 8.2 2.1 0.6 2.6 3.1 9.5 18.4 .517 1.3 3.1 .411 5.6 6.1 .927
John Collins DNP------ --- ----------

Season 8

Larry Bird John Collins
Season 1986-872024-25
Team Boston CelticsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsDid 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%
Larry Bird 74 40.6 28.1 1.7 7.5 9.2 7.6 1.8 0.9 3.2 2.5 10.6 20.2 .525 1.2 3.0 .400 5.6 6.1 .910
difference:+34+10.1+9.1+0.5+1.5+1.0+5.6+0.8+0.1-0.6-0.4+3.6+6.9+.002+0.3+0.7+.001+2.1+2.0+.062
John Collins 40 30.5 19.0 2.2 6.0 8.2 2.0 1.0 1.0 2.6 2.9 7.0 13.3 .527 1.5 3.7 .399 3.5 4.1 .848
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Larry Bird 23 44.1 27.0 1.8 8.3 10.0 7.2 1.2 0.8 3.1 2.4 9.4 19.7 .476 0.6 1.8 .341 7.7 8.4 .912
John Collins DNP------ --- ----------

Additional Years

* Larry Bird played 5 seasons more than John Collins in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 13, from 1988 to 1992—Larry Bird played in 4 Playoffs.

In those 5 extra years over John Collins, Larry Bird got these achievements:

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