Dave Cowens vs. Aaron Gordon Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Aaron Gordon and Dave Cowens, 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.

Dave Cowens played 11 years in the NBA, 1 more than Aaron Gordon, who played 10. Dave Cowens had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while Aaron Gordon had his rookie season in 2014-15. 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
Dave Cowens 11 7 1970-71 to 1982-83
Aaron Gordon 10 5 2014-15 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Dave Cowens Aaron Gordon
Season 1970-712014-15
Team Boston CelticsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement 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 %
Dave Cowens 81 38.0 17.0 - - 15.0 2.8 - - - 4.3 6.8 16.1 .422 - - - 3.4 4.6 .732
Aaron Gordon 47 17.0 5.2 1.0 2.6 3.6 0.7 0.4 0.5 0.8 1.8 2.0 4.4 .447 0.3 1.0 .271 0.9 1.3 .721
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Aaron Gordon ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Dave Cowens Aaron Gordon
Season 1971-722015-16
Team Boston CelticsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Dave Cowens 79 40.3 18.8 - - 15.2 3.1 - - - 4.0 8.3 17.2 .484 - - - 2.2 3.1 .720
Aaron Gordon 78 23.9 9.2 2.0 4.5 6.5 1.6 0.8 0.7 0.8 2.0 3.5 7.4 .473 0.5 1.8 .296 1.7 2.5 .668
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens 11 40.1 15.5 - - 13.8 3.0 - - - 4.5 6.5 14.2 .455 - - - 2.5 4.3 .596
Aaron Gordon ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Dave Cowens Aaron Gordon
Season 1972-732016-17
Team Boston CelticsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Dave Cowens 82 41.8 20.5 - - 16.2 4.1 - - - 3.8 9.0 20.0 .452 - - - 2.5 3.2 .779
Aaron Gordon 80 28.7 12.7 1.5 3.6 5.1 1.9 0.8 0.5 1.1 2.2 4.9 10.8 .454 1.0 3.3 .288 2.0 2.7 .719
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens 13 46.0 21.9 - - 16.6 3.7 - - - 4.2 9.9 21.0 .473 - - - 2.1 3.2 .659
Aaron Gordon ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Dave Cowens Aaron Gordon
Season 1973-742017-18
Team Boston CelticsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Aaron Gordon 58 32.9 17.6 1.5 6.4 7.9 2.3 1.0 0.8 1.8 1.9 6.5 14.9 .434 2.0 5.9 .336 2.7 3.9 .698
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Aaron Gordon ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Dave Cowens Aaron Gordon
Season 1974-752018-19
Team Boston CelticsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsMagic Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Aaron Gordon 78 33.8 16.0 1.7 5.7 7.4 3.7 0.7 0.7 2.1 2.2 6.0 13.4 .449 1.6 4.4 .349 2.4 3.2 .731
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Aaron Gordon 5 32.8 15.2 2.2 5.0 7.2 3.6 1.2 0.2 2.6 3.2 5.8 12.4 .468 1.6 4.0 .400 2.0 3.8 .526

Season 6

Dave Cowens Aaron Gordon
Season 1975-762019-20
Team Boston CelticsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Aaron Gordon 62 32.5 14.4 1.7 5.9 7.7 3.7 0.8 0.6 1.6 2.0 5.4 12.4 .437 1.2 3.8 .308 2.4 3.6 .674
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Aaron Gordon ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Dave Cowens Aaron Gordon
Season 1976-772020-21
Team Boston CelticsOrlando Magic, Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisNuggets Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Aaron Gordon 50 27.7 12.4 1.5 4.1 5.7 3.2 0.7 0.7 1.9 1.8 4.6 10.0 .463 1.2 3.5 .335 1.9 3.0 .651
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Aaron Gordon 10 29.9 11.1 2.1 3.3 5.4 2.0 0.5 0.3 1.4 2.3 4.3 9.9 .434 0.9 2.3 .391 1.6 2.5 .640

Season 8

Dave Cowens Aaron Gordon
Season 1977-782021-22
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Aaron Gordon 75 31.7 15.0 1.7 4.2 5.9 2.5 0.6 0.6 1.8 2.0 5.8 11.1 .520 1.2 3.5 .335 2.3 3.1 .743
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Aaron Gordon 5 32.0 13.8 3.6 3.6 7.2 2.6 0.4 1.2 1.6 2.8 4.6 10.8 .426 0.6 3.0 .200 4.0 5.6 .714

Season 9

Dave Cowens Aaron Gordon
Season 1978-792022-23
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
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 %
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
Aaron Gordon 68 30.2 16.3 2.4 4.1 6.6 3.0 0.8 0.8 1.4 1.9 6.3 11.2 .564 0.9 2.5 .347 2.8 4.6 .608
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Aaron Gordon 20 35.7 13.3 2.5 3.6 6.0 2.6 0.6 0.7 1.0 2.9 5.1 9.8 .518 0.9 2.3 .391 2.3 3.5 .652

Season 10

Dave Cowens Aaron Gordon
Season 1979-802023-24
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsNuggets Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Aaron Gordon 73 31.5 13.9 2.4 4.1 6.5 3.5 0.8 0.6 1.4 1.9 5.5 9.8 .556 0.5 1.9 .290 2.4 3.7 .658
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Aaron Gordon 12 37.1 14.3 3.0 4.3 7.3 4.4 0.8 0.6 1.5 2.3 5.8 9.8 .585 0.9 2.3 .407 1.9 2.3 .821

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

Season 11

Dave Cowens Aaron Gordon
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 %
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
Aaron Gordon ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Aaron Gordon ------- --- ----------