Kevin Love vs. Josh Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Josh Smith and Kevin Love, 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 / Games against each other

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.

Kevin Love played 16 years in the NBA, 3 more than Josh Smith, who played 13. Kevin Love had the first of his seasons in 2008-09, while Josh Smith had his rookie season in 2004-05. 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
Kevin Love 16 6 2008-09 to 2023-24
Josh Smith 13 8 2004-05 to 2017-18

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16

Rookie Season
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2008-092004-05
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second TeamAchievement 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 %
Kevin Love 81 25.3 11.1 3.4 5.7 9.1 1.0 0.4 0.6 1.5 2.5 3.9 8.5 .459 0.0 0.2 .105 3.3 4.1 .789
Josh Smith 74 27.7 9.7 2.0 4.2 6.2 1.7 0.8 1.9 1.8 2.1 3.7 8.1 .455 0.1 0.3 .174 2.2 3.2 .688
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love ------- --- ----------
Josh Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 2
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2009-102005-06
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesAtlanta Hawks
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 %
Kevin Love 60 28.6 14.0 3.8 7.2 11.0 2.3 0.7 0.4 2.0 2.3 4.9 10.8 .450 0.6 1.8 .330 3.8 4.6 .815
Josh Smith 80 32.0 11.3 2.2 4.4 6.6 2.4 0.8 2.6 2.0 3.3 4.1 9.7 .425 0.4 1.4 .309 2.6 3.7 .719
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love ------- --- ----------
Josh Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 3
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2010-112006-07
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement Most Improved Player-
Achievement Rebounds Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Kevin Love 73 35.8 20.2 4.5 10.7 15.2 2.5 0.6 0.4 2.1 2.0 6.6 14.1 .470 1.2 2.9 .417 5.8 6.8 .850
Josh Smith 72 36.8 16.4 2.3 6.3 8.6 3.3 1.4 2.9 3.2 3.3 6.1 13.8 .439 0.5 2.1 .250 3.7 5.4 .693
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love ------- --- ----------
Josh Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 4
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2011-122007-08
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks 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 %
Kevin Love 55 39.0 26.0 4.1 9.2 13.3 2.0 0.9 0.5 2.3 2.8 8.6 19.3 .448 1.9 5.1 .372 6.9 8.4 .824
Josh Smith 81 35.5 17.2 2.0 6.2 8.2 3.4 1.5 2.8 3.0 3.3 6.4 14.0 .457 0.3 1.2 .253 4.1 5.8 .710
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love ------- --- ----------
Josh Smith 7 33.9 15.7 1.0 5.4 6.4 2.9 1.7 2.9 3.7 3.7 5.0 12.6 .398 0.4 2.6 .167 5.3 6.3 .841

Season 5
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2012-132008-09
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks 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 %
Kevin Love 18 34.3 18.3 3.6 10.4 14.0 2.3 0.7 0.5 2.2 1.9 5.8 16.6 .352 1.1 5.1 .217 5.6 7.9 .704
Josh Smith 69 35.1 15.6 1.9 5.3 7.2 2.4 1.4 1.6 2.3 2.7 6.1 12.3 .492 0.4 1.3 .299 3.1 5.2 .588
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love ------- --- ----------
Josh Smith 11 37.3 17.1 2.2 5.3 7.5 2.2 1.1 1.5 1.9 3.3 6.1 14.5 .421 0.2 1.4 .133 4.7 6.5 .732

Season 6
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2013-142009-10
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks 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 %
Kevin Love 77 36.3 26.1 2.9 9.6 12.5 4.4 0.8 0.5 2.5 1.8 8.4 18.5 .457 2.5 6.6 .376 6.8 8.2 .821
Josh Smith 81 35.4 15.7 2.8 6.0 8.7 4.2 1.6 2.1 2.4 3.0 6.2 12.3 .505 0.0 0.1 .000 3.2 5.2 .618
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love ------- --- ----------
Josh Smith 11 35.6 14.1 3.4 5.6 9.0 2.6 1.2 1.7 1.5 2.7 5.6 11.7 .481 0.2 0.5 .333 2.6 4.0 .659

Season 7
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2014-152010-11
Team Cleveland CavaliersAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost NBA FinalsHawks 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 %
Kevin Love 75 33.8 16.4 1.9 7.9 9.7 2.2 0.7 0.5 1.6 1.9 5.5 12.7 .434 1.9 5.2 .367 3.4 4.3 .804
Josh Smith 77 34.4 16.5 1.7 6.8 8.5 3.3 1.3 1.6 2.6 2.8 6.5 13.5 .477 0.7 2.0 .331 3.0 4.1 .725
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love 4 26.8 14.3 1.5 5.5 7.0 2.5 0.3 0.5 1.5 3.0 4.3 10.3 .415 2.3 5.3 .429 3.5 4.8 .737
Josh Smith 12 36.5 15.1 1.5 7.0 8.5 2.9 1.1 2.1 2.2 3.3 5.8 14.3 .404 0.3 2.0 .125 3.3 5.6 .597

Season 8
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2015-162011-12
Team Cleveland CavaliersAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionHawks 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 %
Kevin Love 77 31.5 16.0 1.9 8.0 9.9 2.4 0.8 0.5 1.8 2.1 5.3 12.7 .419 2.1 5.7 .360 3.4 4.1 .822
Josh Smith 66 35.3 18.8 2.1 7.5 9.6 3.9 1.4 1.7 2.5 2.6 7.6 16.7 .458 0.4 1.7 .257 3.1 4.9 .630
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love 20 30.7 14.7 1.7 7.1 8.8 2.1 0.5 0.4 1.4 1.7 4.6 12.0 .385 2.3 5.6 .414 3.2 3.8 .840
Josh Smith 5 39.2 16.8 2.0 11.6 13.6 4.8 0.6 1.0 3.0 2.8 6.8 17.6 .386 0.0 0.8 .000 3.2 4.2 .762

Season 9
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2016-172012-13
Team Cleveland CavaliersAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost NBA FinalsHawks 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 %
Kevin Love 60 31.4 19.0 2.5 8.6 11.1 1.9 0.9 0.4 2.0 2.1 6.2 14.5 .427 2.4 6.5 .373 4.3 4.9 .871
Josh Smith 76 35.3 17.5 1.8 6.7 8.4 4.2 1.2 1.8 3.0 2.3 7.2 15.6 .465 0.8 2.6 .303 2.2 4.2 .517
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love 18 32.1 16.8 2.0 8.6 10.6 1.7 1.2 0.9 1.7 2.6 5.3 12.1 .436 2.8 6.2 .450 3.5 4.2 .840
Josh Smith 6 33.2 17.0 1.7 5.8 7.5 3.5 1.8 0.5 2.7 3.5 6.5 15.0 .433 0.8 3.3 .250 3.2 6.0 .528

Season 10
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2017-182013-14
Team Cleveland CavaliersDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Cavaliers 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 %
Kevin Love 59 28.0 17.6 1.7 7.5 9.3 1.7 0.7 0.4 1.5 2.0 5.7 12.4 .458 2.3 5.6 .415 4.0 4.5 .880
Josh Smith 77 35.5 16.4 1.3 5.4 6.8 3.3 1.4 1.4 2.6 2.6 6.7 16.0 .419 0.9 3.4 .264 2.1 3.9 .532
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love 21 31.4 14.9 2.3 7.9 10.2 1.6 0.7 0.4 2.0 2.8 5.2 13.2 .392 1.7 5.0 .340 2.8 3.0 .922
Josh Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 11
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2018-192014-15
Team Cleveland CavaliersDetroit Pistons, Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love 22 27.2 17.0 1.5 9.4 10.9 2.2 0.3 0.2 1.9 2.5 5.0 12.9 .385 2.4 6.7 .361 4.7 5.2 .904
Josh Smith 83 27.7 12.4 1.8 4.6 6.4 3.3 1.0 1.4 2.5 2.7 5.0 11.9 .419 0.9 2.7 .316 1.5 3.1 .498
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love ------- --- ----------
Josh Smith 17 23.3 13.5 1.5 4.1 5.6 2.7 0.5 1.0 2.2 2.4 5.0 11.4 .438 1.6 4.2 .380 1.9 4.4 .432

Season 12
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2019-202015-16
Team Cleveland CavaliersLos Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets 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 %
Kevin Love 56 31.8 17.6 1.0 8.8 9.8 3.2 0.6 0.3 2.5 1.6 5.8 13.0 .450 2.6 7.0 .374 3.3 3.9 .854
Josh Smith 55 16.0 6.0 0.9 2.6 3.5 1.6 0.6 0.9 1.4 2.1 2.3 6.3 .364 0.7 2.6 .287 0.7 1.2 .552
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love ------- --- ----------
Josh Smith 4 9.5 4.0 0.3 0.3 0.5 1.0 0.3 0.3 1.3 1.8 1.5 3.3 .462 1.0 2.0 .500 0.0 0.5 .000

Note: Josh Smith didn't play in 2016-17.

Season 13
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2020-212017-18
Team Cleveland CavaliersNew Orleans Pelicans
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 %
Kevin Love 25 24.9 12.2 0.7 6.8 7.4 2.5 0.6 0.1 1.5 1.0 4.1 10.1 .409 2.3 6.2 .365 1.7 2.0 .824
Josh Smith 3 4.0 0.7 1.0 0.3 1.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.3 1.3 .250 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love ------- --- ----------
Josh Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 14
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2021-22-
Team Cleveland Cavaliers-
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 %
Kevin Love 74 22.5 13.6 1.2 6.1 7.2 2.2 0.4 0.2 1.3 1.4 4.4 10.3 .430 2.5 6.4 .392 2.2 2.7 .838
Josh Smith ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love ------- --- ----------
Josh Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 15
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2022-23-
Team Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Heat Lost NBA Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love 62 20.0 8.2 1.0 5.5 6.4 1.9 0.3 0.2 1.1 1.6 2.7 6.8 .389 1.6 4.8 .334 1.3 1.5 .879
Josh Smith ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love 20 18.0 6.9 0.7 4.9 5.6 1.2 0.5 0.4 0.5 1.8 2.3 6.0 .378 1.7 4.4 .375 0.7 0.8 .875
Josh Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 16
Kevin Love Josh Smith
Season 2023-24-
Team Miami Heat-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Heat 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 %
Kevin Love 55 16.8 8.8 1.1 5.1 6.1 2.1 0.3 0.2 0.9 1.8 2.9 6.5 .440 1.5 4.4 .344 1.5 2.0 .787
Josh Smith ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kevin Love 5 6.4 1.8 0.2 2.6 2.8 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.4 0.8 1.8 .444 0.2 0.8 .250 0.0 0.0 -
Josh Smith ------- --- ----------
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