Steven Adams vs. Sam Jones Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Sam Jones 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, 1 less than Sam Jones, who played 12. Steven Adams had the first of his seasons in 2013-14, while Sam Jones had his rookie season in 1957-58. 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
Sam Jones 12 12 1957-58 to 1968-69

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11

Rookie Season

Steven Adams Sam Jones
Season 2013-141957-58
Team Oklahoma City ThunderBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf FinalsCeltics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+25+4.2+1.3+1.2+0.2-1.7+0.7+1.9+.074+0.1+0.2+.133
Sam Jones 56 10.6 4.6 - - 2.9 0.7 - - - 0.8 1.8 4.2 .429 - - - 1.1 1.5 .714
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+10+9.0+1.1+0.3-1.8+0.4+0.3+.234+1.0+0.7+.340
Sam Jones 8 9.4 3.9 - - 3.0 0.5 - - - 0.9 1.3 2.8 .455 - - - 1.4 2.0 .688

Season 2

Steven Adams Sam Jones
Season 2014-151958-59
Team Oklahoma City ThunderBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+1+4.7+3.0+1.5+0.5-1.8+1.2+4.2+.110+0.6+0.1+.268
Sam Jones 71 20.6 10.7 - - 6.0 1.4 - - - 1.4 4.3 9.9 .434 - - - 2.1 2.8 .770
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steven Adams DNP------ --- ----------
Sam Jones 11 17.5 10.3 - - 5.7 1.5 - - - 1.3 3.6 9.8 .370 - - - 3.0 3.5 .846

Season 3

Steven Adams Sam Jones
Season 2015-161959-60
Team Oklahoma City ThunderBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+6+4.8+3.9+1.6+0.9-1.4+1.5+5.3+.159+0.9+0.5+.182
Sam Jones 74 20.4 11.9 - - 5.1 1.7 - - - 1.4 4.8 10.6 .454 - - - 2.3 3.0 .764
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+5+15.5+1.9+6.3+0.7-1.9+0.3+2.8+.228+1.3+2.5+.180
Sam Jones 13 15.2 8.2 - - 3.2 1.4 - - - 1.2 3.5 9.0 .385 - - - 1.3 1.6 .810

Season 4

Steven Adams Sam Jones
Season 2016-171960-61
Team Oklahoma City ThunderBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+2+3.9+3.7+2.3+1.7-0.5+1.5+5.5+.122+0.7+0.2+.176
Sam Jones 78 26.0 15.0 - - 5.4 2.8 - - - 1.9 6.2 13.7 .449 - - - 2.7 3.4 .787
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+5+5.6+5.1+1.4+0.8-0.6+1.4+5.6+.197+2.3+1.3+.522
Sam Jones 10 25.8 13.1 - - 5.4 2.2 - - - 2.2 5.0 11.2 .446 - - - 3.1 3.5 .886

Season 5

Steven Adams Sam Jones
Season 2017-181961-62
Team Oklahoma City ThunderBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+2+2.1+4.5+3.1+1.8-0.9+1.7+7.1+.165+1.0+.259
Sam Jones 78 30.6 18.4 - - 5.9 3.0 - - - 1.9 7.6 16.5 .464 - - - 3.1 3.8 .818
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+8+2.7+10.1+0.4+1.6-0.4+4.3+12.1+.143+1.5+2.1+.008
Sam Jones 14 36.0 20.6 - - 7.1 3.1 - - - 2.1 8.8 19.8 .444 - - - 3.0 4.3 .700

Season 6

Steven Adams Sam Jones
Season 2018-191962-63
Team Oklahoma City ThunderBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+4+2.8+5.8+4.3+1.6-0.5+2.2+7.1+.119+1.6+0.6+.293
Sam Jones 76 30.6 19.7 - - 5.2 3.2 - - - 2.1 8.2 17.2 .476 - - - 3.4 4.3 .793
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+8+2.8+12.0+1.0+1.1-0.6+3.6+10.7+.183+4.7+4.8+.456
Sam Jones 13 34.6 23.8 - - 6.2 2.5 - - - 3.2 9.2 19.1 .484 - - - 5.3 6.4 .831

Season 7

Steven Adams Sam Jones
Season 2019-201963-64
Team Oklahoma City ThunderBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+13+4.6+8.5+4.7+0.4-0.6+3.6+10.3+.142+1.4+1.0+.201
Sam Jones 76 31.3 19.4 - - 4.6 2.7 - - - 2.5 8.1 17.9 .450 - - - 3.3 4.2 .783
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+3+5.6+13.1+6.9+1.0-1.0+4.7+10.6+.090+3.7+3.9+.285
Sam Jones 10 35.6 23.2 - - 4.7 2.3 - - - 2.4 9.1 18.0 .506 - - - 5.0 6.8 .735

Season 8

Steven Adams Sam Jones
Season 2020-211964-65
Team New Orleans PelicansBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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+8.4+18.3+3.8+0.9-0.3+7.0+17.4+.162+4.4+4.2+.376
Sam Jones 80 36.1 25.9 - - 5.1 2.8 - - - 2.2 10.3 22.7 .452 - - - 5.4 6.5 .820
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steven Adams DNP------ --- ----------
Sam Jones 12 41.3 28.6 - - 4.6 2.5 - - - 3.3 11.3 24.5 .459 - - - 6.1 7.0 .869

Season 9

Steven Adams Sam Jones
Season 2021-221965-66
Team Memphis GrizzliesBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Grizzlies Lost West Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+9+5.9+16.6+4.8+0.2-0.5+6.5+14.8+.078+3.5+3.5+.256
Sam Jones 67 32.2 23.5 - - 5.2 3.2 - - - 2.5 9.3 19.9 .469 - - - 4.9 6.1 .799
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+10+19.1+21.4+1.3+1.0-2.1+7.8+17.2+.020+5.8+6.4+.293
Sam Jones 17 35.4 24.8 - - 5.1 3.1 - - - 3.8 9.1 20.2 .449 - - - 6.7 8.0 .838

Season 10

Steven Adams Sam Jones
Season 2022-231966-67
Team Memphis GrizzliesBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East Div Finals
more >>
10th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+30+5.3+13.5+6.8+0.7-0.4+5.2+13.2+.143+3.3+2.1+.493
Sam Jones 72 32.3 22.1 - - 4.7 3.0 - - - 2.7 8.9 19.5 .454 - - - 4.4 5.2 .857
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steven Adams DNP------ --- ----------
Sam Jones 9 36.2 26.7 - - 5.1 3.1 - - - 3.3 10.6 23.0 .459 - - - 5.6 6.4 .862

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

Season 11

Steven Adams Sam Jones
Season 2024-251967-68
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
11th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+15+19.3+17.4+0.7+1.9-1.5+6.9+15.6+.084+3.6+3.6+.365
Sam Jones 73 33.0 21.3 - - 4.9 3.0 - - - 2.5 8.5 18.5 .461 - - - 4.3 5.2 .827
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+12+14.0+14.8+3.2+2.0-2.1+6.8+16.4+.159+1.2+0.1+.253
Sam Jones 19 36.1 20.5 - - 3.4 2.6 - - - 3.1 8.5 19.3 .441 - - - 3.5 4.4 .786

Additional Years

* Sam Jones played 1 season more than Steven Adams in the NBA.

In that period—his season 12 in 1969—Sam Jones played in the Playoffs and won the NBA Championship.