Sam Jones vs. Bill Walton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Walton and Sam Jones, 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.

Sam Jones played 12 years in the NBA, 2 more than Bill Walton, who played 10. Sam Jones had the first of his seasons in 1957-58, while Bill Walton had his rookie season in 1974-75. 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.

Season 2
	Sam Jones	Bill Walton
Season	1958-59	1975-76
Team	Boston Celtics	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Did Not Play

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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		%
Sam Jones	71	20.6	10.7	-	-	6.0	1.4	-	-	-	1.4	4.3	9.9	.434	-	-	-	2.1	2.8	.770
difference:	+20	+12.5	+5.4			+7.4	+2.9				-1.4	+2.5	+4.5	+.037				+0.5	+1.7	+.187
Bill Walton	51	33.1	16.1	2.6	10.8	13.4	4.3	1.0	1.6	-	2.8	6.8	14.4	.471	-	-	-	2.6	4.5	.583
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	11	17.5	10.3	-	-	5.7	1.5	-	-	-	1.3	3.6	9.8	.370	-	-	-	3.0	3.5	.846
Bill Walton	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 3
	Sam Jones	Bill Walton
Season	1959-60	1976-77
Team	Boston Celtics	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Rebounds Leader
	-	Blocks Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

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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		%
Sam Jones	74	20.4	11.9	-	-	5.1	1.7	-	-	-	1.4	4.8	10.6	.454	-	-	-	2.3	3.0	.764
difference:	+9	+14.4	+6.7			+9.3	+2.1				-1.3	+2.8	+3.7	+.074				+1.2	+2.0	+.067
Bill Walton	65	34.8	18.6	3.2	11.1	14.4	3.8	1.0	3.2	-	2.7	7.6	14.3	.528	-	-	-	3.5	5.0	.697
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	13	15.2	8.2	-	-	3.2	1.4	-	-	-	1.2	3.5	9.0	.385	-	-	-	1.3	1.6	.810
difference:	+6	+24.5	+10.0			+12.0	+4.1				-3.0	+4.6	+6.9	+.122				+0.8	+1.4	+.126
Bill Walton	19	39.7	18.2	2.9	12.2	15.2	5.5	1.1	3.4	-	4.2	8.1	15.9	.507	-	-	-	2.1	3.0	.684

Season 4
	Sam Jones	Bill Walton
Season	1960-61	1977-78
Team	Boston Celtics	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Semis

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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		%
Sam Jones	78	26.0	15.0	-	-	5.4	2.8	-	-	-	1.9	6.2	13.7	.449	-	-	-	2.7	3.4	.787
difference:	+20	+7.3	+3.9			+7.8	+2.2				-0.6	+1.7	+1.5	+.073				+0.4	+0.8	+.067
Bill Walton	58	33.3	18.9	2.0	11.2	13.2	5.0	1.0	2.5	3.6	2.5	7.9	15.2	.522	-	-	-	3.1	4.2	.720
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	10	25.8	13.1	-	-	5.4	2.2	-	-	-	2.2	5.0	11.2	.446	-	-	-	3.1	3.5	.886
difference:	+8	+1.3	+0.4			+5.6	+0.2				-1.7	+0.5	+2.2	+.165				+0.6		+.172
Bill Walton	2	24.5	13.5	2.5	8.5	11.0	2.0	1.5	1.5	3.0	0.5	5.5	9.0	.611	-	-	-	2.5	3.5	.714

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1978-79.

Season 5
	Sam Jones	Bill Walton
Season	1961-62	1979-80
Team	Boston Celtics	San Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Did Not Play

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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		%
Sam Jones	78	30.6	18.4	-	-	5.9	3.0	-	-	-	1.9	7.6	16.5	.464	-	-	-	3.1	3.8	.818
difference:	+64	+6.5	+4.5			+3.1	+0.6				-0.7	+1.8	+5.0	+.039				+0.8	+0.1	+.225
Bill Walton	14	24.1	13.9	2.0	7.0	9.0	2.4	0.6	2.7	2.6	2.6	5.8	11.5	.503	0.0	0.0	-	2.3	3.9	.593
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	14	36.0	20.6	-	-	7.1	3.1	-	-	-	2.1	8.8	19.8	.444	-	-	-	3.0	4.3	.700
Bill Walton	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1980-81 and 1981-82.

Season 6
	Sam Jones	Bill Walton
Season	1962-63	1982-83
Team	Boston Celtics	San Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Did Not Play

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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		%
Sam Jones	76	30.6	19.7	-	-	5.2	3.2	-	-	-	2.1	8.2	17.2	.476	-	-	-	3.4	4.3	.793
difference:	+43	+2.7	+5.6			+4.6	+0.4				-1.3	+2.1	+5.7	+.052				+1.4	+0.8	+.237
Bill Walton	33	33.3	14.1	2.3	7.5	9.8	3.6	1.0	3.6	3.2	3.4	6.1	11.5	.528	0.0	0.0	-	2.0	3.5	.556
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	13	34.6	23.8	-	-	6.2	2.5	-	-	-	3.2	9.2	19.1	.484	-	-	-	5.3	6.4	.831
Bill Walton	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 7
	Sam Jones	Bill Walton
Season	1963-64	1983-84
Team	Boston Celtics	San Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Did Not Play

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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		%
Sam Jones	76	31.3	19.4	-	-	4.6	2.7	-	-	-	2.5	8.1	17.9	.450	-	-	-	3.3	4.2	.783
difference:	+21	+4.5	+7.3			+4.1	+0.6				-0.3	+2.9	+8.5	+.106				+1.6	+1.4	+.186
Bill Walton	55	26.8	12.1	2.4	6.3	8.7	3.3	0.8	1.6	3.2	2.8	5.2	9.4	.556	0.0	0.0	-	1.7	2.8	.597
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	10	35.6	23.2	-	-	4.7	2.3	-	-	-	2.4	9.1	18.0	.506	-	-	-	5.0	6.8	.735
Bill Walton	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 8
	Sam Jones	Bill Walton
Season	1964-65	1984-85
Team	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Did Not Play

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8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	80	36.1	25.9	-	-	5.1	2.8	-	-	-	2.2	10.3	22.7	.452	-	-	-	5.4	6.5	.820
difference:	+13	+11.5	+15.8			+3.9	+0.5				-0.5	+6.3	+15.0	+.069				+3.3	+3.5	+.140
Bill Walton	67	24.6	10.1	2.5	6.4	9.0	2.3	0.7	2.1	2.6	2.7	4.0	7.7	.521	0.0	0.0	-	2.1	3.0	.680
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	12	41.3	28.6	-	-	4.6	2.5	-	-	-	3.3	11.3	24.5	.459	-	-	-	6.1	7.0	.869
Bill Walton	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 9
	Sam Jones	Bill Walton
Season	1965-66	1985-86
Team	Boston Celtics	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	-	Sixth Man of the Year
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

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9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	67	32.2	23.5	-	-	5.2	3.2	-	-	-	2.5	9.3	19.9	.469	-	-	-	4.9	6.1	.799
difference:	+13	+12.9	+15.9			+1.6	+1.1				-0.1	+6.4	+14.8	+.093				+3.1	+3.6	+.086
Bill Walton	80	19.3	7.6	1.7	5.1	6.8	2.1	0.5	1.3	1.9	2.6	2.9	5.1	.562	0.0	0.0	-	1.8	2.5	.713
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	17	35.4	24.8	-	-	5.1	3.1	-	-	-	3.8	9.1	20.2	.449	-	-	-	6.7	8.0	.838
difference:	+1	+17.2	+16.9			+1.3	+1.4				-1.0	+5.7	+14.4	+.132				+5.5	+6.6	+.012
Bill Walton	16	18.2	7.9	1.6	4.9	6.4	1.7	0.4	0.8	1.4	2.8	3.4	5.8	.581	0.0	0.1	.000	1.2	1.4	.826

Season 10
	Sam Jones	Bill Walton
Season	1966-67	1986-87
Team	Boston Celtics	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Div Finals	Celtics Lost NBA Finals

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10th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	72	32.3	22.1	-	-	4.7	3.0	-	-	-	2.7	8.9	19.5	.454	-	-	-	4.4	5.2	.857
difference:	+62	+21.1	+19.3			+1.6	+2.1				-0.4	+7.9	+16.9	+.069				+3.6	+3.7	+.324
Bill Walton	10	11.2	2.8	1.1	2.0	3.1	0.9	0.1	1.0	1.5	2.3	1.0	2.6	.385	0.0	0.0	-	0.8	1.5	.533
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	9	36.2	26.7	-	-	5.1	3.1	-	-	-	3.3	10.6	23.0	.459	-	-	-	5.6	6.4	.862
difference:	+3	+27.7	+24.3			+2.5	+2.3				-1.4	+9.6	+20.9	+.021				+5.2	+5.2	+.505
Bill Walton	12	8.5	2.4	0.8	1.8	2.6	0.8	0.3	0.3	0.7	1.9	1.0	2.1	.480	0.0	0.0	-	0.4	1.2	.357

Additional Years
* Sam Jones played 2 seasons more than Bill Walton in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 11 to 12, from 1968 to 1969—Sam Jones played in two Playoffs and won two NBA Championships. In those 2 extra years over Bill Walton, Sam Jones got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 All-Star Game