Ernie Grunfeld vs. Marcus Smart Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Marcus Smart and Ernie Grunfeld, 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.

Ernie Grunfeld played 9 years in the NBA, 1 less than Marcus Smart, who played 10. Ernie Grunfeld had the first of his seasons in 1977-78, while Marcus Smart had his rookie season in 2014-15. 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
Ernie Grunfeld 9 5 1977-78 to 1985-86
Marcus Smart 10 9 2014-15 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season
Ernie Grunfeld Marcus Smart
Season 1977-782014-15
Team Milwaukee BucksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
Playoffs Bucks Lost West Conf SemisCeltics 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 %
Ernie Grunfeld 73 17.3 6.9 1.0 1.7 2.7 2.0 0.7 0.3 1.3 2.1 2.8 6.3 .443 - - - 1.3 2.0 .657
Marcus Smart 67 27.0 7.8 0.9 2.4 3.3 3.1 1.5 0.3 1.3 2.6 2.6 7.1 .367 1.4 4.1 .335 1.2 1.9 .646
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ernie Grunfeld 7 11.0 5.4 0.6 1.0 1.6 2.4 0.4 0.1 1.0 0.9 2.4 4.6 .531 - - - 0.6 0.7 .800
Marcus Smart 4 22.5 9.8 1.3 1.5 2.8 1.3 0.3 0.3 1.0 3.0 3.5 7.3 .483 0.8 3.3 .231 2.0 3.8 .533

Season 2
Ernie Grunfeld Marcus Smart
Season 1978-792015-16
Team Milwaukee BucksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics 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 %
Ernie Grunfeld 82 21.7 10.3 1.5 2.9 4.4 2.6 0.7 0.2 1.7 2.7 4.0 8.1 .493 - - - 2.3 3.1 .761
Marcus Smart 61 27.3 9.1 1.2 2.9 4.2 3.0 1.5 0.3 1.3 3.0 3.0 8.7 .348 1.0 4.0 .253 2.1 2.7 .777
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ernie Grunfeld ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart 6 32.2 12.0 1.3 3.2 4.5 3.0 1.7 0.8 2.5 2.8 3.7 10.0 .367 1.8 5.3 .344 2.8 3.5 .810

Season 3
Ernie Grunfeld Marcus Smart
Season 1979-802016-17
Team Kansas City KingsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Kings Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics 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 %
Ernie Grunfeld 80 17.5 5.9 1.1 1.8 2.9 1.4 0.7 0.1 1.0 1.9 2.3 5.3 .443 0.0 0.0 .500 1.3 1.6 .771
Marcus Smart 79 30.4 10.6 1.0 2.9 3.9 4.6 1.6 0.4 2.0 2.4 3.4 9.5 .359 1.2 4.2 .283 2.6 3.2 .812
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ernie Grunfeld 3 10.7 3.7 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.7 3.0 .556 0.0 0.0 - 0.3 1.0 .333
Marcus Smart 18 29.9 8.6 1.3 3.4 4.7 4.7 1.5 0.9 2.1 2.8 2.6 7.4 .351 1.6 4.1 .397 1.8 2.8 .640

Season 4
Ernie Grunfeld Marcus Smart
Season 1980-812017-18
Team Kansas City KingsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Kings Lost West Conf FinalsCeltics 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 %
Ernie Grunfeld 79 20.1 7.5 0.4 2.2 2.6 2.6 0.8 0.2 1.1 2.0 3.3 6.2 .535 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.3 .743
Marcus Smart 54 29.9 10.2 0.8 2.7 3.5 4.8 1.3 0.4 2.4 2.5 3.5 9.5 .367 1.4 4.6 .301 1.8 2.5 .729
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ernie Grunfeld 15 42.2 16.8 0.7 3.5 4.2 5.9 2.0 0.6 2.9 3.4 6.5 13.4 .488 0.1 0.3 .500 3.6 4.5 .806
Marcus Smart 15 29.9 9.8 0.9 2.8 3.7 5.3 1.7 0.7 2.4 2.9 3.2 9.5 .336 1.0 4.5 .221 2.4 3.3 .735

Season 5
Ernie Grunfeld Marcus Smart
Season 1981-822018-19
Team Kansas City KingsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics 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 %
Ernie Grunfeld 81 23.4 12.7 0.7 1.6 2.2 3.4 0.9 0.5 1.8 2.4 5.2 10.1 .511 0.0 0.2 .143 2.3 2.8 .821
Marcus Smart 80 27.5 8.9 0.7 2.2 2.9 4.0 1.8 0.4 1.5 2.5 3.0 7.1 .422 1.6 4.3 .364 1.3 1.6 .806
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ernie Grunfeld ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart 2 16.0 3.5 2.0 0.0 2.0 2.0 1.5 0.0 1.5 1.5 0.5 5.5 .091 0.5 5.5 .091 2.0 3.0 .667

Season 6
Ernie Grunfeld Marcus Smart
Season 1982-832019-20
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisCeltics 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 %
Ernie Grunfeld 77 18.5 5.4 0.5 1.6 2.1 1.8 0.5 0.1 1.1 2.2 2.2 4.9 .443 0.0 0.1 .000 1.1 1.3 .827
Marcus Smart 60 32.0 12.9 0.7 3.1 3.8 4.9 1.7 0.5 1.7 2.7 4.3 11.4 .375 2.3 6.6 .347 2.1 2.5 .836
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ernie Grunfeld 6 19.7 8.0 0.3 1.0 1.3 1.7 1.2 0.3 1.5 2.8 2.5 5.7 .441 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 3.2 .947
Marcus Smart 17 38.1 14.5 0.6 4.6 5.2 4.6 1.2 0.5 2.6 3.2 4.6 11.6 .394 2.4 7.2 .333 2.9 3.3 .875

Season 7
Ernie Grunfeld Marcus Smart
Season 1983-842020-21
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisCeltics 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 %
Ernie Grunfeld 76 14.7 5.2 0.3 1.3 1.6 1.4 0.6 0.1 0.9 2.0 2.2 4.8 .459 0.0 0.1 .222 0.8 1.1 .771
Marcus Smart 48 32.9 13.1 0.8 2.7 3.5 5.7 1.5 0.5 2.0 2.6 4.2 10.6 .398 1.9 5.9 .330 2.7 3.4 .790
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ernie Grunfeld 11 7.6 2.4 0.1 0.7 0.8 0.5 0.2 0.0 0.4 1.1 1.0 2.1 .478 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 0.4 1.000
Marcus Smart 5 36.6 17.8 0.8 3.6 4.4 6.0 1.0 0.2 2.8 2.8 5.8 13.2 .439 3.2 8.6 .372 3.0 4.2 .714

Season 8
Ernie Grunfeld Marcus Smart
Season 1984-852021-22
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Defensive Player of the Year
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ernie Grunfeld 69 15.4 6.6 0.6 1.6 2.2 1.5 0.7 0.1 0.6 1.9 2.7 5.6 .490 0.0 0.1 .250 1.1 1.5 .740
Marcus Smart 71 32.3 12.1 0.6 3.2 3.8 5.9 1.7 0.3 2.2 2.3 4.2 10.1 .418 1.7 5.1 .331 2.0 2.5 .793
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ernie Grunfeld ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart 21 36.2 15.4 1.0 3.6 4.5 5.9 1.2 0.2 2.5 3.4 5.4 13.3 .405 2.3 6.5 .350 2.4 3.0 .806

Season 9
Ernie Grunfeld Marcus Smart
Season 1985-862022-23
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics 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 %
Ernie Grunfeld 76 18.4 5.4 0.6 2.2 2.7 1.6 0.5 0.2 0.7 2.5 1.9 4.7 .417 0.3 0.8 .426 1.2 1.4 .833
Marcus Smart 61 32.1 11.5 0.8 2.4 3.1 6.3 1.5 0.4 2.3 2.8 4.1 9.9 .415 1.9 5.6 .336 1.4 1.9 .746
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ernie Grunfeld ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart 20 34.0 14.9 1.1 3.0 4.0 5.1 1.3 0.3 2.3 1.9 5.1 11.2 .453 2.2 6.1 .361 2.6 3.3 .800

Season 10
Ernie Grunfeld Marcus Smart
Season -2023-24
Team -Memphis Grizzlies
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 %
Ernie Grunfeld ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart 20 30.3 14.5 0.3 2.4 2.7 4.3 2.1 0.3 3.1 2.7 5.1 11.9 .430 2.1 6.7 .313 2.2 2.8 .768
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ernie Grunfeld ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart ------- --- ----------
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