Is Kyrie Irving a Better Sidekick Than Scottie Pippen?

Kyrie Irving is authoring an impressive career so far, but does he compare favorably to all time great Scottie Pippen? We break down the numbers.

Kyrie Irving LeBron James Game 4 NBA Finals 2017
USA Today Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) and forward LeBron James (23) during the second quarter in game four of the 2017 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena.

Kyrie Irving LeBron James Game 4 NBA Finals 2017

The MJ-LeBron debate is hands-down the most overplayed one in sports. You’ve heard both sides make their points by now, so there’s no purpose to re-hashing everything here. This debate should be retired for good. 

But as long as the hot takes crowds at ESPN, Fox Sports, and just about everywhere else are going to keep rehashing it, that would make Kyrie Irving comparable to Scottie Pippen in a way. Irving's the co-pilot to LeBron just like Pippen was to Jordan. 

It’s obviously a little difficult to compare the two players; both play different positions (point guard for Irving, small forward for Pippen), both played in different eras, and both bring a unique skill set to the table. Irving is more of a scorer than Pippen, while the latter played with a physicality that seldom pops up in today’s game. But in terms of role, each has a similar position with their team in respect to pure star power.

To compare two of the game’s most prolific sidekicks, we’re going to look at both players’ resumes in four categories: Regular-season stats, postseason stats, advanced analytics, and accolades. Since Irving has played six seasons in the NBA, he will be measured up against Pippen’s first six years in the League—this encompasses the 1987-88 season through the 1992-93 season. At this point, Pippen had just come off of his first three-peat with the Bulls, and unlike Irving, never had to play on any pre-LeBron Cavs teams that accomplished little.

So let’s take a look at the numbers:

Regular Season Stats

Scottie Pippen Bulls Cavs 1996 Getty

Postseason Stats

Kyrie Irving Cavs Pacers 2017 Indiana

Advanced Stats

Kyrie Irving Eastern Conference Finals 2017

Accolades

Scottie Pippen USA Basketball July 1996 Getty

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