Larry Bird vs. Matt Bonner Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Matt Bonner 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

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, 1 more than Matt Bonner, who played 12. Larry Bird had the first of his seasons in 1979-80, while Matt Bonner had his rookie season in 2004-05. 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 achivements, 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
Matt Bonner 12 9 2004-05 to 2015-16

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13

Rookie Season

Larry Bird Matt Bonner
Season 1979-802004-05
Team Boston CelticsToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 82 18.9 7.2 1.3 2.2 3.5 0.6 0.5 0.2 0.5 2.7 3.0 5.6 .533 0.5 1.1 .424 0.7 0.9 .789
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Larry Bird Matt Bonner
Season 1980-812005-06
Team Boston CelticsToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 78 21.9 7.5 1.1 2.5 3.6 0.7 0.6 0.4 0.4 2.8 2.7 6.0 .448 1.3 3.1 .420 0.8 1.0 .829
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Larry Bird Matt Bonner
Season 1981-822006-07
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 56 11.7 4.9 1.1 1.6 2.8 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.4 1.2 1.9 4.2 .447 0.6 1.7 .383 0.5 0.7 .711
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 9 2.8 0.8 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.3 0.7 0.2 0.8 .286 0.1 0.4 .250 0.2 0.2 1.000

Season 4

Larry Bird Matt Bonner
Season 1982-832007-08
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisSpurs Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 68 12.5 4.8 0.8 2.0 2.8 0.5 0.2 0.3 0.6 1.6 1.8 4.3 .416 0.7 2.0 .336 0.6 0.6 .864
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 2 4.5 2.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.5 .667 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 5

Larry Bird Matt Bonner
Season 1983-842008-09
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
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 ChampionSpurs Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 81 23.8 8.2 1.2 3.6 4.8 1.0 0.6 0.3 0.5 2.3 3.3 6.6 .496 1.5 3.3 .440 0.2 0.3 .739
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 5 20.0 3.0 1.2 2.0 3.2 0.0 0.6 0.4 0.4 2.0 1.0 4.6 .217 0.6 2.6 .231 0.4 0.4 1.000

Season 6

Larry Bird Matt Bonner
Season 1984-852009-10
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsSpurs Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 65 17.9 7.0 0.8 2.5 3.3 1.0 0.5 0.4 0.6 1.7 2.6 5.7 .446 1.4 3.6 .390 0.5 0.7 .729
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 10 17.3 5.0 0.7 2.5 3.2 0.4 0.1 0.3 0.7 2.2 1.9 4.4 .432 1.0 2.7 .370 0.2 0.2 1.000

Season 7

Larry Bird Matt Bonner
Season 1985-862010-11
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionSpurs Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 66 21.7 7.3 0.9 2.7 3.6 0.9 0.4 0.3 0.4 1.7 2.6 5.6 .464 1.6 3.5 .457 0.5 0.7 .744
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 6 20.5 6.3 1.2 2.0 3.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 3.0 2.0 4.2 .480 1.0 3.0 .333 1.3 1.7 .800

Season 8

Larry Bird Matt Bonner
Season 1986-872011-12
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsSpurs Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 65 20.4 6.6 0.4 2.8 3.3 0.9 0.2 0.3 0.2 1.0 2.4 5.4 .440 1.6 3.8 .420 0.2 0.3 .762
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Matt Bonner 13 12.7 2.4 0.2 1.8 1.9 0.7 0.2 0.3 0.2 1.8 0.8 2.5 .313 0.6 1.8 .348 0.2 0.4 .600

Season 9

Larry Bird Matt Bonner
Season 1987-882012-13
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsSpurs Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 76 39.0 29.9 1.4 7.8 9.3 6.1 1.6 0.8 2.8 2.1 11.6 22.0 .527 1.3 3.1 .414 5.5 6.0 .916
Matt Bonner 68 13.4 4.2 0.4 1.5 1.9 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.2 1.3 1.6 3.4 .487 0.8 1.8 .442 0.2 0.2 .733
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 17 44.9 24.5 1.7 7.1 8.8 6.8 2.1 0.8 2.9 2.6 8.9 19.9 .450 0.7 1.9 .375 5.9 6.6 .894
Matt Bonner 20 13.4 4.1 0.5 1.5 2.0 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.1 1.8 1.4 3.0 .475 0.8 1.6 .469 0.5 0.6 .833

Season 10

Larry Bird Matt Bonner
Season 1988-892013-14
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 6 31.5 19.3 0.2 6.0 6.2 4.8 1.0 0.8 1.8 3.0 8.2 17.3 .471 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 3.2 .947
Matt Bonner 61 11.3 3.2 0.3 1.9 2.1 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.8 1.2 2.7 .445 0.7 1.6 .429 0.1 0.2 .750
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird ------- --- ----------
Matt Bonner 22 6.2 1.2 0.1 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.5 0.5 1.0 .476 0.2 0.5 .333 0.1 0.2 .750

Season 11

Larry Bird Matt Bonner
Season 1989-902014-15
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf 1st RdSpurs Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 75 39.3 24.3 1.2 8.3 9.5 7.5 1.4 0.8 3.2 2.3 9.6 20.2 .473 0.9 2.6 .333 4.3 4.6 .930
Matt Bonner 72 13.0 3.7 0.4 1.2 1.6 0.7 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.9 1.3 3.2 .409 0.6 1.8 .365 0.4 0.5 .811
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 5 41.4 24.4 1.4 7.8 9.2 8.8 1.0 1.0 3.6 2.0 8.8 19.8 .444 1.0 3.8 .263 5.8 6.4 .906
Matt Bonner 7 5.1 0.9 0.0 0.9 0.9 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 1.1 0.3 1.4 .200 0.3 1.3 .222 0.0 0.0 -

Season 12

Larry Bird Matt Bonner
Season 1990-912015-16
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 60 38.0 19.4 0.9 7.6 8.5 7.2 1.8 1.0 3.1 2.0 7.7 17.0 .454 1.3 3.3 .389 2.7 3.1 .891
Matt Bonner 30 6.9 2.5 0.1 0.8 0.9 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.5 1.0 1.9 .509 0.5 1.1 .441 0.1 0.1 .750
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 10 39.6 17.1 0.8 6.4 7.2 6.5 1.3 0.3 1.9 2.8 6.2 15.2 .408 0.3 2.1 .143 4.4 5.1 .863
Matt Bonner ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Larry Bird Matt Bonner
Season 1991-92-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf Semis-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 45 36.9 20.2 1.0 8.6 9.6 6.8 0.9 0.7 2.8 1.8 7.8 16.8 .466 1.2 2.8 .406 3.3 3.6 .926
Matt Bonner ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 4 26.8 11.3 0.5 4.0 4.5 5.3 0.3 0.5 1.5 1.8 5.3 10.5 .500 0.0 1.3 .000 0.8 1.0 .750
Matt Bonner ------- --- ----------