Tim Duncan vs. Ben Simmons Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Ben Simmons and Tim Duncan, 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 / Stats Rankings

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.

Tim Duncan played 19 years in the NBA, 12 more than Ben Simmons, who played 7. Tim Duncan had the first of his seasons in 1997-98, while Ben Simmons had his rookie season in 2017-18. 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
Tim Duncan 19 18 1997-98 to 2015-16
Ben Simmons 7 4 2017-18 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7

Rookie Season
Tim Duncan Ben Simmons
Season 1997-982017-18
Team San Antonio SpursPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement Rookie of the YearAchievement Rookie of the Year
Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf Semis76ers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tim Duncan 82 39.1 21.1 3.3 8.6 11.9 2.7 0.7 2.5 3.4 3.1 8.6 15.7 .549 0.0 0.1 .000 3.9 5.9 .662
difference:+1+5.4+5.3+1.5+2.3+3.8+5.5+1.0+1.6-0.5+1.9+3.4+.004+1.5+1.7+.102
Ben Simmons 81 33.7 15.8 1.8 6.3 8.1 8.2 1.7 0.9 3.4 2.6 6.7 12.3 .545 0.0 0.1 .000 2.4 4.2 .560
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tim Duncan 9 41.6 20.7 2.2 6.8 9.0 1.9 0.6 2.6 2.8 2.7 8.1 15.6 .521 0.0 0.1 .000 4.4 6.7 .667
difference:+1+4.7+4.4+0.6+1.0+0.4+5.8+1.1+1.8-1.6-0.7+2.0+3.1+.033+0.3+0.9+.040
Ben Simmons 10 36.9 16.3 1.6 7.8 9.4 7.7 1.7 0.8 4.4 3.4 6.1 12.5 .488 0.0 0.1 .000 4.1 5.8 .707

Season 2
Tim Duncan Ben Simmons
Season 1998-992018-19
Team San Antonio SpursPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion76ers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tim Duncan 50 39.3 21.7 3.2 8.2 11.4 2.4 0.9 2.5 2.9 2.9 8.4 16.9 .495 0.0 0.1 .143 4.9 7.2 .690
difference:+29+5.1+4.8+1.0+1.6+2.6+5.3+0.5+1.7-0.6-0.3+1.6+4.7+.068+.143+1.6+1.8+.090
Ben Simmons 79 34.2 16.9 2.2 6.6 8.8 7.7 1.4 0.8 3.5 2.6 6.8 12.2 .563 0.0 0.1 .000 3.3 5.4 .600
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tim Duncan 17 43.1 23.2 3.2 8.2 11.5 2.8 0.8 2.6 3.1 2.9 8.5 16.6 .511 0.0 0.2 .000 6.3 8.4 .748
difference:+5+8.0+9.3+1.3+3.1+4.5+3.2+0.5+1.6-0.4-0.9+2.5+6.9+.110+0.2+4.4+5.1+.173
Ben Simmons 12 35.1 13.9 1.9 5.1 7.0 6.0 1.3 1.0 2.7 3.8 6.0 9.7 .621 0.0 0.0 - 1.9 3.3 .575

Season 3
Tim Duncan Ben Simmons
Season 1999-002019-20
Team San Antonio SpursPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
-Achievement All-NBA Third Team
Achievement All-Defensive First TeamAchievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Steals Leader
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Achievement All-Star Game MVP-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tim Duncan 74 38.9 23.2 3.5 8.9 12.4 3.2 0.9 2.2 3.3 2.8 8.5 17.3 .490 0.0 0.1 .091 6.2 8.1 .761
difference:+17+3.5+6.8+1.5+3.1+4.6+4.8+1.2+1.6-0.2-0.5+1.9+5.9+.090+.195+3.0+2.9+.140
Ben Simmons 57 35.4 16.4 2.0 5.8 7.8 8.0 2.1 0.6 3.5 3.3 6.6 11.4 .580 0.0 0.1 .286 3.2 5.2 .621
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Tim Duncan nor Ben Simmons played in the postseason in their season 3

Season 4
Tim Duncan Ben Simmons
Season 2000-012020-21
Team San Antonio SpursPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First TeamAchievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf Finals76ers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tim Duncan 82 38.7 22.2 3.2 9.0 12.2 3.0 0.9 2.3 3.0 3.0 8.6 17.1 .499 0.1 0.3 .259 5.0 8.1 .618
difference:+24+6.3+7.9+1.6+3.4+5.0+3.9+0.7+1.7-0.1+3.0+7.0+.058+0.1+.041+2.0+3.2+.005
Ben Simmons 58 32.4 14.3 1.6 5.6 7.2 6.9 1.6 0.6 3.0 2.9 5.6 10.1 .557 0.1 0.2 .300 3.0 4.9 .613
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tim Duncan 13 40.5 24.4 4.2 10.3 14.5 3.8 1.1 2.7 3.8 3.3 9.2 18.9 .488 0.1 0.1 1.000 5.8 9.2 .639
difference:+1+7.0+12.5+2.1+4.5+6.6+5.0+0.2+1.9-1.5+4.3+11.0+.133+0.1+1.000+3.7+3.1+.297
Ben Simmons 12 33.5 11.9 2.1 5.8 7.9 8.8 1.3 0.8 2.3 3.3 4.9 7.9 .621 0.0 0.1 .000 2.1 6.1 .342

Note: Ben Simmons didn't play in 2021-22.

Season 5
Tim Duncan Ben Simmons
Season 2001-022022-23
Team San Antonio SpursBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tim Duncan 82 40.6 25.5 3.3 9.4 12.7 3.7 0.7 2.5 3.2 2.6 9.3 18.3 .508 0.0 0.1 .100 6.8 8.5 .799
difference:+40+14.3+18.6+2.3+4.1+6.4+2.4+0.6+1.9-0.9-0.7+6.1+12.7+.058+0.1+6.2+7.1+.360
Ben Simmons 42 26.3 6.9 1.0 5.3 6.3 6.1 1.3 0.6 2.3 3.3 3.2 5.6 .566 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 1.4 .439
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tim Duncan 9 42.2 27.6 3.1 11.3 14.4 5.0 0.7 4.3 4.1 2.4 9.1 20.1 .453 0.1 0.3 .333 9.2 11.2 .822
Ben Simmons DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6
Tim Duncan Ben Simmons
Season 2002-032023-24
Team San Antonio SpursBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tim Duncan 81 39.3 23.3 3.2 9.7 12.9 3.9 0.7 2.9 3.1 2.9 8.8 17.2 .513 0.1 0.3 .273 5.6 7.8 .710
difference:+66+15.4+17.2+1.1+3.8+5.0+1.8+0.1+2.3-1.3-0.5+5.9+12.3+.068+0.1+0.3+5.2+6.8+.310
Ben Simmons 15 23.9 6.1 2.1 5.9 7.9 5.7 0.8 0.6 1.8 2.4 2.9 4.9 .581 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 1.0 .400
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tim Duncan 24 42.5 24.7 4.0 11.4 15.4 5.3 0.6 3.3 3.2 3.3 9.1 17.2 .529 0.0 0.3 .000 6.5 9.7 .677
Ben Simmons DNP------ --- ----------

Season 7
Tim Duncan Ben Simmons
Season 2003-042024-25
Team San Antonio SpursBrooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf SemisClippers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tim Duncan 69 36.6 22.3 3.3 9.2 12.4 3.1 0.9 2.7 2.7 2.4 8.6 17.1 .501 0.0 0.2 .167 5.1 8.5 .599
difference:+18+14.6+17.3+2.4+5.4+7.7+2.5+0.2+2.2-0.7-0.3+6.3+12.7+.019+0.2+4.6+7.9+.128
Ben Simmons 51 22.0 5.0 0.9 3.8 4.7 5.6 0.7 0.5 2.0 2.1 2.3 4.4 .520 0.0 0.0 - 0.5 0.6 .727
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tim Duncan 10 40.4 22.1 3.3 8.0 11.3 3.2 0.8 2.0 4.2 3.4 8.3 15.9 .522 0.0 0.1 .000 5.5 8.7 .632
difference:+5+32.0+21.3+2.7+7.2+9.9+2.4+0.6+1.2-3.8-1.2+7.9+14.7+.189+0.1+5.5+8.7
Ben Simmons 5 8.4 0.8 0.6 0.8 1.4 0.8 0.2 0.8 0.4 2.2 0.4 1.2 .333 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

Additional Years

* Tim Duncan played 12 seasons more than Ben Simmons in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 19, from 2005 to 2016—Tim Duncan played in 12 Playoffs and won 3 NBA Championships.

In those 12 extra years over Ben Simmons, Tim Duncan got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 Finals MVP
Achievement 3 All-NBA First Team
Achievement 3 All-NBA Second Team
Achievement 2 All-NBA Third Team
Achievement 3 All-Defensive First Team
Achievement 5 All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement 9 All-Star Game
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