Steven Adams vs. J.R. Smith: Career Scoring Comparison

We break down the scoring legacies of J.R. Smith and Steven Adams to determine who has the better numbers. Here you can compare their career totals, points per game, games of 40+ points, 50+, etc. and their year-by-year scoring averages side by side, both in the Regular Season and Playoffs.

By taking a look at their career numbers for points, the first conclusion one can arrive at is that J.R. Smith has better scoring stats than Steven Adams in averages and totals, both in the regular season and Playoffs. However, we won't stop there and we'll go into detail to analyze what these statistics are made up of, from how many games they had in each threshold (30+ points, 40+, 50+, etc.) to their season-by-season scoring averages.

Career Numbers
Who has the better scoring stats?

Points in the Regular Season

In his 16 NBA regular seasons played, J.R. Smith averages 3.6 points more than Steven Adams in his 12 seasons (12.4 points against 8.8), and he also scored a total of 5,327 points more (12,148 vs. 6,821).

Points Per Game

Seasons
Steven Adams 8.8
12
J.R. Smith 12.4
+3.6
16

Total Points

Seasons
Steven Adams 6,821
12
J.R. Smith 12,148
+5,327
16

Points in the Playoffs

Similar to what happens in the regular season, in the NBA postseason J.R. Smith has a better career point average than Steven Adams (+3.2 points per game) and he also scored more points (+944).

Points Per Game

Playoffs
Steven Adams 7.5
8
J.R. Smith 10.7
+3.2
12

Total Points

Playoffs
Steven Adams 549
8
J.R. Smith 1,493
+944
12

Points by Thresholds

Regular Season

40+ Point Games

Steven Adams 0
J.R. Smith 4
+4

30+ Point Games

Steven Adams 0
J.R. Smith 24
+24

20+ Point Games

Steven Adams 40
J.R. Smith 160
+120

10+ Point Games

Steven Adams 321
J.R. Smith 604
+283

1+ Point Games (games with points)

Steven Adams 741
J.R. Smith 932
+191

0 Point Games (games without points)

Steven Adams 36
J.R. Smith 45
+9

Playoffs

20+ Point Games

Steven Adams 0
J.R. Smith 14
+14

10+ Point Games

Steven Adams 22
J.R. Smith 77
+55

1+ Point Games (games with points)

Steven Adams 63
J.R. Smith 130
+67

0 Point Games (games without points)

Steven Adams 10
J.R. Smith 10

Career Shooting Stats Comparison

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Regular Season

Stats Per Game

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Steven Adams 8.8 3.6 6.2 58.5 0.0 0.0 5.9 1.5 2.8 53.5 12 777
difference:+3.6+0.9+4.5+16.6+2.0+5.3+31.4+0.8+19.8+4+200
J.R. Smith 12.4 4.5 10.7 41.9 2.0 5.3 37.3 1.5 2.0 73.3 16 977

Total Stats

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Steven Adams 6,821 2,833 4,843 58.5 1 17 5.9 1,154 2,157 53.5 12 777
difference:+5,327+1,547+5,622+16.6+1,929+5,161+31.4+304+167+19.8+4+200
J.R. Smith 12,148 4,380 10,465 41.9 1,930 5,178 37.3 1,458 1,990 73.3 16 977

Playoffs

Stats Per Game

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Steven Adams 7.5 3.1 5.0 61.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.4 2.6 53.4 8 73
difference:+3.2+0.6+4.3+21.6+2.1+5.7+36.7+0.2+1.0+17.2+4+67
J.R. Smith 10.7 3.7 9.3 39.7 2.1 5.7 36.7 1.2 1.6 70.6 12 140

Total Stats

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Steven Adams 549 224 365 61.4 0 3 0.0 101 189 53.4 8 73
difference:+944+295+941+21.6+294+798+36.7+60+39+17.2+4+67
J.R. Smith 1,493 519 1,306 39.7 294 801 36.7 161 228 70.6 12 140

Year by Year Points Average Comparison

NBA Champion = NBA Champion

Regular Season

Rookie Season

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 3.3
201481
J.R. Smith 10.3
+7.0
200576

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 7.7
201570
J.R. Smith 7.7
200655

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 8.0
201680
J.R. Smith 13.0
+5.0
200763

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 11.3
201780
J.R. Smith 12.3
+1.0
200874

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 13.9
201876
J.R. Smith 15.2
+1.3
200981

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 13.9
201980
J.R. Smith 15.4
+1.5
201075

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 10.9
202063
J.R. Smith 12.3
+1.4
201179

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 7.6
202158
J.R. Smith 12.5
+4.9
201235

Season 9

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 6.9
202276
J.R. Smith 18.1
+11.2
201380

Season 10

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 8.6
202342
J.R. Smith 14.5
+5.9
201474

Season 11

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 3.9
202558
J.R. Smith 12.1
+8.2
201570

Season 12

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 6.0
202613
J.R. Smith 12.1
+6.1
201570

J.R. Smith's additional seasons:

* J.R. Smith played 5 seasons more than Steven Adams in the NBA.

In those years—his seasons 13 to 17, from 2016 to 2020—he averaged 9.6 points in a total of 215 regular season games. During that period, his highest average was 12.4 ppg and his lowest 2.8.

Playoffs

Rookie Season

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 3.9
+3.9
201418
J.R. Smith -
DNP
20050

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams -
DNP
20150
J.R. Smith -
DNP
20060

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 10.1
+5.6
201618
J.R. Smith 4.5
20074

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 8.0
20175
J.R. Smith 18.3
+10.3
20084

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 10.5
20186
J.R. Smith 14.9
+4.4
200916

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 11.8
+0.6
20195
J.R. Smith 11.2
20106

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 10.1
+0.3
20207
J.R. Smith 9.8
20115

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams -
DNP
20210
J.R. Smith 12.2
+12.2
20125

Season 9

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 3.4
20227
J.R. Smith 14.3
+10.9
201311

Season 10

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams -
DNP
20230
J.R. Smith -
DNP
20140

Season 11

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams 5.7
20257
J.R. Smith 12.8
+7.1
201518

Season 12

Points per gameYearGames
Steven Adams -
DNP *
20260
J.R. Smith 12.8
+12.8
201518
* season in progress

J.R. Smith's additional Playoffs:

* During his 5 additional NBA seasons, J.R. Smith played in 4 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships. In those postseasons he averaged 8.4 points in a total of 71 games. His highest playoff average during that period was 11.5 ppg and his lowest 2.