Larry Bird vs. Michael Porter Jr. Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Michael Porter Jr. 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, 6 more than Michael Porter Jr., who played 7. Larry Bird had the first of his seasons in 1979-80, 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
Larry Bird 13 12 1979-80 to 1991-92
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

Larry Bird Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1979-802019-20
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
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 FinalsNuggets 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%
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:+27+19.6+12.0+1.4+4.3+5.7+3.7+1.2+0.1-2.3-1.6+5.0+10.8+.035+0.4+1.0+.016+2.6+3.1+.003
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%
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
difference:+10+17.6+9.9+1.3+3.2+4.5+3.9+0.9+0.6-2.4-1.0+5.1+11.1+.007+1.4+3.0+.115+1.0+1.0+.137
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

Larry Bird Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1980-812020-21
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNuggets 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%
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+8.2+2.2+0.8+2.8+3.6+4.4+1.3+0.1-2.2-0.8+1.5+4.9+.064+2.6+5.4+.175+1.8+1.8+.072
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%
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:+7+10.9+4.5+1.7+6.1+7.8+4.8+1.2+0.7-2.0+2.2+4.9+.004+2.7+6.8+.022+2.8+2.9+.084
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

Larry Bird Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1981-822021-22
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
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:+68+8.6+13.0+1.6+2.7+4.3+3.9+0.8+0.7-2.0-1.4+5.1+7.0+.144+1.0+4.6+.004+3.7+3.9+.307
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%
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
Michael Porter Jr. DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4

Larry Bird Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1982-832022-23
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisNBA 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%
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:+17+8.7+6.2+1.4+4.1+5.5+4.8+1.3+0.4-1.9-0.6+3.1+5.5+.017+2.7+6.3+.128+2.9+3.4+.040
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%
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:+14+7.3+7.1+2.3+2.1+4.4+5.2+1.7+0.1-2.7-0.4+3.2+7.6+.001+2.1+5.9+.101+2.8+3.3+.035
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

Larry Bird Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1983-842023-24
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
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 ChampionNuggets 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%
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:+2+6.6+7.5+1.0+2.1+3.1+5.1+1.3+0.2-1.9-0.7+3.2+6.2+.008+2.5+5.9+.150+3.6+3.9+.052
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%
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:+11+4.9+11.7+2.0+2.1+4.2+4.8+1.4+0.4-2.3-0.8+4.3+6.8+.058+2.5+6.1+.005+5.6+6.1+.110
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

Larry Bird Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1984-852024-25
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsNuggets 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%
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:+3+5.8+10.5+0.3+3.3+3.5+4.5+1.0+0.7-1.7-0.6+4.6+8.4+.018+1.8+4.8+.032+3.1+3.2+.114
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%
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:+6+9.7+16.9+1.7+2.0+3.6+5.2+1.1+0.6-2.0-0.8+6.4+12.7+.069+1.3+3.7+.063+5.4+5.8+.176
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

Larry Bird Michael Porter Jr.
Season 1985-862025-26
Team Boston CelticsBrooklyn Nets
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:+77+6.0+4.0+1.5+2.1+3.6+3.6+1.4+0.4-1.4+1.1+2.6+.010+2.2+5.4+.013+4.0+4.0+.196
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%
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
Michael Porter Jr. DNP------ --- ----------

Additional Years

* Larry Bird played 6 seasons more than Michael Porter Jr. in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 13, from 1987 to 1992—Larry Bird played in 5 Playoffs.

In those 6 extra years over Michael Porter Jr., Larry Bird got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 2 All-NBA First Team
Achievement 1 All-NBA Second Team
Achievement 5 All-Star Game