Magic Johnson vs. Arvydas Sabonis Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Arvydas Sabonis and Magic Johnson, 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.

Magic Johnson played 13 years in the NBA, 6 more than Arvydas Sabonis, who played 7. Magic Johnson had the first of his seasons in 1979-80, while Arvydas Sabonis had his rookie season in 1995-96. 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
	Magic Johnson	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	1979-80	1995-96
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	Finals MVP	-
	All-Rookie First Team	All-Rookie First Team
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	77	36.3	18.0	2.2	5.6	7.7	7.3	2.4	0.5	4.0	2.8	6.5	12.3	.530	0.1	0.4	.226	4.9	6.0	.810
difference:	+4	+12.5	+3.5	+0.2	+0.4	+0.4	+5.5	+1.5	+0.6	-1.9	-0.1	+1.1	+2.4	+.015	+0.4	+1.0	+.149	+1.7	+1.8	+.053
Arvydas Sabonis	73	23.8	14.5	2.0	6.0	8.1	1.8	0.9	1.1	2.1	2.9	5.4	9.9	.545	0.5	1.4	.375	3.2	4.2	.757
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	16	41.1	18.3	3.3	7.3	10.5	9.4	3.1	0.4	4.1	2.9	6.4	12.4	.518	0.1	0.5	.250	5.3	6.6	.802
difference:	+11	+5.7	+5.3	+0.9	+0.5	+0.3	+7.6	+2.3	+0.2	-2.1	-0.5	+0.6	+3.8	+.086	+0.9	+1.3	+.306	+3.3	+5.4	+.085
Arvydas Sabonis	5	35.4	23.6	2.4	7.8	10.2	1.8	0.8	0.6	2.0	3.4	7.0	16.2	.432	1.0	1.8	.556	8.6	12.0	.717

Season 2
	Magic Johnson	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	1980-81	1996-97
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	Steals Leader	-
Playoffs	Lakers Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	37	37.1	21.6	2.7	5.9	8.6	8.6	3.4	0.7	3.9	2.7	8.4	15.9	.532	0.1	0.5	.176	4.6	6.1	.760
difference:	+32	+11.6	+8.2	+1.0	+0.4	+0.7	+6.5	+2.5	+0.5	-1.7	-0.2	+3.6	+6.4	+.034	+0.6	+1.4	+.195	+1.4	+1.9	+.017
Arvydas Sabonis	69	25.5	13.4	1.7	6.3	7.9	2.1	0.9	1.2	2.2	2.9	4.8	9.5	.498	0.7	1.9	.371	3.2	4.2	.777
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	3	42.3	17.0	2.7	11.0	13.7	7.0	2.7	1.0	3.7	4.7	6.3	16.3	.388	0.0	0.0	-	4.3	6.7	.650
difference:	+1	+15.5	+5.7	+0.7	+6.5	+7.2	+4.7	+1.9	+0.2	-1.4	-0.1	+1.8	+5.8	+.041	+0.5	+2.0		+2.5	+4.7	+.225
Arvydas Sabonis	4	26.8	11.3	2.0	4.5	6.5	2.3	0.8	0.8	2.3	4.8	4.5	10.5	.429	0.5	2.0	.250	1.8	2.0	.875

Season 3
	Magic Johnson	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	1981-82	1997-98
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	Finals MVP	-
	All-NBA Second Team	-
	Steals Leader	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	78	38.3	18.6	3.2	6.4	9.6	9.5	2.7	0.4	3.7	2.9	7.1	13.3	.537	0.1	0.4	.207	4.2	5.6	.760
difference:	+5	+6.3	+2.6	+1.2	+1.5	+0.4	+6.5	+1.8	+0.7	-1.1	-0.8	+1.5	+2.0	+.044	+0.3	+1.2	+.054	+0.2	+0.1	+.038
Arvydas Sabonis	73	32.0	16.0	2.0	7.9	10.0	3.0	0.9	1.1	2.6	3.7	5.6	11.3	.493	0.4	1.6	.261	4.4	5.5	.798
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	14	40.1	17.4	3.9	7.4	11.3	9.3	2.9	0.2	3.1	3.6	5.9	11.2	.529	0.0	0.3	.000	5.5	6.6	.828
difference:	+10	+13.3	+5.1	+2.1	+1.4	+3.5	+7.8	+1.1	+0.6	-0.6	-1.2	+1.4	+1.2	+.079	+0.3	+0.2	+.500	+2.5	+3.1	+.029
Arvydas Sabonis	4	26.8	12.3	1.8	6.0	7.8	1.5	1.8	0.8	2.5	4.8	4.5	10.0	.450	0.3	0.5	.500	3.0	3.5	.857

Season 4
	Magic Johnson	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	1982-83	1998-99
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	Assists Leader	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Lakers Lost NBA Finals	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Finals

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4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	79	36.8	16.8	2.7	5.9	8.6	10.5	2.2	0.6	3.8	2.5	6.5	11.8	.548	0.0	0.3	.000	3.8	4.8	.800
difference:	+29	+9.8	+4.7	+0.9	+0.2	+0.7	+8.1	+1.5	+0.7	-2.1	-0.4	+1.9	+2.2	+.063	+0.1	+0.2	+.292	+1.1	+1.3	+.029
Arvydas Sabonis	50	27.0	12.1	1.8	6.1	7.9	2.4	0.7	1.3	1.7	2.9	4.6	9.6	.485	0.1	0.5	.292	2.7	3.5	.771
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	15	42.9	17.9	3.4	5.1	8.5	12.8	2.3	0.8	4.3	3.3	6.7	13.7	.485	0.0	0.7	.000	4.5	5.4	.840
difference:	+2	+12.8	+7.9	+2.5	+2.7	+0.3	+10.6	+1.1	+0.4	-2.8	-0.6	+3.2	+5.0	+.087	+0.1	+0.3	+.200	+1.5	+2.1	+.067
Arvydas Sabonis	13	30.1	10.0	0.9	7.8	8.8	2.2	1.2	1.2	1.5	2.7	3.5	8.7	.398	0.1	0.4	.200	3.0	3.3	.907

Season 5
	Magic Johnson	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	1983-84	1999-00
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	Assists Leader	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Lakers Lost NBA Finals	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Finals

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5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	67	38.3	17.6	1.5	5.9	7.3	13.1	2.2	0.7	4.6	2.5	6.6	11.6	.565	0.1	0.4	.207	4.3	5.3	.810
difference:	+1	+12.7	+5.8		+0.4	+0.5	+11.3	+1.5	+0.5	-3.1	-0.3	+2.0	+2.5	+.060		+0.1	+.161	+1.8	+2.3	+.033
Arvydas Sabonis	66	25.6	11.8	1.5	6.3	7.8	1.8	0.7	1.2	1.5	2.8	4.6	9.1	.505	0.1	0.3	.368	2.5	3.0	.843
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	21	39.9	18.2	1.2	5.4	6.6	13.5	2.0	1.0	3.8	3.4	7.2	13.0	.551	0.0	0.3	.000	3.8	4.8	.800
difference:	+5	+9.1	+6.9		+0.1	+0.1	+11.6	+1.1	+0.2	-2.2	-0.3	+2.9	+3.6	+.098	+0.4	+1.0	+.286	+1.4	+1.7	+.004
Arvydas Sabonis	16	30.8	11.3	1.2	5.5	6.7	1.9	0.9	0.8	1.6	3.7	4.3	9.4	.453	0.4	1.3	.286	2.4	3.1	.796

Season 6
	Magic Johnson	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	1984-85	2000-01
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	77	36.1	18.3	1.2	5.0	6.2	12.6	1.5	0.3	4.0	2.0	6.5	11.7	.561	0.1	0.5	.189	5.1	6.0	.843
difference:	+16	+14.8	+8.2	+0.4	+0.4	+0.8	+11.1	+0.8	+0.7	-2.6	-0.2	+2.5	+3.2	+.082	+0.1	+0.3	+.122	+3.1	+3.4	+.067
Arvydas Sabonis	61	21.3	10.1	0.8	4.6	5.4	1.5	0.7	1.0	1.4	2.2	4.0	8.5	.479	0.0	0.2	.067	2.0	2.6	.776
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	19	36.2	17.5	1.0	6.1	7.1	15.2	1.7	0.2	4.0	2.5	6.1	11.9	.513	0.1	0.4	.143	5.3	6.2	.847
difference:	+16	+1.2	+6.2	+1.7	+0.4	+1.2	+12.5	+1.4	+2.1	-3.3	-1.5	+1.4	+2.2	+.030	+0.1	+0.3	+.143	+3.3	+3.5	+.097
Arvydas Sabonis	3	35.0	11.3	2.7	5.7	8.3	2.7	0.3	2.3	0.7	4.0	4.7	9.7	.483	0.0	0.7	.000	2.0	2.7	.750

Note: Arvydas Sabonis didn't play in 2001-02.

Season 7
	Magic Johnson	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	1985-86	2002-03
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	Assists Leader	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Lakers Lost West Conf Finals	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	72	35.8	18.8	1.2	4.7	5.9	12.6	1.6	0.2	3.8	1.8	6.7	12.8	.526	0.1	0.6	.233	5.3	6.0	.871
difference:	+6	+20.3	+12.7	+0.1	+1.5	+1.6	+10.8	+0.8	+0.4	-2.8		+4.5	+8.2	+.050	+0.1	+0.5	+.267	+3.6	+3.9	+.084
Arvydas Sabonis	78	15.5	6.1	1.1	3.2	4.3	1.8	0.8	0.6	1.0	1.8	2.2	4.6	.476	0.0	0.1	.500	1.7	2.1	.787
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	14	38.6	21.6	1.5	5.6	7.1	15.1	1.9	0.1	3.2	3.1	7.9	14.6	.537	0.0	0.8	.000	5.9	7.6	.766
difference:	+8	+24.1	+11.6	+0.5	+2.6	+3.1	+14.3	+1.2	+0.6	-2.2	-0.8	+3.9	+8.6	+.130		+0.8		+3.9	+5.1	+.034
Arvydas Sabonis	6	14.5	10.0	1.0	3.0	4.0	0.8	0.7	0.7	1.0	2.3	4.0	6.0	.667	0.0	0.0	-	2.0	2.5	.800

Additional Years
* Magic Johnson played 6 seasons more than Arvydas Sabonis in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 8 to 13, from 1987 to 1996—Magic Johnson played in 6 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships. In those 6 extra years over Arvydas Sabonis, Magic Johnson got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 Finals MVP 3 Season MVP 5 All-NBA First Team 1 Assists Leader 5 All-Star Game 1 All-Star Game MVP