Calvin Murphy vs. Isiah Thomas Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Isiah Thomas and Calvin Murphy, 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 / Games against each other

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.

Calvin Murphy and Isiah Thomas both played 13 years in the NBA. Calvin Murphy had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while Isiah Thomas had his rookie season in 1981-82. 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
Calvin Murphy	13	6	1970-71 to 1982-83
Isiah Thomas	13	9	1981-82 to 1993-94

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13


Rookie Season
	Calvin Murphy	Isiah Thomas
Season	1970-71	1981-82
Team	San Diego Rockets	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	All-Rookie First Team	All-Rookie First Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	82	24.6	15.8	-	-	3.0	4.0	-	-	-	3.2	5.7	12.5	.458	-	-	-	4.3	5.3	.820
Isiah Thomas	72	33.8	17.0	0.8	2.1	2.9	7.8	2.1	0.2	4.2	3.5	6.3	14.8	.424	0.2	0.8	.288	4.2	6.0	.704

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Isiah Thomas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 2
	Calvin Murphy	Isiah Thomas
Season	1971-72	1982-83
Team	Houston Rockets	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	82	31.0	18.2	-	-	3.1	4.8	-	-	-	3.6	7.0	15.3	.455	-	-	-	4.3	4.8	.890
Isiah Thomas	81	38.2	22.9	1.3	2.8	4.0	7.8	2.5	0.4	4.0	3.9	9.0	19.0	.472	0.4	1.5	.288	4.5	6.4	.710

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Isiah Thomas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 3
	Calvin Murphy	Isiah Thomas
Season	1972-73	1983-84
Team	Houston Rockets	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Pistons Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	77	22.0	13.0	-	-	1.9	3.4	-	-	-	2.7	4.9	10.6	.465	-	-	-	3.1	3.5	.888
Isiah Thomas	82	36.7	21.3	1.3	2.7	4.0	11.1	2.5	0.4	3.7	4.0	8.2	17.7	.462	0.3	0.8	.338	4.7	6.5	.733

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Isiah Thomas	5	39.6	21.4	1.4	2.4	3.8	11.0	2.6	1.2	4.6	4.4	7.8	16.6	.470	0.4	1.2	.333	5.4	7.0	.771


Season 4
	Calvin Murphy	Isiah Thomas
Season	1973-74	1984-85
Team	Houston Rockets	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Assists Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Pistons Lost East Conf Semis

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	81	36.1	20.4	0.6	1.7	2.3	7.4	1.9	0.0	-	3.8	8.3	15.9	.522	-	-	-	3.8	4.4	.868
Isiah Thomas	81	38.1	21.2	1.4	3.0	4.5	13.9	2.3	0.3	3.7	3.6	8.0	17.4	.458	0.4	1.4	.257	4.9	6.1	.809

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Isiah Thomas	9	39.4	24.3	1.2	4.0	5.2	11.2	2.1	0.4	3.3	4.3	9.2	18.4	.500	0.7	1.7	.400	5.2	6.9	.758


Season 5
	Calvin Murphy	Isiah Thomas
Season	1974-75	1985-86
Team	Houston Rockets	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs	Rockets Lost East Conf Semis	Pistons Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	78	32.2	18.7	0.7	1.6	2.2	4.9	1.6	0.1	-	3.6	7.1	14.8	.484	-	-	-	4.4	4.9	.883
Isiah Thomas	77	36.2	20.9	1.1	2.5	3.6	10.8	2.2	0.3	3.8	3.2	7.9	16.2	.488	0.3	1.1	.310	4.7	6.0	.790

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	8	38.1	24.4	1.1	1.3	2.4	5.6	1.8	0.1	-	4.5	9.0	19.5	.462	-	-	-	6.4	7.1	.895
Isiah Thomas	4	40.8	26.5	2.0	3.5	5.5	12.0	2.3	0.8	4.3	4.3	10.3	22.8	.451	0.0	1.3	.000	6.0	9.0	.667


Season 6
	Calvin Murphy	Isiah Thomas
Season	1975-76	1986-87
Team	Houston Rockets	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Pistons Lost East Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	82	36.5	21.0	0.6	1.9	2.5	7.3	1.8	0.1	-	3.6	8.2	16.7	.493	-	-	-	4.5	5.0	.907
Isiah Thomas	81	37.2	20.6	1.0	2.9	3.9	10.0	1.9	0.2	4.2	3.1	7.7	16.7	.463	0.2	1.2	.194	4.9	6.4	.768

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Isiah Thomas	15	37.5	24.1	1.4	3.1	4.5	8.7	2.6	0.3	2.8	3.4	8.9	19.8	.451	0.7	2.2	.303	5.5	7.3	.755


Season 7
	Calvin Murphy	Isiah Thomas
Season	1976-77	1987-88
Team	Houston Rockets	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Rockets Lost East Conf Finals	Pistons Lost NBA Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	82	33.7	17.9	0.7	1.4	2.1	4.7	1.8	0.1	-	3.4	7.3	14.8	.490	-	-	-	3.3	3.7	.886
Isiah Thomas	81	36.1	19.5	0.8	2.6	3.4	8.4	1.7	0.2	3.4	2.7	7.7	16.6	.463	0.4	1.2	.309	3.8	4.9	.774

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	12	35.0	19.3	0.6	1.0	1.6	6.3	1.6	0.2	-	3.9	8.5	17.8	.479	-	-	-	2.3	2.5	.933
Isiah Thomas	23	39.6	21.9	1.1	3.5	4.7	8.7	2.9	0.3	3.7	3.1	8.0	18.2	.437	0.6	1.9	.295	5.4	6.6	.828


Season 8
	Calvin Murphy	Isiah Thomas
Season	1977-78	1988-89
Team	Houston Rockets	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	76	38.2	25.6	0.8	1.4	2.2	3.4	1.5	0.0	2.3	3.2	11.2	22.9	.491	-	-	-	3.2	3.5	.918
Isiah Thomas	80	36.6	18.2	0.6	2.8	3.4	8.3	1.7	0.3	3.7	2.6	7.1	15.3	.464	0.4	1.5	.273	3.6	4.4	.818

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Isiah Thomas	17	37.2	18.2	1.4	2.9	4.3	8.3	1.6	0.2	2.5	2.3	6.8	16.4	.412	0.5	1.8	.267	4.2	5.6	.740


Season 9
	Calvin Murphy	Isiah Thomas
Season	1978-79	1989-90
Team	Houston Rockets	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Rockets Lost East Conf 1st Rd	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	82	35.9	20.2	1.0	1.2	2.1	4.3	1.4	0.1	2.3	3.5	8.6	17.4	.496	-	-	-	3.0	3.2	.928
Isiah Thomas	81	37.0	18.4	0.9	2.9	3.8	9.4	1.7	0.2	4.0	2.5	7.1	16.3	.438	0.5	1.7	.309	3.6	4.7	.775

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	2	36.5	13.0	1.0	0.5	1.5	3.0	4.0	0.5	1.0	4.5	4.5	15.5	.290	-	-	-	4.0	4.5	.889
Isiah Thomas	20	37.9	20.5	1.1	4.4	5.5	8.2	2.2	0.4	3.6	3.3	7.4	16.0	.463	1.6	3.4	.471	4.1	5.1	.794


Season 10
	Calvin Murphy	Isiah Thomas
Season	1979-80	1990-91
Team	Houston Rockets	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Rockets Lost East Conf Semis	Pistons Lost East Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	76	35.2	20.0	0.9	1.1	2.0	3.9	1.9	0.1	2.1	3.5	8.2	16.7	.493	0.0	0.3	.040	3.6	4.0	.897
Isiah Thomas	48	34.5	16.2	0.7	2.6	3.3	9.3	1.6	0.2	3.9	2.5	6.0	13.9	.435	0.4	1.4	.292	3.7	4.8	.782

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	7	37.9	18.7	0.6	0.9	1.4	3.7	1.6	0.0	2.3	4.1	8.3	15.4	.537	0.3	0.6	.500	1.9	1.9	1.000
Isiah Thomas	13	33.5	13.5	1.0	3.2	4.2	8.5	1.0	0.2	3.2	3.2	4.6	11.5	.403	0.5	1.7	.273	3.8	5.3	.725


Season 11
	Calvin Murphy	Isiah Thomas
Season	1980-81	1991-92
Team	Houston Rockets	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Rockets Lost NBA Finals	Pistons Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	76	26.5	16.7	0.4	0.7	1.1	2.9	1.5	0.1	1.7	2.8	6.9	14.1	.492	0.1	0.2	.235	2.7	2.8	.958
Isiah Thomas	78	37.4	18.5	0.9	2.3	3.2	7.2	1.5	0.2	3.2	2.5	7.2	16.2	.446	0.3	1.1	.291	3.7	4.8	.772

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	19	28.4	18.1	0.4	0.9	1.3	3.0	1.4	0.0	2.2	3.6	7.5	15.1	.495	0.1	0.4	.286	3.1	3.2	.967
Isiah Thomas	5	40.0	14.0	0.6	4.6	5.2	7.4	1.0	0.0	3.2	3.6	4.4	13.0	.338	0.8	2.2	.364	4.4	5.6	.786


Season 12
	Calvin Murphy	Isiah Thomas
Season	1981-82	1992-93
Team	Houston Rockets	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Rockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Did Not Play

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	64	18.8	10.2	0.3	0.6	1.0	2.5	0.7	0.0	1.3	2.2	4.3	10.1	.427	0.0	0.3	.063	1.6	1.7	.909
Isiah Thomas	79	37.0	17.6	0.9	2.0	2.9	8.5	1.6	0.2	3.6	2.8	6.7	15.9	.418	0.8	2.5	.308	3.5	4.8	.737

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	3	19.0	5.7	0.7	0.3	1.0	1.3	0.3	0.0	1.3	2.3	1.7	7.3	.227	0.0	1.0	.000	2.3	2.7	.875
Isiah Thomas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 13
	Calvin Murphy	Isiah Thomas
Season	1982-83	1993-94
Team	Houston Rockets	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	64	22.2	12.8	0.5	0.6	1.2	2.5	0.9	0.1	1.4	2.5	5.3	11.8	.447	0.1	0.2	.286	2.2	2.3	.920
Isiah Thomas	58	30.2	14.8	0.8	1.9	2.7	6.9	1.2	0.1	3.5	2.2	5.5	13.2	.417	0.7	2.2	.310	3.1	4.4	.702

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Calvin Murphy	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Isiah Thomas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Calvin Murphy vs. Isiah Thomas Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Isiah Thomas and Calvin Murphy, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8

Season 9

Season 10

Season 11

Season 12

Season 13