Tom Sanders vs. Isiah Thomas Season by Season Comparison

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

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.

Tom Sanders and Isiah Thomas both played 13 years in the NBA. Tom Sanders had the first of his seasons in 1960-61, 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.

Comparison Season by Season
Rookie Season
	Tom Sanders	Isiah Thomas
Season	1960-61	1981-82
Team	Boston Celtics	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-Rookie First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Did Not Play

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Tom Sanders	68	15.9	5.3	-	-	5.7	0.6	-	-	-	1.9	2.2	5.2	.420	-	-	-	1.0	1.5	.670
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		%
Tom Sanders	10	21.6	8.9	-	-	8.4	0.7	-	-	-	4.2	3.7	7.5	.493	-	-	-	1.5	2.4	.625
Isiah Thomas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 2
	Tom Sanders	Isiah Thomas
Season	1961-62	1982-83
Team	Boston Celtics	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Did Not Play

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Tom Sanders	80	29.1	11.2	-	-	9.5	0.9	-	-	-	3.5	4.4	10.1	.435	-	-	-	2.5	3.3	.749
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		%
Tom Sanders	14	31.4	10.1	-	-	8.2	1.0	-	-	-	4.6	4.0	9.3	.431	-	-	-	2.1	2.6	.806
Isiah Thomas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 3
	Tom Sanders	Isiah Thomas
Season	1962-63	1983-84
Team	Boston Celtics	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Pistons 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		%
Tom Sanders	80	26.9	10.8	-	-	7.2	1.2	-	-	-	3.3	4.2	9.3	.456	-	-	-	2.3	3.2	.738
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		%
Tom Sanders	13	29.8	9.8	-	-	7.4	1.5	-	-	-	4.7	4.0	9.2	.437	-	-	-	1.8	2.4	.774
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
	Tom Sanders	Isiah Thomas
Season	1963-64	1984-85
Team	Boston Celtics	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Assists Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Pistons 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		%
Tom Sanders	80	29.6	11.4	-	-	8.3	1.3	-	-	-	3.5	4.4	10.5	.417	-	-	-	2.7	3.5	.761
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		%
Tom Sanders	10	30.2	9.1	-	-	6.8	0.6	-	-	-	4.5	3.4	9.4	.362	-	-	-	2.3	3.4	.676
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
	Tom Sanders	Isiah Thomas
Season	1964-65	1985-86
Team	Boston Celtics	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Pistons 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		%
Tom Sanders	80	30.7	11.8	-	-	8.3	1.2	-	-	-	4.0	4.7	10.9	.429	-	-	-	2.4	3.2	.745
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		%
Tom Sanders	12	30.4	13.3	-	-	8.5	1.6	-	-	-	4.8	5.3	12.7	.421	-	-	-	2.6	3.6	.721
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
	Tom Sanders	Isiah Thomas
Season	1965-66	1986-87
Team	Boston Celtics	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Pistons 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		%
Tom Sanders	72	26.3	12.6	-	-	7.1	1.3	-	-	-	4.4	4.8	11.3	.428	-	-	-	2.9	3.8	.764
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		%
Tom Sanders	17	29.4	13.5	-	-	6.5	1.6	-	-	-	4.1	5.7	11.8	.483	-	-	-	2.1	2.8	.750
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
	Tom Sanders	Isiah Thomas
Season	1966-67	1987-88
Team	Boston Celtics	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Div Finals	Pistons Lost NBA Finals

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Tom Sanders	81	23.8	10.2	-	-	5.4	1.1	-	-	-	3.8	4.0	9.3	.428	-	-	-	2.2	2.7	.817
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		%
Tom Sanders	9	16.0	4.9	-	-	4.8	0.6	-	-	-	3.4	2.3	6.8	.344	-	-	-	0.2	0.6	.400
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
	Tom Sanders	Isiah Thomas
Season	1967-68	1988-89
Team	Boston Celtics	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Tom Sanders	78	25.4	10.2	-	-	5.8	1.3	-	-	-	3.8	3.8	8.9	.428	-	-	-	2.6	3.3	.784
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		%
Tom Sanders	14	20.6	8.3	-	-	4.5	0.9	-	-	-	3.8	3.6	7.1	.505	-	-	-	1.1	1.5	.762
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
	Tom Sanders	Isiah Thomas
Season	1968-69	1989-90
Team	Boston Celtics	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	All-Defensive Second Team	-
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Tom Sanders	82	26.6	11.2	-	-	7.0	1.3	-	-	-	3.6	4.4	10.3	.430	-	-	-	2.3	3.1	.733
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		%
Tom Sanders	15	13.1	5.8	-	-	3.2	0.5	-	-	-	2.7	2.1	4.9	.438	-	-	-	1.5	2.1	.742
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
	Tom Sanders	Isiah Thomas
Season	1969-70	1990-91
Team	Boston Celtics	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Pistons 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		%
Tom Sanders	57	28.4	11.5	-	-	5.5	1.6	-	-	-	3.5	4.3	9.7	.443	-	-	-	2.8	3.2	.880
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		%
Tom Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
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
	Tom Sanders	Isiah Thomas
Season	1970-71	1991-92
Team	Boston Celtics	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Pistons 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		%
Tom Sanders	17	7.1	2.3	-	-	1.0	0.6	-	-	-	1.5	0.9	2.6	.364	-	-	-	0.4	0.5	.875
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		%
Tom Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
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
	Tom Sanders	Isiah Thomas
Season	1971-72	1992-93
Team	Boston Celtics	Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Conf Finals	Did Not Play

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Tom Sanders	82	19.9	6.6	-	-	4.3	1.2	-	-	-	3.1	2.6	6.4	.410	-	-	-	1.4	1.7	.816
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		%
Tom Sanders	11	16.9	4.3	-	-	2.4	0.9	-	-	-	3.3	1.5	4.8	.321	-	-	-	1.2	1.9	.619
Isiah Thomas	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-