Willie Anderson vs. Dave Cowens Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dave Cowens and Willie Anderson, 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.

Willie Anderson played 9 years in the NBA, 2 less than Dave Cowens, who played 11. Willie Anderson had the first of his seasons in 1988-89, while Dave Cowens had his rookie season in 1970-71. 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 achivements, 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
Willie Anderson 9 7 1988-89 to 1996-97
Dave Cowens 11 7 1970-71 to 1982-83

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Willie Anderson Dave Cowens
Season 1988-891970-71
Team San Antonio SpursBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Rookie of the Year
Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 81 33.8 18.6 1.9 3.3 5.1 4.6 1.9 0.8 3.2 3.6 7.9 15.9 .498 0.0 0.3 .190 2.8 3.6 .775
Dave Cowens 81 38.0 17.0 - - 15.0 2.8 - - - 4.3 6.8 16.1 .422 - - - 3.4 4.6 .732
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson ------- --- ----------
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Willie Anderson Dave Cowens
Season 1989-901971-72
Team San Antonio SpursBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf SemisCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 82 34.0 15.7 1.4 3.1 4.5 4.4 1.4 0.7 2.4 3.1 6.5 13.2 .492 0.1 0.3 .269 2.6 3.5 .748
Dave Cowens 79 40.3 18.8 - - 15.2 3.1 - - - 4.0 8.3 17.2 .484 - - - 2.2 3.1 .720
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 10 37.5 20.5 1.6 3.8 5.4 5.2 0.9 0.4 2.6 4.0 8.7 16.8 .518 0.2 0.5 .400 2.9 3.6 .806
Dave Cowens 11 40.1 15.5 - - 13.8 3.0 - - - 4.5 6.5 14.2 .455 - - - 2.5 4.3 .596

Season 3

Willie Anderson Dave Cowens
Season 1990-911972-73
Team San Antonio SpursBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 75 34.6 14.4 0.9 3.8 4.7 4.8 1.1 0.6 2.2 3.0 6.0 13.2 .457 0.1 0.5 .200 2.3 2.8 .798
Dave Cowens 82 41.8 20.5 - - 16.2 4.1 - - - 3.8 9.0 20.0 .452 - - - 2.5 3.2 .779
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 4 39.8 19.0 0.5 4.3 4.8 4.8 1.5 0.5 3.3 4.0 8.3 17.0 .485 0.5 2.5 .200 2.0 3.3 .615
Dave Cowens 13 46.0 21.9 - - 16.6 3.7 - - - 4.2 9.9 21.0 .473 - - - 2.1 3.2 .659

Season 4

Willie Anderson Dave Cowens
Season 1991-921973-74
Team San Antonio SpursBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 57 33.1 13.1 1.1 4.2 5.3 5.3 0.9 0.9 2.5 2.6 5.5 12.0 .455 0.2 1.0 .232 1.9 2.4 .775
Dave Cowens 80 41.9 19.0 3.3 12.4 15.7 4.4 1.2 1.3 - 3.7 8.1 18.4 .437 - - - 2.9 3.4 .832
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson ------- --- ----------
Dave Cowens 18 42.9 20.5 3.3 10.0 13.3 3.7 1.2 0.9 - 4.7 8.9 20.6 .435 - - - 2.6 3.3 .797

Season 5

Willie Anderson Dave Cowens
Season 1992-931974-75
Team San Antonio SpursBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf SemisCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 38 14.7 4.8 0.2 1.3 1.5 2.1 0.4 0.2 1.2 1.4 2.1 4.9 .430 0.0 0.2 .125 0.6 0.7 .786
Dave Cowens 65 40.5 20.4 3.5 11.2 14.7 4.6 1.3 1.1 - 3.7 8.8 18.4 .475 - - - 2.9 3.8 .783
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 10 21.9 9.5 0.4 1.9 2.3 2.8 0.9 0.2 1.2 2.3 3.7 8.2 .451 0.6 1.1 .545 1.5 1.7 .882
Dave Cowens 11 43.5 20.5 4.5 12.0 16.5 4.2 1.6 0.5 - 4.5 9.2 21.5 .428 - - - 2.1 2.4 .885

Season 6

Willie Anderson Dave Cowens
Season 1993-941975-76
Team San Antonio SpursBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 80 31.1 11.9 0.9 2.2 3.0 4.3 0.9 0.6 1.9 2.3 4.9 10.5 .471 0.3 0.9 .324 1.8 2.1 .848
Dave Cowens 78 39.8 19.0 4.3 11.7 16.0 4.2 1.2 0.9 - 4.0 7.8 16.7 .468 - - - 3.3 4.4 .756
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 4 26.5 8.3 0.8 1.3 2.0 3.0 1.3 0.5 1.0 1.8 3.5 9.3 .378 0.3 0.3 1.000 1.0 1.8 .571
Dave Cowens 18 44.3 21.0 4.8 11.6 16.4 4.6 1.2 0.7 - 4.7 8.7 18.9 .457 - - - 3.7 4.8 .759

Season 7

Willie Anderson Dave Cowens
Season 1994-951976-77
Team San Antonio SpursBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf FinalsCeltics Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 38 14.6 4.9 0.4 1.1 1.4 1.4 0.7 0.3 1.0 1.9 2.0 4.3 .469 0.1 0.5 .158 0.8 1.1 .732
Dave Cowens 50 37.8 16.4 2.9 11.0 13.9 5.0 0.9 1.0 - 3.6 6.6 15.1 .434 - - - 3.2 4.0 .818
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 11 8.8 1.8 0.5 0.6 1.1 0.9 0.5 0.0 0.7 1.1 0.8 1.8 .450 0.0 0.1 .000 0.2 0.3 .667
Dave Cowens 9 42.1 16.6 3.2 11.7 14.9 4.0 0.9 1.4 - 4.1 7.3 16.4 .446 - - - 1.9 2.4 .773

Season 8

Willie Anderson Dave Cowens
Season 1995-961977-78
Team Toronto Raptors, New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 76 27.1 9.8 0.6 2.6 3.2 2.6 1.0 0.8 1.9 3.0 3.8 8.7 .436 0.4 1.6 .283 1.7 2.1 .810
Dave Cowens 77 41.8 18.6 3.2 10.8 14.0 4.6 1.3 0.9 2.8 3.9 7.8 15.8 .490 - - - 3.1 3.7 .842
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 4 16.0 5.3 0.5 1.8 2.3 0.3 1.0 0.0 1.5 2.5 1.8 5.5 .318 0.3 1.5 .167 1.5 1.8 .857
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Willie Anderson Dave Cowens
Season 1996-971978-79
Team Miami HeatBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Heat Lost East Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 28 10.8 3.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 1.2 0.5 0.1 0.7 1.3 1.0 2.3 .453 0.3 0.7 .421 0.6 0.7 .850
Dave Cowens 68 37.0 16.6 2.2 7.4 9.6 3.6 1.1 0.8 2.6 3.9 7.2 14.9 .483 - - - 2.2 2.8 .807
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson 9 13.2 3.7 0.2 1.7 1.9 0.6 0.4 0.2 1.3 2.2 1.2 3.3 .367 0.2 0.9 .250 1.0 1.1 .900
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Willie Anderson Dave Cowens
Season -1979-80
Team -Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -Celtics Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson ------- --- ----------
Dave Cowens 66 32.7 14.2 1.9 6.2 8.1 3.1 1.0 0.9 1.6 3.3 6.4 14.1 .453 0.0 0.2 .083 1.4 1.8 .779
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson ------- --- ----------
Dave Cowens 9 33.4 12.0 2.0 5.3 7.3 2.3 1.0 0.8 0.9 4.1 5.4 11.4 .476 0.0 0.2 .000 1.1 1.2 .909

Note: Dave Cowens didn't play in 1980-81 and 1981-82.

Season 11

Willie Anderson Dave Cowens
Season -1982-83
Team -Milwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson ------- --- ----------
Dave Cowens 40 25.4 8.1 1.8 5.0 6.9 2.1 0.8 0.4 1.1 3.4 3.4 7.7 .444 0.0 0.1 .000 1.3 1.6 .825
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willie Anderson ------- --- ----------
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------