Steven Adams vs. Dirk Nowitzki Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dirk Nowitzki 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 / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings / Games against each other

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 12 years in the NBA, 9 less than Dirk Nowitzki, who played 21. Steven Adams had the first of his seasons in 2013-14, while Dirk Nowitzki had his rookie season in 1998-99. 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	12	8	2013-14 to 2025-26
Dirk Nowitzki	21	15	1998-99 to 2018-19

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12


Rookie Season
	Steven Adams	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2013-14	1998-99
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	All-Rookie Second Team	-
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf Finals	Did Not Play

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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		%
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:	+34	+5.6	+4.9	+0.9	+0.3	+0.7	+0.5	+0.1	+0.1	-0.7	-0.3	+1.8	+4.8	+.098	+0.3	+1.4		+1.1	+1.0	+.192
Dirk Nowitzki	47	20.4	8.2	0.9	2.6	3.4	1.0	0.6	0.6	1.6	2.2	2.9	7.1	.405	0.3	1.4	.206	2.1	2.7	.773

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
Dirk Nowitzki	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 2
	Steven Adams	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2014-15	1999-00
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Did Not Play	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		%
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:	+12	+10.5	+9.8	+1.6	+0.6	+1.0	+1.6	+0.3	+0.4	-0.3	-0.1	+3.2	+7.9	+.083	+1.4	+3.7		+2.0	+1.3	+.328
Dirk Nowitzki	82	35.8	17.5	1.2	5.2	6.5	2.5	0.8	0.8	1.7	3.1	6.3	13.6	.461	1.4	3.7	.379	3.5	4.2	.830

Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Steven Adams nor Dirk Nowitzki played in the postseason in their season 2


Season 3
	Steven Adams	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2015-16	2000-01
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Third Team
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf Finals	Mavericks Lost West Conf Semis

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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		%
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:	+2	+12.9	+13.8	+1.2	+3.8	+2.5	+1.3	+0.5	+0.1	-0.8	-0.2	+3.9	+9.9	+.139	+1.8	+4.8		+4.1	+4.1	+.256
Dirk Nowitzki	82	38.1	21.8	1.5	7.7	9.2	2.1	1.0	1.2	1.9	3.0	7.2	15.2	.474	1.8	4.8	.387	5.5	6.6	.838

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:	+8	+9.2	+13.3	+2.0	+0.6	+1.4	+0.7	+0.6		-0.5	-0.6	+3.1	+10.1	+.190	+1.3	+4.5	+.283	+5.7	+5.3	+.253
Dirk Nowitzki	10	39.9	23.4	1.4	6.7	8.1	1.4	1.1	0.8	1.4	3.7	6.9	16.3	.423	1.3	4.6	.283	8.3	9.4	.883


Season 4
	Steven Adams	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2016-17	2001-02
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Mavericks 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		%
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:	+4	+8.1	+12.1	+1.9	+4.2	+2.2	+1.3			-0.1	-0.5	+3.2	+8.4	+.094	+1.8	+4.6		+3.8	+3.6	+.242
Dirk Nowitzki	76	38.0	23.4	1.6	8.4	9.9	2.4	1.1	1.0	1.9	2.9	7.9	16.6	.477	1.8	4.6	.397	5.8	6.8	.853

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:	+3	+13.2	+20.4	+1.3	+7.6	+6.3	+0.9	+0.8	+1.0	-2.0	-0.6	+5.5	+14.9	+.198	+2.0	+3.5		+7.3	+7.1	+.514
Dirk Nowitzki	8	44.6	28.4	2.1	11.0	13.1	2.3	2.0	0.8	2.8	3.4	9.1	20.5	.445	2.0	3.5	.571	8.1	9.3	.878


Season 5
	Steven Adams	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2017-18	2002-03
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Mavericks 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		%
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:	+4	+6.3	+11.2	+4.1	+4.9	+0.9	+1.8	+0.2		-0.2	-0.2	+2.7	+9.2	+.166	+1.9	+4.9		+3.9	+3.1	+.322
Dirk Nowitzki	80	39.0	25.1	1.0	8.9	9.9	3.0	1.4	1.0	1.9	2.6	8.6	18.6	.463	1.9	4.9	.379	6.0	6.9	.881

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:	+11	+9.2	+14.8	+2.3	+6.3	+4.0	+0.7	+0.5	+0.2	-1.7	-0.6	+4.3	+10.7	+.108	+1.6	+3.6		+4.6	+4.4	+.220
Dirk Nowitzki	17	42.5	25.3	0.9	10.6	11.5	2.2	1.2	0.9	2.4	3.1	8.8	18.4	.479	1.6	3.6	.443	6.1	6.6	.912


Season 6
	Steven Adams	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2018-19	2003-04
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Third Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Mavericks 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		%
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	+4.5	+7.9	+3.7	+2.9	+0.8	+1.1	+0.3	+0.4	-0.1	-0.2	+1.9	+6.9	+.133	+1.3	+3.8		+3.0	+1.8	+.377
Dirk Nowitzki	77	37.9	21.8	1.2	7.5	8.7	2.7	1.2	1.4	1.8	2.8	7.9	17.0	.462	1.3	3.8	.341	4.8	5.5	.877

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:		+10.4	+14.8	+0.2	+4.4	+4.6		+0.4	+1.6	-0.6	-0.6	+3.4	+11.6	+.217	+1.4	+2.8	+.467	+6.6	+6.8	+.482
Dirk Nowitzki	5	42.2	26.6	2.6	9.2	11.8	1.4	1.4	2.6	1.2	3.2	9.0	20.0	.450	1.4	3.0	.467	7.2	8.4	.857


Season 7
	Steven Adams	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2019-20	2004-05
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Mavericks Lost West Conf Semis

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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		%
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:	+15	+12.0	+15.2	+2.1	+2.5	+0.4	+0.8	+0.4	+0.4	-0.8	-0.9	+4.0	+10.9	+.133	+1.2	+2.9		+6.0	+5.9	+.287
Dirk Nowitzki	78	38.7	26.1	1.2	8.5	9.7	3.1	1.2	1.5	2.3	2.8	8.5	18.5	.459	1.2	2.9	.399	7.9	9.1	.869

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:	+6	+12.5	+13.6	+3.0	+1.5	+1.5	+2.0	+0.8	+1.3	-0.2	-1.8	+3.5	+12.3	+.194	+0.8	+2.2	+.333	+5.8	+5.6	+.379
Dirk Nowitzki	13	42.5	23.7	1.9	8.2	10.1	3.3	1.4	1.6	2.5	3.2	7.9	19.7	.402	0.8	2.3	.333	7.1	8.5	.829


Season 8
	Steven Adams	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2020-21	2005-06
Team	New Orleans Pelicans	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Mavericks Lost NBA Finals

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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		%
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:	+23	+10.4	+19.0	+2.3	+2.4	+0.1	+0.9	+0.2	+0.3	-0.6	-0.1	+6.0	+14.0	+.134	+1.4	+3.2	+.406	+5.7	+5.1	+.457
Dirk Nowitzki	81	38.1	26.6	1.4	7.6	9.0	2.8	0.7	1.0	1.9	2.0	9.3	19.3	.480	1.4	3.3	.406	6.7	7.4	.901

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dirk Nowitzki	23	42.7	27.0	2.0	9.6	11.7	2.9	1.1	0.6	2.1	2.8	8.5	18.2	.468	1.0	2.9	.343	8.9	10.0	.895


Season 9
	Steven Adams	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2021-22	2006-07
Team	Memphis Grizzlies	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Grizzlies Lost West Conf Semis	Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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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		%
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:	+2	+9.9	+17.7	+3.0	+1.9	+1.1		+0.2		-0.6	-0.2	+5.8	+12.1	+.045	+0.9	+2.2		+5.0	+4.5	+.361
Dirk Nowitzki	78	36.2	24.6	1.6	7.3	8.9	3.4	0.7	0.8	2.1	2.2	8.6	17.2	.502	0.9	2.2	.416	6.4	7.1	.904

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:	+1	+23.5	+16.3	+2.1	+2.9	+4.9	+0.2	+1.7	+1.2	-1.7	-1.6	+4.7	+12.7	+.046	+0.7	+3.2		+6.1	+6.7	+.295
Dirk Nowitzki	6	39.8	19.7	4.2	7.2	11.3	2.3	1.8	1.3	2.3	3.3	6.0	15.7	.383	0.7	3.2	.211	7.0	8.3	.840


Season 10
	Steven Adams	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2022-23	2007-08
Team	Memphis Grizzlies	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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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		%
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:	+35	+9.0	+15.0	+3.9	+0.8	+2.9	+1.2	+0.2	+0.2	-0.2	-0.3	+4.5	+10.8	+.118	+1.0	+2.9		+5.1	+4.0	+.515
Dirk Nowitzki	77	36.0	23.6	1.2	7.3	8.6	3.5	0.7	0.9	2.1	2.6	8.2	17.1	.479	1.0	2.9	.359	6.2	7.1	.879

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dirk Nowitzki	5	42.2	26.8	2.0	10.0	12.0	4.0	0.2	1.4	2.0	2.6	8.6	18.2	.473	1.2	3.6	.333	8.4	10.4	.808

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


Season 11
	Steven Adams	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2024-25	2008-09
Team	Houston Rockets	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Rockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Mavericks Lost West Conf Semis

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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:	+23	+24.0	+22.0	+1.8	+4.5	+2.8	+1.3	+0.4	+0.3	-1.0	-1.2	+8.0	+17.1	+.066	+0.8	+2.1		+5.3	+5.1	+.428
Dirk Nowitzki	81	37.7	25.9	1.1	7.3	8.4	2.4	0.8	0.8	1.9	2.2	9.6	20.0	.479	0.8	2.1	.359	6.0	6.7	.890

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:	+3	+17.3	+21.1	+2.1	+5.6	+3.5	+2.5	+0.5	+0.3	-1.6	-1.1	+7.1	+14.1	+.082	+0.6	+2.1		+6.3	+5.0	+.392
Dirk Nowitzki	10	39.4	26.8	1.2	8.9	10.1	3.1	0.9	0.8	2.3	2.1	8.8	17.0	.518	0.6	2.1	.286	8.6	9.3	.925


Season 12
	Steven Adams	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2025-26	2009-10
Team	Houston Rockets	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st Rd

more >>

12th 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	16	21.3	6.8	4.9	4.4	9.3	1.4	0.6	0.8	1.1	1.8	2.4	4.4	.535	0.0	0.0	-	2.0	2.6	.762
difference:	+65	+16.2	+18.2	+3.9	+2.3	+1.6	+1.3	+0.3	+0.2	-0.7	-0.8	+6.5	+14.1	+.054	+0.6	+1.5		+4.6	+4.6	+.153
Dirk Nowitzki	81	37.5	25.0	1.0	6.7	7.7	2.7	0.9	1.0	1.8	2.6	8.9	18.5	.481	0.6	1.5	.421	6.6	7.2	.915

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Steven Adams	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dirk Nowitzki	6	38.8	26.7	1.2	7.0	8.2	3.0	0.8	0.7	1.7	2.5	9.7	17.7	.547	0.7	1.2	.571	6.7	7.0	.952


Additional Years
* Dirk Nowitzki played 9 seasons more than Steven Adams in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 13 to 21, from 2011 to 2019—Dirk Nowitzki played in 5 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship. In those 9 extra years over Steven Adams, Dirk Nowitzki got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 Finals MVP 1 All-NBA Second Team 1 All-NBA Third Team 5 All-Star Game

Steven Adams vs. Dirk Nowitzki Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dirk Nowitzki 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

Season 12

12th Season Stats Comparison

Additional Years