Mel Counts vs. Joe Johnson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Joe Johnson and Mel Counts, 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.

Mel Counts played 12 years in the NBA, 6 less than Joe Johnson, who played 18. Mel Counts had the first of his seasons in 1964-65, while Joe Johnson had his rookie season in 2001-02. 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
Mel Counts 12 8 1964-65 to 1975-76
Joe Johnson 18 13 2001-02 to 2021-22

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18

Rookie Season

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season 1964-652001-02
Team Boston CelticsBoston Celtics, Phoenix Suns
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
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 %
Mel Counts 54 10.6 4.8 - - 4.9 0.4 - - - 2.5 1.9 5.0 .368 - - - 1.1 1.4 .784
Joe Johnson 77 24.9 7.5 1.0 2.4 3.3 2.3 0.8 0.3 0.9 1.5 3.3 7.6 .430 0.5 1.7 .292 0.5 0.7 .774
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 4 7.5 2.3 - - 2.8 0.3 - - - 2.5 1.0 3.8 .267 - - - 0.3 0.3 1.000
Joe Johnson ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season 1965-662002-03
Team Boston CelticsPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionSuns 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 %
Mel Counts 67 15.2 8.4 - - 6.4 0.7 - - - 3.1 3.3 8.2 .403 - - - 1.8 2.2 .828
Joe Johnson 82 27.5 9.8 0.7 2.5 3.2 2.6 0.8 0.2 1.3 1.7 3.9 9.7 .397 0.9 2.5 .366 1.2 1.5 .774
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 10 8.2 4.3 - - 4.0 0.3 - - - 2.6 1.4 3.9 .359 - - - 1.5 1.7 .882
Joe Johnson 6 27.3 5.3 1.0 3.3 4.3 1.3 0.7 0.3 2.0 2.5 2.3 8.5 .275 0.3 2.2 .154 0.3 0.8 .400

Season 3

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season 1966-672003-04
Team Baltimore Bullets, Los Angeles LakersPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Div SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 56 15.4 7.6 - - 6.1 0.9 - - - 3.3 3.2 7.5 .422 - - - 1.2 1.7 .734
Joe Johnson 82 40.6 16.7 1.0 3.7 4.7 4.4 1.1 0.3 2.4 2.2 6.8 15.7 .430 1.0 3.3 .305 2.1 2.8 .750
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 3 9.7 4.7 - - 2.7 0.0 - - - 2.0 1.7 6.3 .263 - - - 1.3 1.3 1.000
Joe Johnson ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season 1967-682004-05
Team Los Angeles LakersPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsSuns 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 %
Mel Counts 82 21.2 11.7 - - 8.9 1.7 - - - 3.8 4.7 9.9 .475 - - - 2.3 3.1 .748
Joe Johnson 82 39.5 17.1 1.5 3.7 5.1 3.5 1.0 0.3 1.8 2.0 6.6 14.4 .461 2.2 4.5 .478 1.6 2.2 .750
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 15 20.4 8.6 - - 8.9 1.6 - - - 3.5 3.6 6.7 .535 - - - 1.4 2.1 .677
Joe Johnson 9 39.3 18.8 0.8 3.6 4.3 3.3 1.1 0.4 1.1 2.0 7.0 13.9 .504 2.2 4.0 .556 2.6 3.7 .697

Season 5

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season 1968-692005-06
Team Los Angeles LakersAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 77 24.2 12.4 - - 7.8 1.4 - - - 2.9 5.1 11.3 .450 - - - 2.3 2.9 .805
Joe Johnson 82 40.7 20.2 1.2 2.9 4.1 6.5 1.3 0.4 3.3 2.3 7.7 17.0 .453 1.6 4.4 .356 3.2 4.0 .791
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 18 24.6 11.2 - - 7.9 1.4 - - - 3.7 4.1 10.7 .385 - - - 3.0 3.9 .761
Joe Johnson ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season 1969-702006-07
Team Los Angeles LakersAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 81 27.1 12.6 - - 8.4 2.0 - - - 3.8 5.4 12.6 .427 - - - 1.9 2.5 .776
Joe Johnson 57 41.4 25.0 0.9 3.3 4.2 4.4 1.1 0.2 3.1 2.0 9.4 20.0 .471 2.1 5.5 .381 4.1 5.5 .748
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 14 15.1 6.1 - - 5.3 1.1 - - - 3.4 2.6 6.3 .420 - - - 0.8 0.9 .846
Joe Johnson ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season 1970-712007-08
Team Phoenix SunsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 80 20.9 11.0 - - 6.3 1.7 - - - 3.5 4.6 10.0 .457 - - - 1.9 2.5 .753
Joe Johnson 82 40.8 21.7 1.0 3.5 4.5 5.8 1.0 0.2 2.7 2.0 7.9 18.3 .432 2.1 5.4 .381 3.9 4.6 .834
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 7 39.3 20.0 1.3 2.6 3.9 4.0 0.3 0.0 2.3 2.3 6.7 16.4 .409 2.3 5.1 .444 4.3 4.7 .909

Season 8

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season 1971-722008-09
Team Phoenix SunsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks 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 %
Mel Counts 76 11.9 5.2 - - 3.4 1.3 - - - 2.1 1.9 4.5 .427 - - - 1.3 1.8 .721
Joe Johnson 79 39.5 21.4 0.8 3.6 4.4 5.8 1.1 0.2 2.5 2.2 7.8 18.0 .437 1.9 5.2 .360 3.8 4.6 .826
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 11 39.0 16.4 1.5 2.9 4.5 3.5 1.3 0.0 2.9 2.2 6.4 15.3 .417 1.1 3.2 .343 2.5 4.1 .622

Season 9

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season 1972-732009-10
Team Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles LakersAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsHawks 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 %
Mel Counts 66 10.0 4.6 - - 3.8 1.0 - - - 1.6 2.0 4.5 .449 - - - 0.6 0.9 .672
Joe Johnson 76 38.0 21.3 1.0 3.7 4.6 4.9 1.1 0.1 1.9 1.9 8.4 18.2 .458 1.7 4.6 .369 2.9 3.5 .818
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 17 19.2 9.1 - - 6.1 1.6 - - - 3.0 3.6 7.8 .459 - - - 1.9 2.4 .780
Joe Johnson 11 40.0 17.9 1.8 3.3 5.1 5.0 0.9 0.3 2.3 2.0 7.0 18.1 .387 0.8 3.7 .220 3.1 3.8 .810

Season 10

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season 1973-742010-11
Team Los Angeles LakersAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf SemisHawks 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 %
Mel Counts 45 11.1 3.2 1.2 2.0 3.2 1.2 0.4 0.5 - 1.9 1.4 3.7 .365 - - - 0.5 0.7 .727
Joe Johnson 72 35.5 18.2 0.8 3.2 4.0 4.7 0.7 0.1 2.0 1.8 7.1 16.1 .443 1.2 4.2 .297 2.7 3.4 .802
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 4 8.5 3.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 - 0.8 1.5 3.0 .500 - - - 0.0 0.0 -
Joe Johnson 12 41.4 18.8 1.5 3.1 4.6 3.3 1.1 0.1 2.6 1.6 7.3 16.5 .439 1.5 3.5 .429 2.8 3.5 .810

Season 11

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season 1974-752011-12
Team New Orleans JazzAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 75 18.9 6.9 1.4 4.5 5.9 2.4 0.7 0.6 - 2.6 2.9 6.6 .438 - - - 1.1 1.5 .761
Joe Johnson 60 35.5 18.8 0.9 2.8 3.7 3.9 0.8 0.2 1.9 1.3 7.1 15.5 .454 2.1 5.4 .388 2.6 3.1 .849
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 6 40.5 17.2 1.0 2.5 3.5 3.5 1.3 0.2 2.7 1.8 6.3 17.0 .373 1.5 6.0 .250 3.0 4.0 .750

Season 12

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season 1975-762012-13
Team New Orleans JazzBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNets Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 30 10.6 3.0 0.9 2.4 3.3 1.3 0.5 0.3 - 2.5 1.2 3.0 .407 - - - 0.5 0.7 .762
Joe Johnson 72 36.7 16.3 0.7 2.3 3.0 3.5 0.7 0.2 1.7 1.4 6.2 14.6 .423 2.1 5.5 .375 1.8 2.2 .820
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 7 38.7 14.9 0.6 2.6 3.1 2.7 1.1 0.0 1.7 1.9 6.1 14.7 .417 1.4 5.6 .256 1.1 1.3 .889

Season 13

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season -2013-14
Team -Brooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -Nets 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 %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 79 32.6 15.8 0.6 2.8 3.4 2.7 0.6 0.1 1.5 1.6 5.8 12.9 .454 2.1 5.1 .401 2.0 2.5 .815
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 12 39.1 21.2 0.8 3.1 3.8 2.9 0.5 0.3 1.6 1.7 8.2 15.3 .533 1.8 4.4 .415 3.0 3.6 .837

Season 14

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season -2014-15
Team -Brooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Nets Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 80 34.9 14.4 0.7 4.1 4.8 3.7 0.7 0.2 1.7 1.5 5.6 12.8 .435 1.5 4.2 .359 1.8 2.2 .801
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 6 41.5 16.5 0.8 6.8 7.7 4.8 1.2 0.0 0.8 2.7 5.7 15.7 .362 2.0 6.8 .293 3.2 4.0 .792

Season 15

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season -2015-16
Team -Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Heat 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 %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 81 33.4 12.2 0.6 3.0 3.6 3.9 0.8 0.0 2.0 1.8 4.7 10.6 .439 1.5 3.9 .383 1.5 1.8 .831
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 14 35.1 12.1 0.5 4.2 4.7 2.5 0.6 0.2 1.3 1.9 4.9 11.3 .430 0.9 3.3 .283 1.5 1.7 .875

Season 16

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season -2016-17
Team -Utah Jazz
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Jazz 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 %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 78 23.6 9.2 0.4 2.7 3.1 1.8 0.5 0.2 0.9 1.2 3.5 8.0 .436 1.4 3.3 .411 0.8 1.0 .818
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 11 29.6 12.9 0.7 3.2 3.9 2.5 0.5 0.1 1.2 1.9 5.3 12.1 .436 1.4 4.1 .333 1.0 1.4 .733

Season 17

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season -2017-18
Team -Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Rockets 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 %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 55 21.9 6.8 0.3 2.9 3.1 1.5 0.3 0.1 0.9 1.2 2.7 6.5 .406 0.7 2.6 .276 0.7 0.8 .889
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 8 6.8 1.5 0.0 1.3 1.3 0.4 0.0 0.1 0.4 0.5 0.8 2.1 .353 0.0 0.4 .000 0.0 0.0 -

Note: Joe Johnson didn't play in 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Season 18

Mel Counts Joe Johnson
Season -2021-22
Team -Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson 1 2.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 1.000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Joe Johnson ------- --- ----------