Lauri Markkanen vs. Elmore Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Elmore Smith and Lauri Markkanen, 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.

Lauri Markkanen played 7 years in the NBA, 1 less than Elmore Smith, who played 8. Lauri Markkanen had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, 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
Lauri Markkanen 7 0 2017-18 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

Rookie Season

Lauri Markkanen Elmore Smith
Season 2017-181971-72
Team Chicago BullsBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First 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 %
Lauri Markkanen 68 29.7 15.2 1.2 6.3 7.5 1.2 0.6 0.6 1.2 1.5 5.5 12.7 .434 2.1 5.9 .362 2.1 2.4 .843
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 %
Lauri Markkanen ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Lauri Markkanen Elmore Smith
Season 2018-191972-73
Team Chicago BullsBuffalo 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 %
Lauri Markkanen 52 32.3 18.7 1.4 7.6 9.0 1.4 0.7 0.6 1.6 2.3 6.6 15.3 .430 2.3 6.4 .361 3.3 3.8 .872
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 %
Lauri Markkanen ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Lauri Markkanen Elmore Smith
Season 2019-201973-74
Team Chicago BullsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Blocks Leader
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers 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 %
Lauri Markkanen 50 29.8 14.7 1.2 5.1 6.3 1.5 0.8 0.5 1.6 1.9 5.0 11.8 .425 2.2 6.3 .344 2.5 3.1 .824
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 %
Lauri Markkanen ------- --- ----------
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

Lauri Markkanen Elmore Smith
Season 2020-211974-75
Team Chicago BullsLos Angeles Lakers
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 %
Lauri Markkanen 51 25.8 13.6 0.7 4.6 5.3 0.9 0.5 0.3 1.0 1.5 4.9 10.2 .480 2.3 5.8 .402 1.5 1.8 .826
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 %
Lauri Markkanen ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Lauri Markkanen Elmore Smith
Season 2021-221975-76
Team Cleveland CavaliersMilwaukee 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 %
Lauri Markkanen 61 30.8 14.8 1.0 4.7 5.7 1.3 0.7 0.5 0.9 2.1 5.1 11.5 .445 2.2 6.2 .358 2.3 2.6 .868
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 %
Lauri Markkanen ------- --- ----------
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

Lauri Markkanen Elmore Smith
Season 2022-231976-77
Team Utah JazzMilwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement Most Improved Player-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayCavaliers 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 %
Lauri Markkanen 66 34.4 25.6 2.0 6.7 8.6 1.9 0.6 0.6 1.9 2.1 8.7 17.3 .499 3.0 7.7 .391 5.3 6.0 .875
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 %
Lauri Markkanen ------- --- ----------
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

Lauri Markkanen Elmore Smith
Season 2023-241977-78
Team Utah JazzCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayCavaliers 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 %
Lauri Markkanen 55 33.1 23.2 2.2 5.9 8.2 2.0 0.9 0.5 1.4 1.8 7.8 16.2 .480 3.2 8.0 .399 4.5 5.0 .899
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 %
Lauri Markkanen ------- --- ----------
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

Lauri Markkanen Elmore Smith
Season -1978-79
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 %
Lauri Markkanen ------- --- ----------
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 %
Lauri Markkanen ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------