Jusuf Nurkic vs. Elmore Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Elmore Smith and Jusuf Nurkic, 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.

Jusuf Nurkic played 10 years in the NBA, 2 more than Elmore Smith, who played 8. Jusuf Nurkic had the first of his seasons in 2014-15, 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
Jusuf Nurkic 10 5 2014-15 to 2023-24
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

Rookie Season
Jusuf Nurkic Elmore Smith
Season 2014-151971-72
Team Denver NuggetsBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jusuf Nurkic 62 17.8 6.9 2.0 4.1 6.2 0.8 0.8 1.1 1.4 3.3 2.8 6.2 .446 0.0 0.0 .000 1.4 2.1 .636
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 %
Jusuf Nurkic ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 2
Jusuf Nurkic Elmore Smith
Season 2015-161972-73
Team Denver NuggetsBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jusuf Nurkic 32 17.1 8.2 2.0 3.4 5.5 1.3 0.8 1.4 1.7 2.8 3.2 7.6 .417 0.0 0.1 .000 1.9 3.1 .616
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 %
Jusuf Nurkic ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 3
Jusuf Nurkic Elmore Smith
Season 2016-171973-74
Team Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail BlazersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Blocks Leader
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdLakers 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 %
Jusuf Nurkic 65 21.4 10.2 2.4 4.8 7.2 1.9 0.8 1.1 2.2 2.5 4.2 8.2 .507 0.0 0.0 .000 1.8 3.2 .571
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 %
Jusuf Nurkic 1 17.0 2.0 0.0 11.0 11.0 4.0 0.0 1.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 3.0 .333 0.0 1.0 .000 0.0 0.0 -
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
Jusuf Nurkic Elmore Smith
Season 2017-181974-75
Team Portland Trail BlazersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West 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 %
Jusuf Nurkic 79 26.4 14.3 2.4 6.6 9.0 1.8 0.8 1.4 2.3 3.1 6.1 12.0 .505 0.0 0.1 .000 2.2 3.5 .630
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 %
Jusuf Nurkic 4 23.5 11.8 3.0 5.0 8.0 1.0 1.5 1.3 0.8 3.5 4.8 9.8 .487 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 2.8 .818
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 5
Jusuf Nurkic Elmore Smith
Season 2018-191975-76
Team Portland Trail BlazersMilwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayBucks 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 %
Jusuf Nurkic 72 27.4 15.6 3.4 7.0 10.4 3.2 1.0 1.4 2.3 3.5 5.8 11.5 .508 0.0 0.4 .103 3.9 5.1 .773
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 %
Jusuf Nurkic ------- --- ----------
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
Jusuf Nurkic Elmore Smith
Season 2019-201976-77
Team Portland Trail BlazersMilwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdCavaliers 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 %
Jusuf Nurkic 8 31.6 17.6 2.9 7.4 10.3 4.0 1.4 2.0 2.4 4.9 6.8 13.6 .495 0.3 1.3 .200 3.9 4.4 .886
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 %
Jusuf Nurkic 5 32.2 14.2 2.8 7.6 10.4 3.6 1.4 0.2 2.6 4.2 5.0 11.4 .439 0.6 2.2 .273 3.6 4.6 .783
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
Jusuf Nurkic Elmore Smith
Season 2020-211977-78
Team Portland Trail BlazersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdCavaliers 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 %
Jusuf Nurkic 37 23.8 11.5 2.3 6.6 9.0 3.4 1.0 1.1 2.0 2.8 4.6 9.0 .514 0.3 0.8 .400 1.9 3.1 .619
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 %
Jusuf Nurkic 6 28.8 13.2 3.0 7.3 10.3 2.7 0.5 1.2 2.3 5.0 5.0 9.2 .545 0.2 0.8 .200 3.0 4.2 .720
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
Jusuf Nurkic Elmore Smith
Season 2021-221978-79
Team Portland Trail BlazersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jusuf Nurkic 56 28.2 15.0 3.0 8.1 11.1 2.8 1.1 0.6 2.6 3.4 5.7 10.7 .535 0.3 1.0 .268 3.3 4.8 .690
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 %
Jusuf Nurkic ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 9
Jusuf Nurkic Elmore Smith
Season 2022-23-
Team Portland Trail Blazers-
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 %
Jusuf Nurkic 52 26.8 13.3 2.2 6.9 9.1 2.9 0.8 0.8 2.3 3.6 5.0 9.7 .519 0.8 2.3 .361 2.4 3.7 .661
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jusuf Nurkic ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 10
Jusuf Nurkic Elmore Smith
Season 2023-24-
Team Phoenix Suns-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns 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 %
Jusuf Nurkic 76 27.3 10.9 2.9 8.1 11.0 4.0 1.1 1.1 2.3 3.3 4.2 8.3 .510 0.3 1.2 .244 2.2 3.4 .640
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jusuf Nurkic 4 26.0 7.8 3.3 5.0 8.3 2.8 1.5 1.5 1.5 3.8 3.3 6.5 .500 0.0 0.5 .000 1.3 2.8 .455
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------
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