Larry Bird vs. Kurt Rambis Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Kurt Rambis and Larry Bird, 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.

Larry Bird played 13 years in the NBA, 1 less than Kurt Rambis, who played 14. Larry Bird had the first of his seasons in 1979-80, while Kurt Rambis 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
Larry Bird 13 12 1979-80 to 1991-92
Kurt Rambis 14 9 1981-82 to 1994-95

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14

Rookie Season

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season 1979-801981-82
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf 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 %
Larry Bird 82 36.0 21.3 2.6 7.8 10.4 4.5 1.7 0.6 3.2 3.4 8.5 17.8 .474 0.7 1.7 .406 3.7 4.4 .836
Kurt Rambis 64 17.7 4.6 1.8 3.6 5.4 0.9 0.9 1.2 1.2 2.6 1.8 3.6 .518 0.0 0.0 .000 0.9 1.8 .504
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 9 41.3 21.3 2.4 8.8 11.2 4.7 1.6 0.9 3.7 3.3 9.2 19.7 .469 0.4 1.7 .267 2.4 2.8 .880
Kurt Rambis 14 19.9 5.9 2.3 3.9 6.1 0.8 0.6 0.9 1.2 3.4 2.4 4.6 .516 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.9 .615

Season 2

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season 1980-811982-83
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionLakers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 82 39.5 21.2 2.3 8.6 10.9 5.5 2.0 0.8 3.5 2.9 8.8 18.3 .478 0.2 0.9 .270 3.5 4.0 .863
Kurt Rambis 78 23.2 7.5 2.1 4.7 6.8 1.2 1.3 0.8 1.9 3.0 3.0 5.3 .569 0.0 0.0 .000 1.5 2.1 .687
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 17 44.1 21.9 2.9 11.1 14.0 6.1 2.3 1.0 3.6 3.1 8.6 18.4 .470 0.2 0.5 .375 4.5 5.0 .894
Kurt Rambis 15 25.1 7.5 1.8 4.2 6.0 1.3 0.9 1.1 1.5 3.4 3.0 5.3 .570 0.0 0.0 - 1.5 2.3 .657

Season 3

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season 1981-821983-84
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsLakers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 77 38.0 22.9 2.6 8.3 10.9 5.8 1.9 0.9 3.3 3.2 9.2 18.4 .503 0.1 0.7 .212 4.3 4.9 .863
Kurt Rambis 47 15.8 3.6 1.7 3.9 5.7 0.7 0.6 0.3 1.2 2.3 1.3 2.4 .558 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.4 .636
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 12 40.8 17.8 2.8 9.8 12.5 5.6 1.9 1.4 3.2 3.6 7.3 17.2 .427 0.1 0.5 .167 3.1 3.8 .822
Kurt Rambis 21 20.4 6.7 1.6 4.2 5.8 0.7 0.5 0.5 1.0 2.7 2.9 4.4 .652 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.6 .636

Season 4

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season 1982-831984-85
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf 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 %
Larry Bird 79 37.7 23.6 2.4 8.6 11.0 5.8 1.9 0.9 3.0 2.5 9.5 18.7 .504 0.3 1.0 .286 4.4 5.3 .840
Kurt Rambis 82 19.7 5.2 2.0 4.4 6.4 0.8 1.0 0.6 1.2 2.6 2.2 4.0 .554 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.3 .660
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 6 40.0 20.5 3.3 9.2 12.5 6.8 2.2 0.5 3.2 2.5 8.2 19.3 .422 0.2 0.7 .250 4.0 4.8 .828
Kurt Rambis 19 19.7 6.1 2.2 4.6 6.8 0.9 0.9 0.5 1.0 2.7 2.5 4.3 .593 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.5 .679

Season 5

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season 1983-841985-86
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionLakers Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 79 38.3 24.2 2.3 7.8 10.1 6.6 1.8 0.9 3.0 2.5 9.6 19.5 .492 0.2 0.9 .247 4.7 5.3 .888
Kurt Rambis 74 21.3 5.5 2.1 4.9 7.0 0.9 0.9 0.4 1.3 2.7 2.2 3.6 .595 0.0 0.0 - 1.2 1.6 .721
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 23 41.8 27.5 2.7 8.3 11.0 5.9 2.3 1.2 3.8 3.1 10.0 19.0 .524 0.3 0.7 .412 7.3 8.3 .879
Kurt Rambis 14 19.1 4.8 1.9 4.1 5.9 1.0 0.7 0.5 1.3 2.8 1.9 3.2 .600 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.3 .722

Season 6

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season 1984-851986-87
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA 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 %
Larry Bird 80 39.5 28.7 2.1 8.5 10.5 6.6 1.6 1.2 3.1 2.6 11.5 22.0 .522 0.7 1.6 .427 5.0 5.7 .882
Kurt Rambis 78 19.4 5.7 2.0 3.8 5.8 0.8 0.9 0.5 1.3 2.6 2.1 4.0 .521 0.0 0.0 - 1.5 2.0 .764
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 20 40.8 26.0 2.7 6.5 9.1 5.8 1.7 1.0 2.9 2.7 9.8 21.3 .461 0.4 1.3 .280 6.1 6.8 .890
Kurt Rambis 17 12.6 4.6 0.9 3.0 3.9 0.5 0.5 0.2 0.8 2.5 1.4 2.4 .585 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 2.0 .912

Season 7

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season 1985-861987-88
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 82 38.0 25.8 2.3 7.5 9.8 6.8 2.0 0.6 3.2 2.2 9.7 19.6 .496 1.0 2.4 .423 5.4 6.0 .896
Kurt Rambis 70 12.1 4.0 1.5 2.4 3.8 0.8 0.6 0.2 0.8 1.5 1.5 2.7 .548 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.3 .785
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 18 42.8 25.9 1.9 7.4 9.3 8.2 2.1 0.6 2.6 3.1 9.5 18.4 .517 1.3 3.1 .411 5.6 6.1 .927
Kurt Rambis 19 9.8 2.7 0.7 2.0 2.7 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.4 1.5 1.1 1.8 .618 0.0 0.0 - 0.5 0.7 .692

Season 8

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season 1986-871988-89
Team Boston CelticsCharlotte Hornets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 74 40.6 28.1 1.7 7.5 9.2 7.6 1.8 0.9 3.2 2.5 10.6 20.2 .525 1.2 3.0 .400 5.6 6.1 .910
Kurt Rambis 75 29.8 11.1 3.6 5.8 9.4 2.1 1.3 0.8 2.0 2.8 4.3 8.4 .518 0.0 0.0 .000 2.4 3.3 .734
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 23 44.1 27.0 1.8 8.3 10.0 7.2 1.2 0.8 3.1 2.4 9.4 19.7 .476 0.6 1.8 .341 7.7 8.4 .912
Kurt Rambis ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season 1987-881989-90
Team Boston CelticsCharlotte Hornets, Phoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsSuns Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 76 39.0 29.9 1.4 7.8 9.3 6.1 1.6 0.8 2.8 2.1 11.6 22.0 .527 1.3 3.1 .414 5.5 6.0 .916
Kurt Rambis 74 25.7 6.2 2.1 5.0 7.1 1.8 1.4 0.5 1.4 2.8 2.6 5.0 .509 0.0 0.0 .000 1.1 1.7 .646
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 17 44.9 24.5 1.7 7.1 8.8 6.8 2.1 0.8 2.9 2.6 8.9 19.9 .450 0.7 1.9 .375 5.9 6.6 .894
Kurt Rambis 16 24.1 4.2 2.4 5.3 7.7 1.4 0.5 0.5 1.1 3.2 1.5 3.4 .444 0.0 0.1 .000 1.2 1.8 .679

Season 10

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season 1988-891990-91
Team Boston CelticsPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlaySuns 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 %
Larry Bird 6 31.5 19.3 0.2 6.0 6.2 4.8 1.0 0.8 1.8 3.0 8.2 17.3 .471 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 3.2 .947
Kurt Rambis 62 14.5 3.6 1.2 3.0 4.3 1.0 0.4 0.2 0.7 1.7 1.3 2.7 .497 0.0 0.0 .000 1.0 1.4 .706
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird ------- --- ----------
Kurt Rambis 4 13.3 1.0 2.0 1.5 3.5 1.0 1.3 0.3 1.0 1.5 0.5 1.3 .400 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 11

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season 1989-901991-92
Team Boston CelticsPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 75 39.3 24.3 1.2 8.3 9.5 7.5 1.4 0.8 3.2 2.3 9.6 20.2 .473 0.9 2.6 .333 4.3 4.6 .930
Kurt Rambis 28 13.6 3.2 0.8 3.0 3.8 1.3 0.4 0.5 0.9 1.6 1.4 2.9 .463 0.0 0.0 - 0.5 0.6 .778
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 5 41.4 24.4 1.4 7.8 9.2 8.8 1.0 1.0 3.6 2.0 8.8 19.8 .444 1.0 3.8 .263 5.8 6.4 .906
Kurt Rambis ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season 1990-911992-93
Team Boston CelticsPhoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 60 38.0 19.4 0.9 7.6 8.5 7.2 1.8 1.0 3.1 2.0 7.7 17.0 .454 1.3 3.3 .389 2.7 3.1 .891
Kurt Rambis 72 11.4 2.5 1.1 2.1 3.2 0.7 0.6 0.3 0.6 1.7 0.9 1.8 .519 0.0 0.0 .000 0.6 0.9 .662
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 10 39.6 17.1 0.8 6.4 7.2 6.5 1.3 0.3 1.9 2.8 6.2 15.2 .408 0.3 2.1 .143 4.4 5.1 .863
Kurt Rambis ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season 1991-921993-94
Team Boston CelticsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 45 36.9 20.2 1.0 8.6 9.6 6.8 0.9 0.7 2.8 1.8 7.8 16.8 .466 1.2 2.8 .406 3.3 3.6 .926
Kurt Rambis 50 12.7 3.3 1.7 2.1 3.8 0.6 0.4 0.5 0.5 1.8 1.2 2.3 .518 0.0 0.0 .000 0.9 1.4 .648
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 4 26.8 11.3 0.5 4.0 4.5 5.3 0.3 0.5 1.5 1.8 5.3 10.5 .500 0.0 1.3 .000 0.8 1.0 .750
Kurt Rambis ------- --- ----------

Season 14

Larry Bird Kurt Rambis
Season -1994-95
Team -Los Angeles Lakers
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 %
Larry Bird ------- --- ----------
Kurt Rambis 26 7.5 1.7 0.4 0.9 1.3 0.6 0.1 0.3 0.3 1.3 0.7 1.3 .514 0.0 0.0 - 0.3 0.5 .667
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird ------- --- ----------
Kurt Rambis ------- --- ----------