Steven Adams vs. Dennis Johnson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dennis Johnson and Steven Adams, 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.

Steven Adams played 11 years in the NBA, 3 less than Dennis Johnson, who played 14. Steven Adams had the first of his seasons in 2013-14, while Dennis Johnson had his rookie season in 1976-77. 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
Steven Adams	11	8	2013-14 to 2024-25
Dennis Johnson	14	13	1976-77 to 1989-90

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11


Rookie Season
	Steven Adams	Dennis Johnson
Season	2013-14	1976-77
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards	All-Rookie Second Team	-
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf Finals	Did Not Play

more >>

Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	81	14.8	3.3	1.8	2.3	4.1	0.5	0.5	0.7	0.9	2.5	1.1	2.3	.503	0.0	0.0	-	1.0	1.7	.581
difference:		+5.8	+5.9	+0.2	+0.6	+0.4	+1.0	+1.0			-0.2	+2.4	+4.7	+.001				+1.2	+1.8	+.043
Dennis Johnson	81	20.6	9.2	2.0	1.7	3.7	1.5	1.5	0.7	-	2.7	3.5	7.0	.504	-	-	-	2.2	3.5	.624

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	18	18.4	3.9	1.2	2.9	4.1	0.2	0.1	1.3	0.6	2.7	1.7	2.5	.689	0.0	0.0	-	0.4	1.3	.348
Dennis Johnson	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 2
	Steven Adams	Dennis Johnson
Season	2014-15	1977-78
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Supersonics Lost NBA Finals

more >>

2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	70	25.3	7.7	2.8	4.6	7.5	0.9	0.5	1.2	1.4	3.2	3.1	5.7	.544	0.0	0.0	-	1.5	2.9	.502
difference:	+11	+2.0	+5.0	+0.9	+2.8	+3.9	+1.9	+1.0	+0.6	-0.6	-0.6	+1.4	+5.2	+.127				+2.2	+2.1	+.230
Dennis Johnson	81	27.3	12.7	1.9	1.8	3.6	2.8	1.5	0.6	2.0	2.6	4.5	10.9	.417	-	-	-	3.7	5.0	.732

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dennis Johnson	22	37.6	16.1	2.1	2.5	4.6	3.3	1.0	1.0	2.5	2.9	5.5	13.4	.412	-	-	-	5.1	7.2	.704


Season 3
	Steven Adams	Dennis Johnson
Season	2015-16	1978-79
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf Finals	NBA Champion

more >>

3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	80	25.2	8.0	2.7	3.9	6.7	0.8	0.5	1.1	1.1	2.8	3.3	5.3	.613	0.0	0.0	-	1.4	2.5	.582
difference:		+8.8	+7.9	+0.9	+1.0	+2.0	+2.7	+0.8	+0.1	-1.3	-0.2	+2.7	+8.6	+.179				+2.4	+2.4	+.199
Dennis Johnson	80	34.0	15.9	1.8	2.9	4.7	3.5	1.3	1.2	2.4	2.6	6.0	13.9	.434	-	-	-	3.8	4.9	.781

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	18	30.7	10.1	3.4	6.1	9.5	0.7	0.5	0.8	0.9	3.1	3.8	6.2	.613	0.0	0.1	.000	2.6	4.1	.630
difference:	+1	+9.4	+10.8	+0.8	+2.6	+3.4	+3.4	+1.1	+0.7	-2.1	-0.6	+4.2	+11.6	+.163				+2.3	+2.3	+.141
Dennis Johnson	17	40.1	20.9	2.6	3.5	6.1	4.1	1.6	1.5	3.0	3.7	8.0	17.8	.450	-	-	-	4.9	6.4	.771


Season 4
	Steven Adams	Dennis Johnson
Season	2016-17	1979-80
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Supersonics Lost West Conf Finals

more >>

4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	80	29.9	11.3	3.5	4.2	7.7	1.1	1.1	1.0	1.8	2.4	4.7	8.2	.571	0.0	0.0	-	2.0	3.2	.611
difference:	+1	+6.4	+7.7	+1.4	+1.2	+2.6	+3.0	+0.7		-1.0	-0.9	+2.4	+8.6	+.149	+0.1	+0.7		+2.7	+2.8	+.169
Dennis Johnson	81	36.3	19.0	2.1	3.0	5.1	4.1	1.8	1.0	2.8	3.3	7.1	16.8	.422	0.1	0.7	.207	4.7	6.0	.780

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	5	31.4	8.0	3.4	3.4	6.8	1.4	1.2	1.8	0.8	2.8	3.6	5.6	.643	0.0	0.0	-	0.8	2.2	.364
difference:	+10	+7.4	+9.1	+1.7	+0.8	+2.5	+2.4	+0.6	+1.1	-2.1	-0.4	+3.1	+10.7	+.233	+0.3	+1.0		+2.7	+1.9	+.475
Dennis Johnson	15	38.8	17.1	1.7	2.6	4.3	3.8	1.8	0.7	2.9	3.2	6.7	16.3	.410	0.3	1.0	.333	3.5	4.1	.839


Season 5
	Steven Adams	Dennis Johnson
Season	2017-18	1980-81
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Phoenix Suns
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Suns Lost West Conf Semis

more >>

5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	76	32.7	13.9	5.1	4.0	9.0	1.2	1.2	1.0	1.7	2.8	5.9	9.4	.629	0.0	0.0	-	2.1	3.8	.559
difference:	+3	+0.4	+4.9	+3.1	+1.4	+4.4	+2.5	+0.5	+0.2	-0.9	-0.3	+0.8	+6.0	+.193	+0.1	+0.6		+3.1	+2.5	+.261
Dennis Johnson	79	33.1	18.8	2.0	2.6	4.6	3.7	1.7	0.8	2.6	3.1	6.7	15.4	.436	0.1	0.6	.216	5.2	6.3	.820

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	6	33.3	10.5	3.2	4.3	7.5	1.5	0.7	0.7	0.7	2.5	4.5	7.7	.587	0.0	0.0	-	1.5	2.2	.692
difference:	+1	+4.8	+9.1	+2.2	+0.6	+2.8	+1.4	+0.6	+0.6	-2.0	-0.1	+2.9	+8.0	+.114	+0.1	+0.7		+3.1	+3.8	+.070
Dennis Johnson	7	38.1	19.6	1.0	3.7	4.7	2.9	1.3	1.3	2.7	2.6	7.4	15.7	.473	0.1	0.7	.200	4.6	6.0	.762


Season 6
	Steven Adams	Dennis Johnson
Season	2018-19	1981-82
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Phoenix Suns
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive First Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Suns Lost West Conf Semis

more >>

6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	80	33.4	13.9	4.9	4.6	9.5	1.6	1.5	1.0	1.7	2.6	6.0	10.1	.595	0.0	0.0	-	1.8	3.7	.500
difference:		+3.3	+5.6	+3.1	+1.2	+4.4	+3.0	+0.2	+0.3	-1.2	-0.6	+1.2	+5.3	+.125	+0.1	+0.5		+3.2	+2.5	+.306
Dennis Johnson	80	36.7	19.5	1.8	3.4	5.1	4.6	1.3	0.7	2.9	3.2	7.2	15.4	.470	0.1	0.5	.190	5.0	6.2	.806

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	5	31.8	11.8	2.4	4.8	7.2	1.4	1.0	1.0	1.8	2.6	5.6	8.4	.667	0.0	0.2	.000	0.6	1.6	.375
difference:	+2	+6.9	+10.5	+0.5	+2.2	+2.8	+3.2	+1.1	+0.4	-1.8	-1.4	+3.4	+10.5	+.190		+0.2		+3.7	+4.0	+.394
Dennis Johnson	7	38.7	22.3	1.9	2.6	4.4	4.6	2.1	0.6	3.6	4.0	9.0	18.9	.477	0.0	0.4	.000	4.3	5.6	.769


Season 7
	Steven Adams	Dennis Johnson
Season	2019-20	1982-83
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Phoenix Suns
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Suns Lost West Conf 1st Rd

more >>

7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	63	26.7	10.9	3.3	6.0	9.3	2.3	0.8	1.1	1.5	1.9	4.5	7.6	.592	0.0	0.0	-	1.9	3.2	.582
difference:	+14	+6.4	+3.3	+2.1	+2.8	+4.9	+2.7	+0.5	+0.6	-1.1	-0.7	+0.7	+3.6	+.130	+0.1	+0.4		+1.9	+1.6	+.209
Dennis Johnson	77	33.1	14.2	1.2	3.2	4.4	5.0	1.3	0.5	2.6	2.6	5.2	11.2	.462	0.1	0.4	.161	3.8	4.8	.791

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	7	30.0	10.1	4.9	6.7	11.6	1.3	0.6	0.3	2.3	1.4	4.4	7.4	.596	0.0	0.1	.000	1.3	2.9	.450
difference:	+4	+6.0	+7.9	+2.9	+1.0	+3.9	+4.4	+1.1	+0.4	-0.4	-1.6	+2.9	+8.6	+.138		+0.2		+2.0	+1.1	+.383
Dennis Johnson	3	36.0	18.0	2.0	5.7	7.7	5.7	1.7	0.7	2.7	3.0	7.3	16.0	.458	0.0	0.3	.000	3.3	4.0	.833


Season 8
	Steven Adams	Dennis Johnson
Season	2020-21	1983-84
Team	New Orleans Pelicans	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

more >>

8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	58	27.7	7.6	3.7	5.2	8.9	1.9	0.9	0.7	1.3	1.9	3.3	5.3	.614	0.0	0.1	.000	1.0	2.3	.444
difference:	+22	+5.6	+5.6	+2.6	+2.8	+5.4	+2.3	+0.3		-0.9	-1.2	+1.5	+5.7	+.177	+0.1	+0.3	+.125	+2.5	+1.8	+.408
Dennis Johnson	80	33.3	13.2	1.1	2.4	3.5	4.2	1.2	0.7	2.2	3.1	4.8	11.0	.437	0.1	0.4	.125	3.5	4.1	.852

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dennis Johnson	22	36.7	16.6	1.4	2.2	3.6	4.4	1.1	0.3	2.4	3.4	5.9	14.5	.404	0.1	0.3	.429	4.7	5.5	.867


Season 9
	Steven Adams	Dennis Johnson
Season	2021-22	1984-85
Team	Memphis Grizzlies	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Grizzlies Lost West Conf Semis	Celtics Lost NBA Finals

more >>

9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	76	26.3	6.9	4.6	5.4	10.0	3.4	0.9	0.8	1.5	2.0	2.8	5.1	.547	0.0	0.0	-	1.4	2.6	.543
difference:	+4	+10.9	+8.8	+3.5	+2.6	+6.0	+3.4	+0.3	+0.3	-1.2	-0.8	+3.4	+8.2	+.085	+0.1	+0.3		+1.9	+1.2	+.310
Dennis Johnson	80	37.2	15.7	1.1	2.8	4.0	6.8	1.2	0.5	2.7	2.8	6.2	13.3	.462	0.1	0.3	.269	3.3	3.8	.853

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	7	16.3	3.4	2.1	4.3	6.4	2.1	0.1	0.1	0.6	1.7	1.3	3.0	.429	0.0	0.0	-	0.9	1.6	.545
difference:	+14	+24.1	+13.9	+1.0	+1.4	+2.4	+5.2	+1.4	+0.3	-2.8	-1.4	+5.5	+12.2	+.016		+0.7		+2.9	+2.8	+.315
Dennis Johnson	21	40.4	17.3	1.1	2.9	4.0	7.3	1.5	0.4	3.4	3.1	6.8	15.2	.445	0.0	0.7	.000	3.8	4.4	.860


Season 10
	Steven Adams	Dennis Johnson
Season	2022-23	1985-86
Team	Memphis Grizzlies	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

more >>

10th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	42	27.0	8.6	5.1	6.5	11.5	2.3	0.9	1.1	1.9	2.3	3.7	6.3	.597	0.0	0.0	-	1.1	3.1	.364
difference:	+36	+8.0	+7.0	+4.2	+3.9	+8.1	+3.5	+0.5	+0.7	-0.3	-0.3	+2.5	+7.3	+.142	+0.1	+0.5		+2.0	+0.7	+.454
Dennis Johnson	78	35.0	15.6	0.9	2.6	3.4	5.8	1.4	0.4	2.2	2.6	6.2	13.6	.455	0.1	0.5	.143	3.1	3.8	.818

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dennis Johnson	18	39.7	16.2	1.3	2.9	4.2	5.9	2.2	0.3	2.8	3.2	6.1	13.6	.445	0.3	0.9	.375	3.7	4.7	.798

Note: Steven Adams didn't play in 2023-24.


Season 11
	Steven Adams	Dennis Johnson
Season	2024-25	1986-87
Team	Houston Rockets	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs	Rockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Celtics Lost NBA Finals

more >>

11th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	58	13.7	3.9	2.9	2.8	5.6	1.1	0.4	0.5	0.9	1.0	1.6	2.9	.545	0.0	0.0	-	0.7	1.6	.462
difference:	+21	+23.4	+9.5	+2.3	+0.1	+2.3	+6.4	+0.7		-1.3	-1.5	+3.8	+9.2	+.101	+0.1	+0.8		+1.9	+1.6	+.371
Dennis Johnson	79	37.1	13.4	0.6	2.7	3.3	7.5	1.1	0.5	2.2	2.5	5.4	12.1	.444	0.1	0.8	.113	2.6	3.2	.833

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	7	22.1	5.7	3.3	3.3	6.6	0.6	0.4	1.1	0.7	1.0	1.7	2.9	.600	0.0	0.0	-	2.3	4.3	.533
difference:	+16	+19.8	+13.2	+2.3	+0.4	+2.6	+8.3	+0.3	+0.8	-1.2	-2.1	+5.6	+12.8	+.135	+0.1	+1.1		+1.9	+0.6	+.317
Dennis Johnson	23	41.9	18.9	1.0	2.9	4.0	8.9	0.7	0.3	1.9	3.1	7.3	15.7	.465	0.1	1.1	.115	4.2	4.9	.850

Additional Years

* Dennis Johnson played 3 seasons more than Steven Adams in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 12 to 14, from 1988 to 1990—Dennis Johnson played in 3 Playoffs.

Steven Adams vs. Dennis Johnson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dennis Johnson and Steven Adams, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Rookie Season Stats Comparison

Season 2

2nd Season Stats Comparison

Season 3

3rd Season Stats Comparison

Season 4

4th Season Stats Comparison

Season 5

5th Season Stats Comparison

Season 6

6th Season Stats Comparison

Season 7

7th Season Stats Comparison

Season 8

8th Season Stats Comparison

Season 9

9th Season Stats Comparison

Season 10

10th Season Stats Comparison

Season 11

11th Season Stats Comparison

Additional Years