Joe Caldwell vs. Dave Cowens Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dave Cowens and Joe Caldwell, 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.

Joe Caldwell played 6 years in the NBA, 5 less than Dave Cowens, who played 11. Joe Caldwell had the first of his seasons in 1964-65, while Dave Cowens had his rookie season in 1970-71. 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
Joe Caldwell 6 5 1964-65 to 1969-70
Dave Cowens 11 7 1970-71 to 1982-83

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Joe Caldwell Dave Cowens
Season 1964-651970-71
Team Detroit PistonsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Rookie of the Year
Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement 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 %
Joe Caldwell 66 23.4 10.7 - - 6.7 1.8 - - - 2.6 4.4 11.8 .374 - - - 2.0 3.2 .614
Dave Cowens 81 38.0 17.0 - - 15.0 2.8 - - - 4.3 6.8 16.1 .422 - - - 3.4 4.6 .732
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell ------- --- ----------
Dave Cowens ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Joe Caldwell Dave Cowens
Season 1965-661971-72
Team Detroit Pistons, St. Louis HawksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Hawks Lost West Div FinalsCeltics 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 %
Joe Caldwell 79 23.5 12.7 - - 5.5 1.6 - - - 2.6 5.2 11.9 .438 - - - 2.3 3.2 .705
Dave Cowens 79 40.3 18.8 - - 15.2 3.1 - - - 4.0 8.3 17.2 .484 - - - 2.2 3.1 .720
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 10 31.5 18.7 - - 5.5 1.6 - - - 2.9 7.8 16.9 .462 - - - 3.1 4.9 .633
Dave Cowens 11 40.1 15.5 - - 13.8 3.0 - - - 4.5 6.5 14.2 .455 - - - 2.5 4.3 .596

Season 3

Joe Caldwell Dave Cowens
Season 1966-671972-73
Team St. Louis HawksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs Hawks Lost West Div FinalsCeltics 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 %
Joe Caldwell 81 27.9 13.8 - - 5.5 2.0 - - - 2.8 5.7 13.3 .426 - - - 2.5 3.8 .649
Dave Cowens 82 41.8 20.5 - - 16.2 4.1 - - - 3.8 9.0 20.0 .452 - - - 2.5 3.2 .779
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 9 24.1 12.2 - - 4.3 1.4 - - - 3.0 4.7 11.7 .400 - - - 2.9 4.3 .667
Dave Cowens 13 46.0 21.9 - - 16.6 3.7 - - - 4.2 9.9 21.0 .473 - - - 2.1 3.2 .659

Season 4

Joe Caldwell Dave Cowens
Season 1967-681973-74
Team St. Louis HawksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Hawks Lost West Div SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 79 33.4 16.4 - - 4.3 3.0 - - - 2.6 7.1 15.4 .463 - - - 2.1 3.7 .569
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 6 24.7 5.3 - - 3.5 2.5 - - - 1.7 2.5 7.7 .326 - - - 0.3 2.5 .133
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

Season 5

Joe Caldwell Dave Cowens
Season 1968-691974-75
Team Atlanta HawksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Hawks Lost West Div FinalsCeltics 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 %
Joe Caldwell 81 33.6 15.8 - - 3.7 4.0 - - - 2.9 6.9 13.7 .507 - - - 2.0 3.7 .537
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 11 36.7 14.7 - - 5.0 3.4 - - - 3.6 5.9 12.2 .485 - - - 2.9 6.3 .464
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

Season 6

Joe Caldwell Dave Cowens
Season 1969-701975-76
Team Atlanta HawksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Hawks Lost West Div FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 82 34.8 21.1 - - 5.0 3.5 - - - 3.1 8.2 16.2 .507 - - - 4.6 6.7 .688
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joe Caldwell 9 43.7 25.0 - - 5.0 4.2 - - - 3.8 10.3 22.0 .470 - - - 4.3 6.7 .650
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

Season 7

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

Season 8

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

Season 9

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

Season 10

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

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

Season 11

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