Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs. Scottie Pippen: Career Scoring Comparison

We break down the scoring legacies of Scottie Pippen and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to determine who has the better numbers. Here you can compare their career totals, points per game, games of 40+ points, 50+, etc. and their year-by-year scoring averages side by side, both in the Regular Season and Playoffs.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings / Games against each other

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is among the NBA's all-time leaders in points and also has one of the highest career averages in league history, and here we compare his scoring stats with those recorded by Scottie Pippen.

By taking a look at their career numbers for points, the first conclusion one can arrive at is that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has better scoring stats than Scottie Pippen in averages and totals, both in the regular season and Playoffs. However, we won't stop there and we'll go into detail to analyze what these statistics are made up of, from how many games they had in each threshold (30+ points, 40+, 50+, etc.) to their season-by-season scoring averages.

On this page we compare:

Who has better scoring stats? Career Numbers
Games of 30+ points, 40+, 50+, etc
Shooting Stats
Points Year by Year

Career Numbers
Who has the better scoring stats?

Points in the Regular Season

In his 20 NBA regular seasons played, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar averages 8.5 points more than Scottie Pippen in his 17 seasons (24.6 points against 16.1), and he also scored a total of 19,447 points more (38,387 vs. 18,940).

Points Per Game

Seasons
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 24.6
+8.5
20
Scottie Pippen 16.1
17

Total Points

Seasons
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387
+19,447
20
Scottie Pippen 18,940
17

Scoring Titles

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 2
Scoring leaderScoring leader
+2
Scottie Pippen 0

Points in the Playoffs

Similar to what happens in the regular season, in the NBA postseason Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has a better career point average than Scottie Pippen (+6.8 points per game) and he also scored more points (+2,120).

Points Per Game

Playoffs
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 24.3
+6.8
18
Scottie Pippen 17.5
16

Total Points

Playoffs
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 5,762
+2,120
18
Scottie Pippen 3,642
16

Points by Thresholds

Regular Season

50+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 10
+10
Scottie Pippen 0

40+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 70
+65
Scottie Pippen 5

30+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 429
+380
Scottie Pippen 49

20+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1,122
+755
Scottie Pippen 367

10+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1,509
+566
Scottie Pippen 943

1+ Point Games (games with points)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1,559
+399
Scottie Pippen 1,160

0 Point Games (games without points)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1
Scottie Pippen 18
+17

Playoffs

40+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 9
+9
Scottie Pippen 0

30+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 75
+69
Scottie Pippen 6

20+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 169
+82
Scottie Pippen 87

10+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 223
+45
Scottie Pippen 178

1+ Point Games (games with points)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 237
+31
Scottie Pippen 206

0 Point Games (games without points)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 0
Scottie Pippen 2
+2

Career Shooting Stats Comparison

more >>

Regular Season

Stats Per Game

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 24.6 10.2 18.1 55.9 * 0.0 * 0.0 * 5.6 4.3 6.0 72.1 20 1,560
difference:+8.5+3.9+4.8+8.7+0.8+2.5+27.0+1.6+2.2+1.7+3+382
Scottie Pippen 16.1 6.3 13.3 47.3 0.8 2.5 32.6 2.7 3.8 70.4 17 1,178

Total Stats

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387 15,837 28,307 55.9 * 1 * 18 * 5.6 6,712 9,304 72.1 20 1,560
difference:+19,447+8,417+12,607+8.7+977+2,984+27.0+3,590+4,867+1.7+3+382
Scottie Pippen 18,940 7,420 15,700 47.3 978 3,002 32.6 3,122 4,437 70.4 17 1,178

Notes: Three-point shots were implemented in 1979-80.
* = some years in his career didn't have the stat.

Playoffs

Stats Per Game

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 24.3 9.9 18.7 53.3 * 0.0 * 0.0 * 0.0 4.4 6.0 74.0 18 237
difference:+6.8+3.5+4.2+8.9+1.0+3.2+30.3+0.7+0.9+1.6+2+29
Scottie Pippen 17.5 6.4 14.5 44.4 1.0 3.2 30.3 3.7 5.1 72.4 16 208

Total Stats

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 5,762 2,356 4,422 53.3 * 0 * 4 * 0.0 1,050 1,419 74.0 18 237
difference:+2,120+1,021+1,413+8.9+200+656+30.3+278+352+1.6+2+29
Scottie Pippen 3,642 1,335 3,009 44.4 200 660 30.3 772 1,067 72.4 16 208

Year by Year Points Average Comparison

Scoring leader= NBA Scoring Leader
NBA Champion = NBA Champion

Regular Season

Rookie Season

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 28.8
+20.9
197082
Scottie Pippen 7.9
198879

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Scoring leader31.7
+17.3
1971NBA Champion82
Scottie Pippen 14.4
198973

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Scoring leader34.8
+18.3
197281
Scottie Pippen 16.5
199082

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 30.2
+12.4
197376
Scottie Pippen 17.8
1991NBA Champion82

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 27.0
+6.0
197481
Scottie Pippen 21.0
1992NBA Champion82

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 30.0
+11.4
197565
Scottie Pippen 18.6
1993NBA Champion81

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 27.7
+5.7
197682
Scottie Pippen 22.0
199472

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 26.2
+4.8
197782
Scottie Pippen 21.4
199579

Season 9

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 25.8
+6.4
197862
Scottie Pippen 19.4
1996NBA Champion77

Season 10

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 23.8
+3.6
197980
Scottie Pippen 20.2
1997NBA Champion82

Season 11

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 24.8
+5.7
1980NBA Champion82
Scottie Pippen 19.1
1998NBA Champion44

Season 12

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 26.2
+11.7
198180
Scottie Pippen 14.5
199950

Season 13

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 23.9
+11.4
1982NBA Champion76
Scottie Pippen 12.5
200082

Season 14

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 21.8
+10.5
198379
Scottie Pippen 11.3
200164

Season 15

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 21.5
+10.9
198480
Scottie Pippen 10.6
200262

Season 16

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 22.0
+11.2
1985NBA Champion79
Scottie Pippen 10.8
200364

Season 17

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 23.4
+17.5
198679
Scottie Pippen 5.9
200423

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's additional seasons:

* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played 3 seasons more than Scottie Pippen in the NBA.

In those years—his seasons 18 to 20, from 1987 to 1989—he averaged 14.1 points in a total of 232 regular season games. During that period, his highest average was 17.5 ppg and his lowest 10.1.

Playoffs

Rookie Season

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 35.2
+25.2
197010
Scottie Pippen 10.0
198810

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 26.6
+13.5
1971NBA Champion14
Scottie Pippen 13.1
198917

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 28.7
+9.4
197211
Scottie Pippen 19.3
199015

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 22.8
+1.2
19736
Scottie Pippen 21.6
1991NBA Champion17

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 32.2
+12.7
197416
Scottie Pippen 19.5
1992NBA Champion22

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -
DNP
19750
Scottie Pippen 20.1
+20.1
1993NBA Champion19

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -
DNP
19760
Scottie Pippen 22.8
+22.8
199410

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 34.6
+16.8
197711
Scottie Pippen 17.8
199510

Season 9

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 27.0
+10.1
19783
Scottie Pippen 16.9
1996NBA Champion18

Season 10

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 28.5
+9.3
19798
Scottie Pippen 19.2
1997NBA Champion19

Season 11

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 31.9
+15.1
1980NBA Champion15
Scottie Pippen 16.8
1998NBA Champion21

Season 12

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 26.7
+8.4
19813
Scottie Pippen 18.3
19994

Season 13

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 20.4
+5.5
1982NBA Champion14
Scottie Pippen 14.9
200016

Season 14

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 27.1
+13.4
198315
Scottie Pippen 13.7
20013

Season 15

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 23.9
+7.6
198421
Scottie Pippen 16.3
20023

Season 16

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 21.9
+16.1
1985NBA Champion19
Scottie Pippen 5.8
20034

Season 17

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 25.9
+25.9
198614
Scottie Pippen -
DNP
20040

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's additional Playoffs:

* During his 3 additional NBA seasons, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played in 3 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships. In those postseasons he averaged 14.9 points in a total of 57 games. His highest playoff average during that period was 19.2 ppg and his lowest 11.1.

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