Sam Jones vs. J.R. Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of J.R. Smith and Sam Jones, 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.

Sam Jones played 12 years in the NBA, 4 less than J.R. Smith, who played 16. Sam Jones had the first of his seasons in 1957-58, while J.R. 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 achievements, 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
Sam Jones 12 12 1957-58 to 1968-69
J.R. Smith 16 12 2004-05 to 2019-20

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12

Rookie Season

Sam Jones J.R. Smith
Season 1957-582004-05
Team Boston CelticsNew Orleans Hornets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 56 10.6 4.6 - - 2.9 0.7 - - - 0.8 1.8 4.2 .429 - - - 1.1 1.5 .714
difference:+20+13.9+5.7+0.9+1.2-1.0+2.1+5.6+.035+0.4+0.6+.025
J.R. Smith 76 24.5 10.3 0.5 1.5 2.0 1.9 0.7 0.1 1.4 1.8 3.9 9.8 .394 1.1 3.7 .288 1.5 2.1 .689
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 8 9.4 3.9 - - 3.0 0.5 - - - 0.9 1.3 2.8 .455 - - - 1.4 2.0 .688
J.R. Smith DNP------ --- ----------

Season 2

Sam Jones J.R. Smith
Season 1958-592005-06
Team Boston CelticsNew Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 71 20.6 10.7 - - 6.0 1.4 - - - 1.4 4.3 9.9 .434 - - - 2.1 2.8 .770
difference:+16+2.6+3.0+4.0+0.3-0.2+1.7+3.2+.041+0.6+1.0+.052
J.R. Smith 55 18.0 7.7 0.3 1.7 2.0 1.1 0.7 0.1 1.0 1.6 2.6 6.7 .393 0.9 2.5 .371 1.5 1.8 .822
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 11 17.5 10.3 - - 5.7 1.5 - - - 1.3 3.6 9.8 .370 - - - 3.0 3.5 .846
J.R. Smith DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3

Sam Jones J.R. Smith
Season 1959-602006-07
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 74 20.4 11.9 - - 5.1 1.7 - - - 1.4 4.8 10.6 .454 - - - 2.3 3.0 .764
difference:+11+2.9+1.1+2.8+0.3-0.9+0.3+0.4+.013+0.7+1.0+.046
J.R. Smith 63 23.3 13.0 0.5 1.8 2.3 1.4 0.8 0.1 1.3 2.3 4.5 10.2 .441 2.4 6.1 .390 1.6 2.0 .810
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 13 15.2 8.2 - - 3.2 1.4 - - - 1.2 3.5 9.0 .385 - - - 1.3 1.6 .810
difference:+9+3.4+3.7+0.9+0.9-0.3+2.0+3.5+.112+0.2+0.1+.190
J.R. Smith 4 11.8 4.5 0.3 2.0 2.3 0.5 1.0 0.3 0.8 1.5 1.5 5.5 .273 0.0 3.0 .000 1.5 1.5 1.000

Season 4

Sam Jones J.R. Smith
Season 1960-612007-08
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 78 26.0 15.0 - - 5.4 2.8 - - - 1.9 6.2 13.7 .449 - - - 2.7 3.4 .787
difference:+4+6.8+2.7+3.3+1.1+2.0+4.6+.012+1.0+1.0+.068
J.R. Smith 74 19.2 12.3 0.6 1.5 2.1 1.7 0.8 0.2 1.5 1.9 4.2 9.1 .461 2.1 5.3 .403 1.7 2.4 .719
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 10 25.8 13.1 - - 5.4 2.2 - - - 2.2 5.0 11.2 .446 - - - 3.1 3.5 .886
difference:+6+1.2+5.2+3.6+0.4-0.8+0.8+0.4+.089+1.9+2.5+.053
J.R. Smith 4 27.0 18.3 0.3 1.5 1.8 1.8 1.0 0.0 1.3 3.0 5.8 10.8 .535 1.8 5.5 .318 5.0 6.0 .833

Season 5

Sam Jones J.R. Smith
Season 1961-622008-09
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNuggets Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 78 30.6 18.4 - - 5.9 3.0 - - - 1.9 7.6 16.5 .464 - - - 3.1 3.8 .818
difference:+3+2.9+3.2+2.2+0.2-0.4+2.4+4.8+.018+0.6+0.4+.064
J.R. Smith 81 27.7 15.2 0.5 3.1 3.7 2.8 1.0 0.2 1.9 2.3 5.2 11.7 .446 2.2 5.6 .397 2.5 3.4 .754
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 14 36.0 20.6 - - 7.1 3.1 - - - 2.1 8.8 19.8 .444 - - - 3.0 4.3 .700
difference:+2+8.8+5.7+3.8+0.3-1.1+3.3+7.7+.010+1.4+1.4+.157
J.R. Smith 16 27.2 14.9 0.7 2.6 3.3 2.8 1.1 0.3 1.6 3.2 5.5 12.1 .454 2.4 6.6 .358 1.6 2.9 .543

Season 6

Sam Jones J.R. Smith
Season 1962-632009-10
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 76 30.6 19.7 - - 5.2 3.2 - - - 2.1 8.2 17.2 .476 - - - 3.4 4.3 .793
difference:+1+2.8+4.3+2.1+0.8-0.2+2.5+3.4+.062+1.5+1.6+.087
J.R. Smith 75 27.8 15.4 0.4 2.7 3.1 2.4 1.3 0.3 1.9 2.3 5.7 13.8 .414 2.1 6.2 .338 1.9 2.7 .706
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 13 34.6 23.8 - - 6.2 2.5 - - - 3.2 9.2 19.1 .484 - - - 5.3 6.4 .831
difference:+7+8.1+12.6+2.4+0.8-0.4+5.7+9.6+.116+3.0+3.7+.044
J.R. Smith 6 26.5 11.2 0.8 3.0 3.8 1.7 0.7 0.3 1.0 2.8 3.5 9.5 .368 1.8 5.2 .355 2.3 2.7 .875

Season 7

Sam Jones J.R. Smith
Season 1963-642010-11
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 76 31.3 19.4 - - 4.6 2.7 - - - 2.5 8.1 17.9 .450 - - - 3.3 4.2 .783
difference:+3+6.4+7.1+0.5+0.5-0.3+3.8+8.0+.015+1.2+1.4+.045
J.R. Smith 79 24.9 12.3 0.6 3.5 4.1 2.2 1.2 0.2 1.3 2.2 4.3 9.9 .435 1.6 4.0 .390 2.1 2.8 .738
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 10 35.6 23.2 - - 4.7 2.3 - - - 2.4 9.1 18.0 .506 - - - 5.0 6.8 .735
difference:+5+20.4+13.4+2.7+1.3-0.8+5.9+9.0+.150+3.4+4.6+.008
J.R. Smith 5 15.2 9.8 0.2 1.8 2.0 1.0 0.4 0.0 1.6 1.6 3.2 9.0 .356 1.8 4.2 .429 1.6 2.2 .727

Season 8

Sam Jones J.R. Smith
Season 1964-652011-12
Team Boston CelticsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionKnicks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 80 36.1 25.9 - - 5.1 2.8 - - - 2.2 10.3 22.7 .452 - - - 5.4 6.5 .820
difference:+45+8.5+13.4+1.2+0.4-0.3+5.6+11.1+.045+4.3+4.9+.111
J.R. Smith 35 27.6 12.5 0.8 3.1 3.9 2.4 1.5 0.2 1.3 2.5 4.7 11.6 .407 1.9 5.5 .347 1.1 1.6 .709
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 12 41.3 28.6 - - 4.6 2.5 - - - 3.3 11.3 24.5 .459 - - - 6.1 7.0 .869
difference:+7+6.3+16.4+2.0+0.3-0.5+6.5+9.3+.143+4.5+5.4+.131
J.R. Smith 5 35.0 12.2 0.4 2.2 2.6 2.2 1.2 0.2 2.2 3.8 4.8 15.2 .316 1.0 5.6 .179 1.6 1.6 1.000

Season 9

Sam Jones J.R. Smith
Season 1965-662012-13
Team Boston CelticsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
-Achievement Sixth Man of the Year
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionKnicks Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 67 32.2 23.5 - - 5.2 3.2 - - - 2.5 9.3 19.9 .469 - - - 4.9 6.1 .799
difference:+13+1.3+5.4+0.1+0.5-0.3+2.7+4.3+.047+1.9+2.2+.037
J.R. Smith 80 33.5 18.1 0.8 4.5 5.3 2.7 1.3 0.3 1.7 2.8 6.6 15.6 .422 1.9 5.5 .356 3.0 3.9 .762
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 17 35.4 24.8 - - 5.1 3.1 - - - 3.8 9.1 20.2 .449 - - - 6.7 8.0 .838
difference:+6+3.5+10.5+0.4+1.7-1.3+4.2+5.4+.118+3.9+4.1+.117
J.R. Smith 11 31.9 14.3 0.5 4.2 4.7 1.4 1.0 0.5 1.8 2.5 4.9 14.8 .331 1.6 6.0 .273 2.8 3.9 .721

Season 10

Sam Jones J.R. Smith
Season 1966-672013-14
Team Boston CelticsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Div FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
10th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 72 32.3 22.1 - - 4.7 3.0 - - - 2.7 8.9 19.5 .454 - - - 4.4 5.2 .857
difference:+2+0.4+7.6+0.7-0.1+3.5+6.6+.039+3.2+3.3+.205
J.R. Smith 74 32.7 14.5 0.5 3.5 4.0 3.0 0.9 0.3 1.5 2.6 5.4 12.9 .415 2.6 6.5 .394 1.2 1.9 .652
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 9 36.2 26.7 - - 5.1 3.1 - - - 3.3 10.6 23.0 .459 - - - 5.6 6.4 .862
J.R. Smith DNP------ --- ----------

Season 11

Sam Jones J.R. Smith
Season 1967-682014-15
Team Boston CelticsNew York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionCavaliers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
11th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 73 33.0 21.3 - - 4.9 3.0 - - - 2.5 8.5 18.5 .461 - - - 4.3 5.2 .827
difference:+3+3.3+9.2+1.8+0.2-0.2+4.0+7.7+.044+3.5+4.2+.077
J.R. Smith 70 29.7 12.1 0.4 2.7 3.1 2.8 1.2 0.3 1.4 2.3 4.5 10.8 .417 2.3 6.1 .383 0.8 1.0 .750
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 19 36.1 20.5 - - 3.4 2.6 - - - 3.1 8.5 19.3 .441 - - - 3.5 4.4 .786
difference:+1+5.0+7.7+1.3+1.4-0.1+3.9+7.9+.038+2.7+3.3+.086
J.R. Smith 18 31.1 12.8 0.5 4.2 4.7 1.2 0.9 0.6 0.8 3.0 4.6 11.4 .403 2.8 7.9 .359 0.8 1.1 .700

Season 12

Sam Jones J.R. Smith
Season 1968-692015-16
Team Boston CelticsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
12th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 70 26.0 16.3 - - 3.8 2.6 - - - 1.7 7.1 15.8 .450 - - - 2.1 2.7 .783
difference:+7+4.7+3.9+1.0+0.9-0.9+2.5+4.8+.035+1.5+1.8+.149
J.R. Smith 77 30.7 12.4 0.6 2.3 2.8 1.7 1.1 0.3 0.8 2.6 4.6 11.0 .415 2.6 6.6 .400 0.6 0.9 .634
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Sam Jones 18 28.6 16.8 - - 3.2 2.1 - - - 2.5 6.9 16.4 .419 - - - 3.1 3.8 .797
difference:+3+6.2+5.3+0.7-0.1+3.0+7.4+.017+2.5+2.8+.178
J.R. Smith 21 34.8 11.5 0.3 2.9 3.2 1.4 1.2 0.2 0.5 2.6 3.9 9.0 .436 3.1 7.2 .430 0.6 1.0 .619

Additional Years

* J.R. Smith played 4 seasons more than Sam Jones in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 13 to 16, from 2017 to 2020—J.R. Smith played in 3 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship.