Tracy McGrady vs. Dirk Nowitzki: Career Scoring Comparison

We break down the scoring legacies of Dirk Nowitzki and Tracy McGrady 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

Dirk Nowitzki is among the NBA's all-time leaders in points and here we compare his scoring stats with those recorded by Tracy McGrady.

By taking a look at their career numbers for points, the first conclusion one can arrive at is that Dirk Nowitzki has better scoring stats than Tracy McGrady 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 21 NBA regular seasons played, Dirk Nowitzki averages 1.1 points more than Tracy McGrady in his 15 seasons (20.7 points against 19.6), and he also scored a total of 13,179 points more (31,560 vs. 18,381).

Points Per Game

Seasons
Tracy McGrady 19.6
15
Dirk Nowitzki 20.7
+1.1
21

Total Points

Seasons
Tracy McGrady 18,381
15
Dirk Nowitzki 31,560
+13,179
21

Scoring Titles

Tracy McGrady 2
Scoring leaderScoring leader
+2
Dirk Nowitzki 0

Points in the Playoffs

Similar to what happens in the regular season, in the NBA postseason Dirk Nowitzki has a better career point average than Tracy McGrady (+3.1 points per game) and he also scored more points (+2,554).

Points Per Game

Playoffs
Tracy McGrady 22.2
9
Dirk Nowitzki 25.3
+3.1
15

Total Points

Playoffs
Tracy McGrady 1,109
9
Dirk Nowitzki 3,663
+2,554
15

Points by Thresholds

Regular Season

60+ Point Games

Tracy McGrady 1
+1
Dirk Nowitzki 0

50+ Point Games

Tracy McGrady 4
+2
Dirk Nowitzki 2

40+ Point Games

Tracy McGrady 45
+25
Dirk Nowitzki 20

30+ Point Games

Tracy McGrady 206
Dirk Nowitzki 245
+39

20+ Point Games

Tracy McGrady 467
Dirk Nowitzki 861
+394

10+ Point Games

Tracy McGrady 724
Dirk Nowitzki 1,373
+649

1+ Point Games (games with points)

Tracy McGrady 896
Dirk Nowitzki 1,509
+613

0 Point Games (games without points)

Tracy McGrady 42
+29
Dirk Nowitzki 13

Playoffs

50+ Point Games

Tracy McGrady 0
Dirk Nowitzki 1
+1

40+ Point Games

Tracy McGrady 4
Dirk Nowitzki 7
+3

30+ Point Games

Tracy McGrady 14
Dirk Nowitzki 46
+32

20+ Point Games

Tracy McGrady 34
Dirk Nowitzki 109
+75

10+ Point Games

Tracy McGrady 39
Dirk Nowitzki 142
+103

1+ Point Games (games with points)

Tracy McGrady 43
Dirk Nowitzki 145
+102

0 Point Games (games without points)

Tracy McGrady 7
+7
Dirk Nowitzki 0

Career Shooting Stats Comparison

more >>

Regular Season

Stats Per Game

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Tracy McGrady 19.6 7.2 16.4 43.5 1.2 3.4 33.8 4.1 5.5 74.6 15 938
difference:+1.1+0.1+0.8+3.5+0.1+4.2+0.7+0.1+13.3+6+584
Dirk Nowitzki 20.7 7.3 15.6 47.1 1.3 3.4 38.0 4.8 5.4 87.9 21 1,522

Total Stats

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Tracy McGrady 18,381 6,709 15,413 43.5 1,081 3,198 33.8 3,882 5,202 74.6 15 938
difference:+13,179+4,460+8,321+3.5+901+2,012+4.2+3,358+3,037+13.3+6+584
Dirk Nowitzki 31,560 11,169 23,734 47.1 1,982 5,210 38.0 7,240 8,239 87.9 21 1,522

Playoffs

Stats Per Game

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Tracy McGrady 22.2 7.9 18.7 42.6 1.1 3.9 29.0 5.2 6.8 75.7 9 50
difference:+3.1+0.5+0.5+3.6+0.1+1.1+7.5+2.2+1.5+13.5+6+95
Dirk Nowitzki 25.3 8.4 18.2 46.2 1.0 2.8 36.5 7.4 8.3 89.2 15 145

Total Stats

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Tracy McGrady 1,109 397 933 42.6 56 193 29.0 259 342 75.7 9 50
difference:+2,554+823+1,709+3.6+93+215+7.5+815+862+13.5+6+95
Dirk Nowitzki 3,663 1,220 2,642 46.2 149 408 36.5 1,074 1,204 89.2 15 145

Year by Year Points Average Comparison

Scoring leader= NBA Scoring Leader
NBA Champion = NBA Champion

Regular Season

Rookie Season

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 7.0
199864
Dirk Nowitzki 8.2
+1.2
199947

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 9.3
199949
Dirk Nowitzki 17.5
+8.2
200082

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 15.4
200079
Dirk Nowitzki 21.8
+6.4
200182

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 26.8
+3.4
200177
Dirk Nowitzki 23.4
200276

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 25.6
+0.5
200276
Dirk Nowitzki 25.1
200380

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady Scoring leader32.1
+10.3
200375
Dirk Nowitzki 21.8
200477

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady Scoring leader28.0
+1.9
200467
Dirk Nowitzki 26.1
200578

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 25.7
200578
Dirk Nowitzki 26.6
+0.9
200681

Season 9

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 24.4
200647
Dirk Nowitzki 24.6
+0.2
200778

Season 10

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 24.6
+1.0
200771
Dirk Nowitzki 23.6
200877

Season 11

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 21.6
200866
Dirk Nowitzki 25.9
+4.3
200981

Season 12

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 15.6
200935
Dirk Nowitzki 25.0
+9.4
201081

Season 13

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 8.2
201030
Dirk Nowitzki 23.0
+14.8
2011NBA Champion73

Season 14

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 8.2
201030
Dirk Nowitzki 21.6
+13.4
201262

Season 15

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 8.2
201030
Dirk Nowitzki 17.3
+9.1
201353

Season 16

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 8.0
201172
Dirk Nowitzki 21.7
+13.7
201480

Season 17

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 5.3
201252
Dirk Nowitzki 17.3
+12.0
201577

Season 18

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady -
DNP
20130
Dirk Nowitzki 18.3
+18.3
201675

Dirk Nowitzki's additional seasons:

* Dirk Nowitzki played 3 seasons more than Tracy McGrady in the NBA.

In those years—his seasons 19 to 21, from 2017 to 2019—he averaged 11.4 points in a total of 182 regular season games. During that period, his highest average was 14.2 ppg and his lowest 7.3.

Playoffs

Rookie Season

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady -
DNP
19980
Dirk Nowitzki -
DNP
19990

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady -
DNP
19990
Dirk Nowitzki -
DNP
20000

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 16.7
20003
Dirk Nowitzki 23.4
+6.7
200110

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 33.8
+5.4
20014
Dirk Nowitzki 28.4
20028

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 30.8
+5.5
20024
Dirk Nowitzki 25.3
200317

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 31.7
+5.1
20037
Dirk Nowitzki 26.6
20045

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady -
DNP
20040
Dirk Nowitzki 23.7
+23.7
200513

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 30.7
+3.7
20057
Dirk Nowitzki 27.0
200623

Season 9

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady -
DNP
20060
Dirk Nowitzki 19.7
+19.7
20076

Season 10

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 25.3
20077
Dirk Nowitzki 26.8
+1.5
20085

Season 11

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 27.0
+0.2
20086
Dirk Nowitzki 26.8
200910

Season 12

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady -
DNP
20090
Dirk Nowitzki 26.7
+26.7
20106

Season 13

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady -
DNP
20100
Dirk Nowitzki 27.7
+27.7
2011NBA Champion21

Season 14

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady -
DNP
20100
Dirk Nowitzki 26.8
+26.8
20124

Season 15

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady -
DNP
20100
Dirk Nowitzki -
DNP
20130

Season 16

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady -
DNP
20110
Dirk Nowitzki 19.1
+19.1
20147

Season 17

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 4.2
20126
Dirk Nowitzki 21.2
+17.0
20155

Season 18

Points per gameYearGames
Tracy McGrady 0.0
20136
Dirk Nowitzki 20.4
+20.4
20165

Dirk Nowitzki's additional Playoffs:

* During his 3 additional NBA seasons, Dirk Nowitzki didn't play in the postseason.

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