Larry Bird vs. Michael Cooper Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Michael Cooper 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.

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 Michael Cooper, who played 12. Larry Bird had the first of his seasons in 1979-80, while Michael Cooper had his rookie season in 1978-79. 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
	Larry Bird	Michael Cooper
Season	1979-80	1978-79
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	Rookie of the Year	-
	All-Rookie First Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Conf Finals	Did Not Play

more >>

Rookie Season Stats Comparison
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
difference:	+79	+33.7	+19.3	+2.6	+7.8	+10.4	+4.5	+1.4	+0.6	-2.9	-3.1	+7.5	+15.8	+.026				+3.7	+4.4
Michael Cooper	3	2.3	2.0	0.0	0.0	0	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.3	0.3	1.0	2.0	.500	-	-	-	0.0	0.0	-
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
Michael Cooper	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 2
	Larry Bird	Michael Cooper
Season	1980-81	1979-80
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

more >>

2nd Season Stats Comparison
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
difference:		+15.4	+12.4	+1.1	+7.0	+8.1	+2.8	+1.0	+0.3	-1.8	-0.3	+5.1	+11.3	+.046	+0.1	+0.7	+.020	+2.1	+2.3	+.087
Michael Cooper	82	24.1	8.8	1.2	1.6	2.8	2.7	1.0	0.5	1.7	2.6	3.7	7.0	.524	0.1	0.2	.250	1.4	1.7	.776
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
difference:	+1	+15.1	+12.8	+1.1	+9.2	+10.3	+2.5	+0.8	+0.3	-1.8	-0.3	+5.0	+9.6	+.063	+0.2	+0.4	+.375	+2.6	+2.7	+.033
Michael Cooper	16	29.0	9.1	1.8	1.9	3.7	3.6	1.5	0.7	1.8	3.4	3.6	8.8	.407	0.0	0.1	.000	1.9	2.3	.861

Season 3
	Larry Bird	Michael Cooper
Season	1981-82	1980-81
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	All-Defensive Second Team	All-Defensive Second Team
	All-Star Game	-
	All-Star Game MVP	-
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Conf Finals	Lakers Lost West Conf 1st Rd

more >>

3rd Season Stats Comparison
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
difference:	+4	+5.6	+13.5	+1.1	+5.6	+6.8	+1.7	+0.3	+0.1	-1.3	-0.1	+5.2	+10.3	+.012	+0.1	+0.5	+.001	+2.9	+3.1	+.078
Michael Cooper	81	32.4	9.4	1.5	2.7	4.1	4.1	1.6	1.0	2.0	3.1	4.0	8.1	.491	0.0	0.2	.211	1.4	1.8	.785
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
difference:	+9	+6.8	+7.1	+2.1	+7.1	+9.2	+3.3	+0.1	+1.4	-0.9	-1.3	+3.6	+10.5	+.123	+0.1	+0.5	+.167	+0.2	+0.9	+.108
Michael Cooper	3	34.0	10.7	0.7	2.7	3.3	2.3	2.0	0.0	2.3	2.3	3.7	6.7	.550	0.0	1.0	.000	3.3	4.7	.714

Season 4
	Larry Bird	Michael Cooper
Season	1982-83	1981-82
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	All-Defensive Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Conf Semis	NBA Champion

more >>

4th Season Stats Comparison
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
difference:	+3	+8.8	+11.7	+1.3	+6.2	+7.5	+2.8	+0.3	+0.1	-1.0	-0.3	+4.5	+8.9	+.013	+0.3	+0.8	+.168	+2.6	+3.0	+.027
Michael Cooper	76	28.9	11.9	1.1	2.4	3.5	3.0	1.6	0.8	2.0	2.8	5.0	9.8	.517	0.0	0.2	.118	1.8	2.3	.813
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
difference:	+8	+12.6	+8.6	+1.9	+6.2	+8.1	+2.4	+0.5	+0.3	-1.1	-0.9	+3.2	+10.4	+.143	+0.1	+0.6	+.250	+2.2	+2.4	+.093
Michael Cooper	14	27.4	11.9	1.4	3.0	4.4	4.4	1.7	0.8	2.1	3.4	5.0	8.9	.565	0.1	0.1	.500	1.8	2.4	.735

Season 5
	Larry Bird	Michael Cooper
Season	1983-84	1982-83
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	Finals MVP	-
	Season MVP	-
	All-NBA First Team	-
	All-Defensive Second Team	All-Defensive Second Team
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Lakers Lost NBA Finals

more >>

5th Season Stats Comparison
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
difference:	+3	+12.1	+16.4	+1.3	+5.5	+6.8	+2.8	+0.4	+0.3	-1.4		+6.4	+13.4	+.043	+0.1	+0.6	+.009	+3.5	+3.7	+.103
Michael Cooper	82	26.2	7.8	1.0	2.3	3.3	3.8	1.4	0.6	1.6	2.5	3.2	6.1	.535	0.1	0.3	.238	1.2	1.6	.785
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
difference:	+8	+11.6	+18.1	+1.9	+5.2	+7.1	+3.0	+0.6	+0.8	-2.5	-0.5	+6.5	+11.4	+.059	+0.2	+0.2	+.269	+5.0	+5.6	+.050
Michael Cooper	15	30.2	9.4	0.8	3.1	3.9	2.9	1.7	0.4	1.3	3.6	3.5	7.6	.465	0.1	0.5	.143	2.3	2.7	.829

Season 6
	Larry Bird	Michael Cooper
Season	1984-85	1983-84
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	Season MVP	-
	All-NBA First Team	-
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Celtics Lost NBA Finals	Lakers Lost NBA Finals

more >>

6th Season Stats Comparison
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
difference:	+2	+10.4	+19.7	+1.5	+6.0	+7.3	+0.7	+0.2	+0.4	-1.3	-0.7	+8.2	+15.3	+.025	+0.2	+0.1	+.113	+3.1	+3.4	+.044
Michael Cooper	82	29.1	9.0	0.6	2.5	3.2	5.9	1.4	0.8	1.8	3.3	3.3	6.7	.497	0.5	1.5	.314	1.9	2.3	.838
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
difference:	+1	+6.4	+14.7	+1.7	+3.5	+5.2	+0.1	+0.6		-1.5	-1.1	+5.6	+12.2		+0.2	+0.4	+.053	+3.7	+3.8	+.084
Michael Cooper	21	34.4	11.3	1.0	3.0	3.9	5.7	1.1	1.0	1.4	3.8	4.2	9.1	.461	0.6	1.7	.333	2.4	3.0	.806

Season 7
	Larry Bird	Michael Cooper
Season	1985-86	1984-85
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	Finals MVP	-
	Season MVP	-
	All-NBA First Team	-
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

more >>

7th Season Stats Comparison
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
difference:		+11.3	+17.2	+1.6	+5.1	+6.7	+1.6	+0.9		-1.3	-0.3	+6.3	+12.4	+.031	+0.6	+0.9	+.138	+4.0	+4.4	+.031
Michael Cooper	82	26.7	8.6	0.7	2.4	3.1	5.2	1.1	0.6	1.9	2.5	3.4	7.2	.465	0.4	1.5	.285	1.4	1.6	.865
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
difference:	+1	+16.4	+15.5	+1.3	+4.0	+5.3	+3.3	+1.0	+0.1	-0.7	-0.7	+5.8	+11.8	+.046	+0.9	+1.7	+.103	+3.1	+3.4	+.004
Michael Cooper	19	26.4	10.4	0.6	3.4	4.0	4.9	1.1	0.5	1.9	2.4	3.7	6.6	.563	0.4	1.4	.308	2.5	2.7	.923

Season 8
	Larry Bird	Michael Cooper
Season	1986-87	1985-86
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	-	All-Defensive Second Team
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Celtics Lost NBA Finals	Lakers Lost West Conf Finals

more >>

8th Season Stats Comparison
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
difference:	+8	+12.9	+18.9	+1.2	+5.1	+6.2	+1.9	+0.7	+0.4	-1.4	-0.4	+7.3	+12.8	+.073	+0.4	+1.0	+.013	+3.8	+4.0	+.045
Michael Cooper	82	27.7	9.2	0.5	2.4	3.0	5.7	1.1	0.5	1.8	2.9	3.3	7.4	.452	0.8	2.0	.387	1.8	2.1	.865
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
difference:	+9	+14.0	+17.3	+0.7	+6.2	+6.7	+2.3	+0.1	+0.5	-1.6	-0.7	+5.5	+11.5	+.006	+0.8	+1.1	+.122	+7.1	+7.6	+.094
Michael Cooper	14	30.1	9.7	1.1	2.1	3.3	4.9	1.3	0.3	1.5	1.7	3.9	8.2	.470	1.4	2.9	.463	0.6	0.8	.818

Season 9
	Larry Bird	Michael Cooper
Season	1987-88	1986-87
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Defensive Player of the Year
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Conf Finals	NBA Champion

more >>

9th Season Stats Comparison
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
difference:	+6	+11.5	+19.4	+0.7	+5.4	+6.2	+1.6	+0.6	+0.3	-1.6	-0.3	+7.7	+13.0	+.089	+0.2	+0.3	+.029	+4.0	+4.2	+.065
Michael Cooper	82	27.5	10.5	0.7	2.4	3.1	4.5	1.0	0.5	1.2	2.4	3.9	9.0	.438	1.1	2.8	.385	1.5	1.8	.851
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
difference:	+1	+15.9	+11.5	+1.3	+4.3	+5.5	+1.8	+0.7		-0.8		+4.6	+11.1	+.034	+1.2	+2.0	+.111	+3.3	+3.6	+.042
Michael Cooper	18	29.0	13.0	0.4	2.8	3.3	5.0	1.4	0.8	2.1	2.6	4.3	8.8	.484	1.9	3.9	.486	2.6	3.0	.852

Season 10
	Larry Bird	Michael Cooper
Season	1988-89	1987-88
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

more >>

10th Season Stats Comparison
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
difference:	+55	+2.1	+10.6	+0.6	+3.1	+2.5	+0.1	+0.1	+0.4	-0.1	-0.8	+5.1	+9.4	+.079	+0.9	+2.9		+1.4	+1.3	+.089
Michael Cooper	61	29.4	8.7	0.8	2.9	3.7	4.7	1.1	0.4	1.7	2.2	3.1	7.9	.392	0.9	2.9	.320	1.6	1.9	.858
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Bird	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Michael Cooper	24	24.5	6.4	0.6	1.8	2.4	2.8	0.8	0.4	0.9	2.4	2.3	5.5	.412	1.0	2.6	.403	0.8	1.1	.741

Season 11
	Larry Bird	Michael Cooper
Season	1989-90	1988-89
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Lakers Lost NBA Finals

more >>

11th Season Stats Comparison
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
difference:	+5	+15.0	+17.0	+0.8	+6.3	+7.1	+3.6	+0.5	+0.4	-2.0		+6.9	+14.0	+.042	+0.1		+.048	+3.3	+3.4	+.059
Michael Cooper	80	24.3	7.3	0.4	2.0	2.4	3.9	0.9	0.4	1.2	2.3	2.7	6.2	.431	1.0	2.6	.381	1.0	1.2	.871
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
difference:	+10	+13.8	+16.7	+0.8	+5.7	+6.5	+4.1	+0.4	+0.5	-2.5	-0.5	+6.3	+13.9	+.028	+0.4	+0.1	+.119	+4.5	+4.8	+.073
Michael Cooper	15	27.6	7.7	0.6	2.1	2.7	4.7	0.6	0.5	1.1	2.5	2.5	5.9	.416	1.4	3.7	.382	1.3	1.6	.833

Season 12
	Larry Bird	Michael Cooper
Season	1990-91	1989-90
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Conf Semis	Lakers Lost West Conf Semis

more >>

12th Season Stats Comparison
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
difference:	+20	+14.9	+13.0	+0.2	+5.5	+5.7	+4.5	+1.0	+0.5	-2.0	-0.6	+5.3	+10.8	+.067	+0.7	+1.3	+.071	+1.7	+1.9	+.008
Michael Cooper	80	23.1	6.4	0.7	2.1	2.8	2.7	0.8	0.5	1.1	2.6	2.4	6.2	.387	0.6	2.0	.318	1.0	1.2	.883
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
difference:	+1	+20.4	+14.5	+0.4	+5.0	+4.5	+3.7	+0.5	+0.1	-1.1	-0.5	+5.1	+11.3	+.122		+0.8	+.107	+4.4	+5.1
Michael Cooper	9	19.2	2.6	1.2	1.4	2.7	2.8	0.8	0.4	0.8	2.3	1.1	3.9	.286	0.3	1.3	.250	0.0	0.0	-

Additional Years
* Larry Bird played 1 season more than Michael Cooper in the NBA. In that period—his season 13 in 1992—Larry Bird played in the Playoffs. In that extra year over Michael Cooper, Larry Bird got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 All-Star Game