Brian Howard or Marcin Gortat? The NBA Stat Breakdown

Few NBA comparisons generate more debate than Brian Howard vs Marcin Gortat. The numbers reveal a genuinely competitive matchup — Marcin Gortat takes 5 categories while Brian Howard claims 3, making this one of the closer head to head comparisons at the SF position. Every statistical category matters in a matchup this tight.

Marcin Gortat's Rebounds Per Game of 7.9 compared to Brian Howard's 2.8 represents a 182.1% advantage — dramatically better than their counterpart in this critical category. Brian Howard falls 46.2% below the career average of 5.2 in this category while Marcin Gortat exceeds it. It is the single most decisive number in this comparison and the clearest statistical argument for Marcin Gortat's edge.

The most competitive category in this matchup is Free Throw %, where Brian Howard posts 74.0% against Marcin Gortat's 68% — a gap of just 8.8%. Brian Howard can point to this as evidence that the overall comparison is closer than the final 5-3 tally suggests. In any debate, Free Throw % is the statistical ammunition for the Brian Howard side.

The forward position in professional basketball demands versatility — the ability to score, rebound and defend at an elite level. The most decorated forwards in NBA history have excelled across multiple statistical categories.

The verdict favors Marcin Gortat — 5 categories to 3 — but Brian Howard makes this far from a one-sided debate. Anyone building the case for Brian Howard has real statistical ammunition particularly in Free Throw % where the gap narrows to just 8.8%. The numbers have spoken, but the argument will continue.