Julius Erving vs. Elmore Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Elmore Smith and Julius Erving, 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.

Julius Erving played 11 years in the NBA, 3 more than Elmore Smith, who played 8. Julius Erving had the first of his seasons in 1976-77, while Elmore Smith had his rookie season in 1971-72. 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
Julius Erving 11 11 1976-77 to 1986-87
Elmore Smith 8 4 1971-72 to 1978-79

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Julius Erving Elmore Smith
Season 1976-771971-72
Team Philadelphia 76ersBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
-Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Julius Erving 82 35.9 21.6 2.3 6.1 8.5 3.7 1.9 1.4 - 3.1 8.4 16.7 .499 - - - 4.9 6.3 .777
Elmore Smith 78 40.8 17.3 - - 15.2 1.4 - - - 3.9 7.4 16.3 .454 - - - 2.5 4.7 .534
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Julius Erving 19 39.9 27.3 2.2 4.3 6.4 4.5 2.2 1.2 - 2.4 10.7 20.5 .523 - - - 5.8 7.1 .821
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Julius Erving Elmore Smith
Season 1977-781972-73
Team Philadelphia 76ersBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Julius Erving 74 32.8 20.6 2.4 4.1 6.5 3.8 1.8 1.3 3.2 2.8 8.3 16.4 .502 - - - 4.1 4.9 .845
Elmore Smith 76 37.2 18.3 - - 12.4 2.5 - - - 3.9 7.9 16.4 .482 - - - 2.5 4.4 .558
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Julius Erving 10 35.8 21.8 4.0 5.7 9.7 4.0 1.5 1.8 3.5 3.0 8.8 18.0 .489 - - - 4.2 5.6 .750
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Julius Erving Elmore Smith
Season 1978-791973-74
Team Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Blocks Leader
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisLakers Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Julius Erving 78 35.9 23.1 2.5 4.7 7.2 4.6 1.7 1.3 4.0 2.7 9.2 18.7 .491 - - - 4.8 6.4 .745
Elmore Smith 81 36.1 12.5 2.5 8.7 11.2 1.9 0.9 4.9 - 3.8 5.4 11.7 .457 - - - 1.8 3.1 .590
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Julius Erving 9 41.3 25.4 3.2 4.6 7.8 5.9 2.0 1.9 4.2 2.4 9.9 19.1 .517 - - - 5.7 7.4 .761
Elmore Smith 5 34.2 19.2 3.8 6.8 10.6 1.2 1.4 1.6 - 4.0 8.4 17.6 .477 - - - 2.4 3.4 .706

Season 4

Julius Erving Elmore Smith
Season 1979-801974-75
Team Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Julius Erving 78 36.1 26.9 2.8 4.6 7.4 4.6 2.2 1.8 3.6 2.7 10.7 20.7 .519 0.1 0.3 .200 5.4 6.8 .787
Elmore Smith 74 31.6 10.9 2.8 8.1 10.9 2.0 1.1 2.9 - 3.4 4.7 9.5 .493 - - - 1.5 3.1 .485
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Julius Erving 18 38.6 24.4 1.7 5.8 7.6 4.4 2.0 2.1 3.1 3.1 9.2 18.8 .488 0.1 0.5 .222 6.0 7.6 .794
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Julius Erving Elmore Smith
Season 1980-811975-76
Team Philadelphia 76ersMilwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf FinalsBucks 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 %
Julius Erving 82 35.0 24.6 3.0 5.0 8.0 4.4 2.1 1.8 3.2 2.8 9.7 18.6 .521 0.0 0.2 .222 5.1 6.5 .787
Elmore Smith 78 36.0 15.6 2.6 8.9 11.4 1.2 1.0 3.1 - 3.4 6.4 12.3 .518 - - - 2.8 4.5 .632
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Julius Erving 16 37.0 22.9 3.3 3.9 7.1 3.4 1.4 2.6 3.4 3.4 8.9 18.8 .475 0.0 0.1 .000 5.1 6.7 .757
Elmore Smith 3 34.7 14.7 1.7 5.7 7.3 0.3 0.7 3.7 - 4.7 5.0 9.0 .556 - - - 4.7 7.0 .667

Season 6

Julius Erving Elmore Smith
Season 1981-821976-77
Team Philadelphia 76ersMilwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost NBA FinalsCavaliers 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 %
Julius Erving 81 34.4 24.4 2.7 4.2 6.9 3.9 2.0 1.7 2.6 2.8 9.6 17.6 .546 0.0 0.1 .273 5.1 6.7 .763
Elmore Smith 70 20.9 8.6 1.6 4.6 6.3 0.6 0.5 2.1 - 3.0 3.4 7.2 .475 - - - 1.7 3.0 .549
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Julius Erving 21 37.1 22.0 2.7 4.7 7.4 4.7 1.8 1.8 3.2 2.6 8.0 15.4 .519 0.0 0.3 .167 5.9 7.9 .752
Elmore Smith 3 18.7 13.7 2.0 6.0 8.0 0.3 1.7 1.0 - 3.3 6.0 11.0 .545 - - - 1.7 2.7 .625

Season 7

Julius Erving Elmore Smith
Season 1982-831977-78
Team Philadelphia 76ersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionCavaliers 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 %
Julius Erving 72 33.6 21.4 2.4 4.4 6.8 3.7 1.6 1.8 2.7 2.8 8.4 16.3 .517 0.0 0.1 .286 4.6 6.0 .759
Elmore Smith 81 24.6 12.5 2.2 6.2 8.4 0.7 0.6 2.2 1.7 3.0 5.0 10.0 .497 - - - 2.5 3.8 .663
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Julius Erving 13 37.9 18.4 2.5 5.2 7.6 3.4 1.2 2.1 3.0 3.2 7.3 16.2 .450 0.0 0.1 .000 3.8 5.2 .721
Elmore Smith 2 28.0 12.5 3.0 6.5 9.5 0.0 1.5 1.5 2.5 4.5 5.5 12.0 .458 - - - 1.5 3.0 .500

Season 8

Julius Erving Elmore Smith
Season 1983-841978-79
Team Philadelphia 76ersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Julius Erving 77 34.8 22.4 2.5 4.4 6.9 4.0 1.8 1.8 3.0 2.8 8.8 17.2 .512 0.1 0.3 .333 4.7 6.3 .754
Elmore Smith 24 13.8 6.5 1.9 2.5 4.4 0.5 0.3 0.7 1.8 2.5 2.9 5.4 .531 - - - 0.8 1.1 .692
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Julius Erving 5 38.8 18.2 1.8 4.6 6.4 5.0 1.6 1.2 4.2 2.8 7.2 15.2 .474 0.0 0.2 .000 3.8 4.4 .864
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Julius Erving Elmore Smith
Season 1984-85-
Team Philadelphia 76ers-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Julius Erving 78 32.5 20.0 2.2 3.1 5.3 3.0 1.7 1.4 2.7 2.6 7.8 15.8 .494 0.0 0.2 .214 4.3 5.7 .765
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Julius Erving 13 33.4 17.1 2.2 3.4 5.6 3.7 1.9 0.8 2.8 2.6 6.5 14.4 .449 0.0 0.1 .000 4.2 4.8 .857
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Julius Erving Elmore Smith
Season 1985-86-
Team Philadelphia 76ers-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Julius Erving 74 33.4 18.1 2.3 2.7 5.0 3.4 1.5 1.1 2.9 2.6 7.0 14.7 .480 0.1 0.4 .281 3.9 5.0 .785
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Julius Erving 12 36.1 17.7 2.2 3.7 5.8 4.2 0.9 1.3 3.3 2.7 6.8 15.0 .450 0.2 0.9 .182 4.0 5.4 .738
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Julius Erving Elmore Smith
Season 1986-87-
Team Philadelphia 76ers-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Julius Erving 60 32.0 16.8 1.9 2.5 4.4 3.2 1.3 1.6 2.6 2.3 6.7 14.2 .471 0.2 0.9 .264 3.2 3.9 .813
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Julius Erving 5 36.0 18.2 2.8 2.2 5.0 3.4 1.4 1.2 1.8 3.8 6.8 16.4 .415 0.4 1.2 .333 4.2 5.0 .840
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------