Kurt Nimphius vs. Kenny Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Kenny Smith and Kurt Nimphius, 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.

Kurt Nimphius played 8 years in the NBA, 2 less than Kenny Smith, who played 10. Kurt Nimphius had the first of his seasons in 1981-82, while Kenny Smith had his rookie season in 1987-88. 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
Kurt Nimphius 8 5 1981-82 to 1989-90
Kenny Smith 10 5 1987-88 to 1996-97

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Kurt Nimphius Kenny Smith
Season 1981-821987-88
Team Dallas MavericksSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards -Achievement 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 %
Kurt Nimphius 63 17.2 5.3 1.5 3.2 4.7 1.0 0.3 1.3 0.9 3.0 2.2 4.7 .461 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.7 .583
Kenny Smith 61 35.6 13.8 0.7 1.6 2.3 7.1 1.5 0.1 3.0 2.3 5.4 11.4 .477 0.2 0.6 .308 2.7 3.3 .819
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kurt Nimphius ------- --- ----------
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Kurt Nimphius Kenny Smith
Season 1982-831988-89
Team Dallas MavericksSacramento Kings
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 %
Kurt Nimphius 81 18.7 5.3 1.9 3.0 5.0 1.4 0.3 1.4 0.8 3.5 2.1 4.4 .490 0.0 0.0 1.000 1.0 1.7 .550
Kenny Smith 81 38.8 17.3 0.6 2.2 2.8 7.7 1.3 0.1 3.1 2.1 6.8 14.6 .462 0.6 1.6 .359 3.2 4.4 .737
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kurt Nimphius ------- --- ----------
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Kurt Nimphius Kenny Smith
Season 1983-841989-90
Team Dallas MavericksSacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kurt Nimphius 82 27.9 7.9 2.2 4.0 6.3 2.1 0.5 1.8 1.2 3.5 3.3 6.4 .520 0.0 0.0 .250 1.2 2.0 .623
Kenny Smith 79 30.6 11.9 0.2 1.8 2.0 5.6 1.0 0.1 2.1 1.8 4.8 10.3 .466 0.3 1.1 .313 2.0 2.5 .821
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kurt Nimphius 10 17.8 4.2 2.0 3.3 5.3 1.3 0.0 1.4 0.9 2.4 1.4 3.3 .424 0.0 0.0 - 1.4 1.7 .824
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Kurt Nimphius Kenny Smith
Season 1984-851990-91
Team Dallas MavericksHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st RdRockets 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 %
Kurt Nimphius 82 24.5 6.1 1.7 3.3 5.0 2.2 0.4 1.5 1.2 3.2 2.4 5.3 .452 0.0 0.1 .000 1.3 1.7 .771
Kenny Smith 78 34.6 17.7 0.5 1.6 2.1 7.1 1.4 0.1 3.0 1.7 6.7 12.9 .520 0.6 1.7 .363 3.7 4.4 .844
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kurt Nimphius 4 12.5 1.5 0.8 0.8 1.5 0.8 0.3 0.3 0.5 2.5 0.8 1.5 .500 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Kenny Smith 3 37.7 15.3 1.3 1.3 2.7 8.0 1.3 0.3 2.0 1.7 6.0 12.7 .474 0.7 1.3 .500 2.7 3.0 .889

Season 5

Kurt Nimphius Kenny Smith
Season 1985-861991-92
Team Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles ClippersHouston Rockets
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 %
Kurt Nimphius 80 27.8 11.2 1.9 3.8 5.7 0.8 0.4 1.3 1.5 3.3 4.4 8.7 .506 0.0 0.0 .000 2.4 3.3 .740
Kenny Smith 81 33.8 14.0 0.4 1.8 2.2 6.9 1.3 0.1 2.8 1.4 5.3 11.2 .475 0.7 1.7 .394 2.7 3.1 .866
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kurt Nimphius ------- --- ----------
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Kurt Nimphius Kenny Smith
Season 1986-871992-93
Team Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit PistonsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Pistons Lost East Conf FinalsRockets 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 %
Kurt Nimphius 66 16.5 5.9 1.2 1.6 2.8 0.4 0.3 0.8 1.0 2.4 2.3 5.0 .470 0.0 0.1 .000 1.2 1.8 .675
Kenny Smith 82 29.5 13.0 0.3 1.6 2.0 5.4 1.0 0.1 2.0 1.3 4.7 9.1 .520 1.2 2.7 .438 2.4 2.7 .878
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kurt Nimphius 4 7.5 2.0 1.3 1.3 2.5 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.8 2.5 0.8 2.3 .333 0.0 0.0 - 0.5 1.0 .500
Kenny Smith 12 32.6 14.8 0.2 1.8 2.0 4.2 0.8 0.1 2.2 1.5 5.3 10.7 .492 1.9 3.8 .500 2.3 3.0 .778

Season 7

Kurt Nimphius Kenny Smith
Season 1987-881993-94
Team San Antonio SpursHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kurt Nimphius 72 12.8 4.4 0.9 1.3 2.1 0.7 0.3 0.8 0.7 2.0 1.8 3.6 .498 0.0 0.0 .000 0.8 1.2 .723
Kenny Smith 78 28.3 11.6 0.3 1.5 1.8 4.2 0.8 0.1 1.6 1.6 4.4 9.1 .480 1.1 2.8 .405 1.7 2.0 .871
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kurt Nimphius 3 10.0 4.0 1.0 1.7 2.7 0.7 0.0 0.3 0.0 2.3 1.7 3.3 .500 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 0.7 1.000
Kenny Smith 23 30.3 10.8 0.2 2.1 2.3 4.1 1.0 0.2 1.4 1.7 3.7 8.2 .455 1.5 3.3 .447 1.8 2.3 .808

Note: Kurt Nimphius didn't play in 1988-89.

Season 8

Kurt Nimphius Kenny Smith
Season 1989-901994-95
Team Philadelphia 76ersHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kurt Nimphius 38 8.3 2.4 0.6 1.0 1.6 0.2 0.1 0.5 0.3 1.2 1.0 2.4 .418 0.0 0.0 .000 0.4 0.8 .467
Kenny Smith 81 25.1 10.4 0.3 1.6 1.9 4.0 0.9 0.1 1.5 1.3 3.5 7.3 .484 1.8 4.1 .429 1.6 1.8 .851
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kurt Nimphius 4 4.5 0.5 0.8 0.3 1.0 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.3 1.8 .143 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Kenny Smith 22 29.6 10.8 0.3 1.9 2.2 4.5 0.6 0.1 1.4 2.1 3.5 8.1 .438 2.1 4.7 .442 1.6 1.8 .900

Season 9

Kurt Nimphius Kenny Smith
Season -1995-96
Team -Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Rockets 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 %
Kurt Nimphius ------- --- ----------
Kenny Smith 68 23.8 8.5 0.3 1.1 1.4 3.6 0.7 0.0 1.5 1.7 3.0 6.8 .433 1.3 3.5 .382 1.3 1.6 .821
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kurt Nimphius ------- --- ----------
Kenny Smith 8 23.9 8.9 0.5 1.0 1.5 4.8 0.6 0.0 1.0 1.8 2.9 6.6 .434 1.5 3.9 .387 1.6 1.6 1.000

Season 10

Kurt Nimphius Kenny Smith
Season -1996-97
Team -Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets
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 %
Kurt Nimphius ------- --- ----------
Kenny Smith 48 15.9 6.3 0.1 0.8 0.9 2.4 0.4 0.0 1.5 0.6 2.1 5.0 .423 1.2 2.8 .437 0.8 0.9 .867
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kurt Nimphius ------- --- ----------
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------