Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs. Tim Hardaway: Career Scoring Comparison

We break down the scoring legacies of Tim Hardaway 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

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 Tim Hardaway.

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 Tim Hardaway 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 6.9 points more than Tim Hardaway in his 13 seasons (24.6 points against 17.7), and he also scored a total of 23,014 points more (38,387 vs. 15,373).

Points Per Game

Seasons
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 24.6
+6.9
20
Tim Hardaway 17.7
13

Total Points

Seasons
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387
+23,014
20
Tim Hardaway 15,373
13

Scoring Titles

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 2
Scoring leaderScoring leader
+2
Tim Hardaway 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 Tim Hardaway (+7.5 points per game) and he also scored more points (+4,819).

Points Per Game

Playoffs
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 24.3
+7.5
18
Tim Hardaway 16.8
9

Total Points

Playoffs
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 5,762
+4,819
18
Tim Hardaway 943
9

Points by Thresholds

Regular Season

50+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 10
+10
Tim Hardaway 0

40+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 70
+65
Tim Hardaway 5

30+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 429
+367
Tim Hardaway 62

20+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1,122
+762
Tim Hardaway 360

10+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1,509
+790
Tim Hardaway 719

1+ Point Games (games with points)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1,559
+706
Tim Hardaway 853

0 Point Games (games without points)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1
Tim Hardaway 14
+13

Playoffs

40+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 9
+9
Tim Hardaway 0

30+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 75
+68
Tim Hardaway 7

20+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 169
+145
Tim Hardaway 24

10+ Point Games

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 223
+181
Tim Hardaway 42

1+ Point Games (games with points)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 237
+184
Tim Hardaway 53

0 Point Games (games without points)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 0
Tim Hardaway 3
+3

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:+6.9+3.7+3.0+12.8+1.8+5.0+29.9+1.4+2.2+6.1+7+693
Tim Hardaway 17.7 6.5 15.1 43.1 1.8 5.0 35.5 2.9 3.8 78.2 13 867

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:+23,014+10,197+15,231+12.8+1,541+4,327+29.9+4,161+6,041+6.1+7+693
Tim Hardaway 15,373 5,640 13,076 43.1 1,542 4,345 35.5 2,551 3,263 78.2 13 867

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:+7.5+4.0+3.8+14.0+2.0+6.1+32.0+1.3+1.8+1.1+9+181
Tim Hardaway 16.8 5.9 14.9 39.3 2.0 6.1 32.0 3.1 4.2 75.1 9 56

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:+4,819+2,027+3,585+14.0+110+340+32.0+875+1,186+1.1+9+181
Tim Hardaway 943 329 837 39.3 110 344 32.0 175 233 75.1 9 56

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
+14.1
197082
Tim Hardaway 14.7
199079

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Scoring leader31.7
+8.8
1971NBA Champion82
Tim Hardaway 22.9
199182

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Scoring leader34.8
+11.4
197281
Tim Hardaway 23.4
199281

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 30.2
+8.7
197376
Tim Hardaway 21.5
199366

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 27.0
+6.9
197481
Tim Hardaway 20.1
199562

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 30.0
+14.8
197565
Tim Hardaway 15.2
199680

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 27.7
+7.4
197682
Tim Hardaway 20.3
199781

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 26.2
+7.3
197782
Tim Hardaway 18.9
199881

Season 9

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 25.8
+8.4
197862
Tim Hardaway 17.4
199948

Season 10

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 23.8
+10.4
197980
Tim Hardaway 13.4
200052

Season 11

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 24.8
+9.9
1980NBA Champion82
Tim Hardaway 14.9
200177

Season 12

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 26.2
+16.6
198180
Tim Hardaway 9.6
200268

Season 13

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 23.9
+14.3
1982NBA Champion76
Tim Hardaway 9.6
200268

Season 14

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 21.8
+12.2
198379
Tim Hardaway 9.6
200268

Season 15

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 21.5
+16.6
198480
Tim Hardaway 4.9
200310

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's additional seasons:

* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played 5 seasons more than Tim Hardaway in the NBA.

In those years—his seasons 16 to 20, from 1985 to 1989—he averaged 17.6 points in a total of 390 regular season games. During that period, his highest average was 23.4 ppg and his lowest 10.1.

Playoffs

Rookie Season

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 35.2
+35.2
197010
Tim Hardaway -
DNP
19900

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 26.6
+1.4
1971NBA Champion14
Tim Hardaway 25.2
19919

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 28.7
+4.2
197211
Tim Hardaway 24.5
19924

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 22.8
+22.8
19736
Tim Hardaway -
DNP
19930

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 32.2
+32.2
197416
Tim Hardaway -
DNP
19950

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -
DNP
19750
Tim Hardaway 17.7
+17.7
19963

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -
DNP
19760
Tim Hardaway 18.7
+18.7
199717

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 34.6
+8.6
197711
Tim Hardaway 26.0
19985

Season 9

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 27.0
+18.0
19783
Tim Hardaway 9.0
19995

Season 10

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 28.5
+20.8
19798
Tim Hardaway 7.7
20007

Season 11

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 31.9
+29.4
1980NBA Champion15
Tim Hardaway 2.5
20012

Season 12

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 26.7
+26.7
19813
Tim Hardaway -
DNP
20020

Season 13

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 20.4
+20.4
1982NBA Champion14
Tim Hardaway -
DNP
20020

Season 14

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 27.1
+27.1
198315
Tim Hardaway -
DNP
20020

Season 15

Points per gameYearGames
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 23.9
+20.6
198421
Tim Hardaway 3.3
20034

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's additional Playoffs:

* During his 5 additional NBA seasons, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played in 5 Playoffs and won 3 NBA Championships. In those postseasons he averaged 18.1 points in a total of 90 games. His highest playoff average during that period was 25.9 ppg and his lowest 11.1.

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