Nikola Jokic vs. Sam Lacey Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Sam Lacey and Nikola Jokic, 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.
Nikola Jokic played 9 years in the NBA, 4 less than Sam Lacey, who played 13. Nikola Jokic had the first of his seasons in 2015-16, while Sam Lacey had his rookie season in 1970-71. 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 |
Nikola Jokic |
9 |
6 |
2015-16 to 2023-24 |
Sam Lacey |
13 |
4 |
1970-71 to 1982-83 |
Comparison Season by Season |
|
|
|
Rookie Season |
|
Nikola Jokic |
Sam Lacey |
Season |
2015-16 | 1970-71 |
Team |
Denver Nuggets | Cincinnati Royals |
Honors & Awards |
All-Rookie First Team | - |
Playoffs |
Did Not Play | Did Not Play |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
80 |
21.7 |
10.0 |
2.3 |
4.7 |
7.0 |
2.4 |
1.0 |
0.6 |
1.3 |
2.6 |
3.8 |
7.5 |
.512 |
0.4 |
1.1 |
.333 |
1.9 |
2.4 |
.811 |
Sam Lacey |
81 |
32.7 |
13.5 |
- |
- |
11.3 |
1.4 |
- |
- |
- |
3.3 |
5.8 |
13.8 |
.418 |
- |
- |
- |
1.9 |
2.8 |
.687 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sam Lacey |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
73 |
27.9 |
16.7 |
2.9 |
6.9 |
9.8 |
4.9 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
2.3 |
2.9 |
6.8 |
11.7 |
.578 |
0.6 |
1.9 |
.324 |
2.6 |
3.1 |
.825 |
Sam Lacey |
81 |
35.0 |
11.6 |
- |
- |
12.0 |
2.1 |
- |
- |
- |
3.5 |
5.1 |
12.0 |
.422 |
- |
- |
- |
1.5 |
2.1 |
.704 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sam Lacey |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
75 |
32.6 |
18.5 |
2.6 |
8.1 |
10.7 |
6.1 |
1.2 |
0.8 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
6.7 |
13.5 |
.499 |
1.5 |
3.7 |
.396 |
3.5 |
4.2 |
.850 |
Sam Lacey |
79 |
37.1 |
13.5 |
- |
- |
11.8 |
2.4 |
- |
- |
- |
3.6 |
6.0 |
12.6 |
.474 |
- |
- |
- |
1.6 |
2.3 |
.708 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sam Lacey |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
80 |
31.3 |
20.1 |
2.9 |
8.0 |
10.8 |
7.3 |
1.4 |
0.7 |
3.1 |
2.9 |
7.7 |
15.1 |
.511 |
1.0 |
3.4 |
.307 |
3.6 |
4.4 |
.821 |
Sam Lacey |
79 |
39.3 |
14.2 |
3.7 |
9.6 |
13.4 |
3.8 |
1.6 |
2.3 |
- |
3.2 |
5.9 |
12.4 |
.476 |
- |
- |
- |
2.3 |
3.1 |
.749 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
14 |
39.8 |
25.1 |
3.9 |
9.1 |
13.0 |
8.4 |
1.1 |
0.9 |
2.6 |
3.9 |
9.4 |
18.6 |
.506 |
1.6 |
4.0 |
.393 |
4.7 |
5.6 |
.846 |
Sam Lacey |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
73 |
32.0 |
19.9 |
2.3 |
7.5 |
9.7 |
7.0 |
1.2 |
0.6 |
3.1 |
3.0 |
7.7 |
14.7 |
.528 |
1.1 |
3.5 |
.314 |
3.4 |
4.1 |
.817 |
Sam Lacey |
81 |
41.7 |
11.5 |
2.8 |
11.4 |
14.2 |
5.3 |
1.7 |
2.1 |
- |
3.4 |
4.8 |
11.3 |
.427 |
- |
- |
- |
1.8 |
2.4 |
.754 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
19 |
36.5 |
24.4 |
1.9 |
7.9 |
9.8 |
5.7 |
1.1 |
0.8 |
3.3 |
3.6 |
9.4 |
18.1 |
.519 |
2.2 |
5.2 |
.429 |
3.5 |
4.2 |
.835 |
Sam Lacey |
6 |
44.0 |
9.5 |
2.5 |
13.2 |
15.7 |
5.0 |
2.0 |
1.5 |
- |
3.2 |
3.8 |
10.2 |
.377 |
- |
- |
- |
1.8 |
3.0 |
.611 |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
72 |
34.6 |
26.4 |
2.8 |
8.0 |
10.8 |
8.3 |
1.3 |
0.7 |
3.1 |
2.7 |
10.2 |
18.0 |
.566 |
1.3 |
3.3 |
.388 |
4.8 |
5.5 |
.868 |
Sam Lacey |
81 |
38.1 |
12.8 |
2.7 |
10.0 |
12.6 |
4.7 |
1.6 |
1.7 |
- |
3.5 |
5.0 |
12.6 |
.401 |
- |
- |
- |
2.7 |
3.5 |
.759 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
10 |
34.5 |
29.8 |
3.7 |
7.9 |
11.6 |
5.0 |
0.6 |
0.9 |
2.4 |
2.3 |
11.6 |
22.8 |
.509 |
2.0 |
5.3 |
.377 |
4.6 |
5.5 |
.836 |
Sam Lacey |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
74 |
33.5 |
27.1 |
2.8 |
11.0 |
13.8 |
7.9 |
1.5 |
0.9 |
3.8 |
2.6 |
10.3 |
17.7 |
.583 |
1.3 |
3.9 |
.337 |
5.1 |
6.3 |
.810 |
Sam Lacey |
82 |
31.6 |
10.6 |
2.3 |
6.6 |
9.0 |
4.7 |
1.5 |
1.6 |
- |
3.6 |
4.0 |
9.4 |
.422 |
- |
- |
- |
2.6 |
3.4 |
.762 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
5 |
34.2 |
31.0 |
3.4 |
9.8 |
13.2 |
5.8 |
1.6 |
1.0 |
4.8 |
4.0 |
12.2 |
21.2 |
.575 |
1.0 |
3.6 |
.278 |
5.6 |
6.6 |
.848 |
Sam Lacey |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
69 |
33.7 |
24.5 |
2.4 |
9.4 |
11.8 |
9.8 |
1.3 |
0.7 |
3.6 |
2.5 |
9.4 |
14.8 |
.632 |
0.8 |
2.2 |
.383 |
4.9 |
6.0 |
.822 |
Sam Lacey |
77 |
27.7 |
8.6 |
2.0 |
6.3 |
8.3 |
3.9 |
1.6 |
1.4 |
2.4 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
7.7 |
.449 |
- |
- |
- |
1.7 |
2.4 |
.717 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
20 |
39.5 |
30.0 |
3.5 |
10.0 |
13.5 |
9.5 |
1.1 |
1.0 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
11.4 |
20.7 |
.548 |
1.8 |
3.8 |
.461 |
5.6 |
7.0 |
.799 |
Sam Lacey |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
79 |
34.6 |
26.4 |
2.8 |
9.5 |
12.4 |
9.0 |
1.4 |
0.9 |
3.0 |
2.5 |
10.4 |
17.9 |
.583 |
1.1 |
2.9 |
.359 |
4.5 |
5.5 |
.817 |
Sam Lacey |
82 |
32.0 |
10.6 |
2.2 |
6.4 |
8.6 |
5.2 |
1.3 |
1.7 |
3.0 |
3.8 |
4.3 |
8.5 |
.502 |
- |
- |
- |
2.0 |
2.8 |
.739 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
12 |
40.2 |
28.7 |
3.6 |
9.8 |
13.4 |
8.7 |
1.4 |
0.7 |
3.3 |
2.7 |
11.1 |
20.3 |
.545 |
1.2 |
4.4 |
.264 |
5.3 |
5.9 |
.901 |
Sam Lacey |
5 |
35.2 |
9.4 |
3.4 |
6.8 |
10.2 |
4.2 |
1.8 |
2.0 |
3.8 |
4.0 |
3.2 |
8.4 |
.381 |
- |
- |
- |
3.0 |
3.8 |
.789 |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sam Lacey |
81 |
29.8 |
9.2 |
2.1 |
5.8 |
8.0 |
5.7 |
1.4 |
1.3 |
2.6 |
3.8 |
3.7 |
8.4 |
.448 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
.000 |
1.7 |
2.3 |
.741 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sam Lacey |
3 |
33.7 |
6.7 |
2.0 |
5.3 |
7.3 |
4.3 |
2.3 |
0.7 |
2.7 |
3.7 |
2.7 |
7.0 |
.381 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
1.000 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
.750 |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sam Lacey |
82 |
27.2 |
6.9 |
1.6 |
5.5 |
7.1 |
4.9 |
1.2 |
1.5 |
2.2 |
3.7 |
2.9 |
6.5 |
.442 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
.200 |
1.1 |
1.4 |
.786 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sam Lacey |
15 |
35.5 |
10.0 |
2.0 |
6.0 |
8.0 |
5.3 |
1.9 |
1.5 |
2.6 |
4.2 |
4.0 |
9.5 |
.420 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
.000 |
2.0 |
2.3 |
.857 |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sam Lacey |
56 |
12.0 |
2.9 |
0.4 |
1.6 |
1.9 |
1.4 |
0.4 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
2.5 |
1.2 |
2.8 |
.435 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
.000 |
0.5 |
0.7 |
.730 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sam Lacey |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sam Lacey |
60 |
20.5 |
4.2 |
1.0 |
2.8 |
3.9 |
2.0 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
1.6 |
3.5 |
1.9 |
4.4 |
.420 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
.222 |
0.5 |
0.6 |
.784 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Sam Lacey |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |