Dave Cowens vs. Mike Gale Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Mike Gale 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, 5 more than Mike Gale, who played 6. Dave Cowens had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while Mike Gale had his rookie season in 1976-77. 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
Mike Gale 6 5 1976-77 to 1981-82

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Dave Cowens Mike Gale
Season 1970-711976-77
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlaySpurs 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 81 38.0 17.0 - - 15.0 2.8 - - - 4.3 6.8 16.1 .422 - - - 3.4 4.6 .732
Mike Gale 82 31.7 10.3 0.7 2.7 3.3 5.8 2.3 0.6 - 2.7 4.3 9.2 .468 - - - 1.7 2.0 .820
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Mike Gale 2 33.5 11.0 2.5 2.5 5.0 5.0 2.0 1.0 - 4.5 4.5 11.5 .391 - - - 2.0 3.5 .571

Season 2

Dave Cowens Mike Gale
Season 1971-721977-78
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsSpurs Lost East 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 79 40.3 18.8 - - 15.2 3.1 - - - 4.0 8.3 17.2 .484 - - - 2.2 3.1 .720
Mike Gale 70 29.9 9.1 0.8 2.4 3.2 5.4 2.3 0.4 2.5 2.4 3.9 8.3 .473 - - - 1.2 1.4 .870
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
Mike Gale 6 33.5 8.7 1.2 3.0 4.2 5.2 1.2 0.7 2.8 2.5 4.2 9.3 .446 - - - 0.3 0.7 .500

Season 3

Dave Cowens Mike Gale
Season 1972-731978-79
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsSpurs Lost East Conf Finals
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
Mike Gale 82 25.9 8.0 0.5 1.8 2.3 4.6 1.9 0.5 1.9 2.3 3.5 7.5 .464 - - - 1.1 1.3 .843
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
Mike Gale 14 21.6 6.8 0.7 1.4 2.1 4.0 1.1 0.3 1.1 2.4 2.7 6.2 .437 - - - 1.4 1.6 .864

Season 4

Dave Cowens Mike Gale
Season 1973-741979-80
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionSpurs 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 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
Mike Gale 67 22.0 6.6 0.5 1.8 2.3 4.7 1.8 0.2 1.7 2.0 2.6 5.6 .454 0.0 0.2 .154 1.4 1.8 .808
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
Mike Gale 3 23.0 7.0 0.3 1.7 2.0 5.3 1.7 0.0 1.0 2.0 2.7 6.7 .400 0.3 1.3 .250 1.3 2.3 .571

Season 5

Dave Cowens Mike Gale
Season 1974-751980-81
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsTrail Blazers 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 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
Mike Gale 77 14.4 4.8 0.2 1.1 1.3 2.2 1.2 0.1 1.0 1.5 2.0 4.0 .508 0.0 0.1 .286 0.7 0.9 .809
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
Mike Gale 3 17.0 2.7 0.7 1.0 1.7 3.0 1.7 0.0 0.7 0.7 1.3 5.3 .250 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 6

Dave Cowens Mike Gale
Season 1975-761981-82
Team Boston CelticsGolden State Warriors
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
Mike Gale 75 23.9 5.6 0.5 2.0 2.5 3.5 1.6 0.4 1.7 2.3 2.5 5.0 .496 0.0 0.1 .000 0.7 0.9 .785
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
Mike Gale ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Dave Cowens Mike Gale
Season 1976-77-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East 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
Mike Gale ------- --- ----------
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
Mike Gale ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Dave Cowens Mike Gale
Season 1977-78-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
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 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
Mike Gale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Mike Gale ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Dave Cowens Mike Gale
Season 1978-79-
Team Boston Celtics-
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 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
Mike Gale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------
Mike Gale ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Dave Cowens Mike Gale
Season 1979-80-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf Finals-
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
Mike Gale ------- --- ----------
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
Mike Gale ------- --- ----------

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

Season 11

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