John Paxson vs. Nate Thurmond Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Nate Thurmond and John Paxson, 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.

John Paxson played 11 years in the NBA, 3 less than Nate Thurmond, who played 14. John Paxson had the first of his seasons in 1983-84, while Nate Thurmond had his rookie season in 1963-64. 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
John Paxson	11	10	1983-84 to 1993-94
Nate Thurmond	14	9	1963-64 to 1976-77

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14


Rookie Season
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1983-84	1963-64
Team	San Antonio Spurs	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Warriors Lost NBA Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	49	9.3	2.9	0.1	0.6	0.7	3.0	0.2	0.0	0.7	1.0	1.2	2.8	.445	0.1	0.4	.182	0.3	0.5	.615
Nate Thurmond	76	25.9	7.0	-	-	10.4	1.1	-	-	-	2.4	2.9	7.3	.395	-	-	-	1.3	2.3	.549

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Nate Thurmond	12	34.2	10.0	-	-	12.3	0.8	-	-	-	3.8	3.5	8.0	.438	-	-	-	3.0	4.4	.679


Season 2
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1984-85	1964-65
Team	San Antonio Spurs	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Spurs Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Did Not Play

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	78	16.1	6.2	0.2	0.6	0.9	2.8	0.6	0.0	1.0	1.5	2.5	4.9	.509	0.1	0.4	.294	1.1	1.3	.840
Nate Thurmond	77	41.2	16.5	-	-	18.1	2.0	-	-	-	3.0	6.7	16.1	.419	-	-	-	3.1	4.6	.658

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	5	22.8	10.2	0.0	1.0	1.0	4.2	1.0	0.0	1.0	1.8	4.2	8.4	.500	0.4	1.8	.222	1.4	1.8	.778
Nate Thurmond	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 3
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1985-86	1965-66
Team	Chicago Bulls	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Did Not Play

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	75	20.9	5.3	0.2	1.0	1.3	3.7	0.7	0.0	0.8	2.3	2.0	4.4	.466	0.2	0.7	.300	1.0	1.2	.804
Nate Thurmond	73	39.6	16.3	-	-	18.0	1.5	-	-	-	3.1	6.2	15.3	.406	-	-	-	3.8	5.9	.654

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	3	26.7	9.0	0.0	0.0	0	1.7	1.0	0.0	1.0	3.0	2.3	5.0	.467	0.0	0.0	-	4.3	5.7	.765
Nate Thurmond	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 4
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1986-87	1966-67
Team	Chicago Bulls	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Warriors Lost NBA Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	82	32.8	11.3	0.3	1.4	1.7	5.7	0.8	0.1	1.3	2.5	4.7	9.7	.487	0.6	1.7	.371	1.3	1.6	.809
Nate Thurmond	65	42.5	18.7	-	-	21.3	2.6	-	-	-	2.8	7.2	16.4	.437	-	-	-	4.3	6.8	.629

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	3	29.0	8.7	0.0	1.0	1.0	3.7	0.7	0.0	1.7	3.0	3.7	7.3	.500	1.0	2.3	.429	0.3	0.3	1.000
Nate Thurmond	15	46.0	15.9	-	-	23.1	3.1	-	-	-	3.5	6.2	14.3	.433	-	-	-	3.5	6.1	.571


Season 5
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1987-88	1967-68
Team	Chicago Bulls	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf Semis	Did Not Play

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	81	23.3	7.9	0.2	1.1	1.3	3.7	0.6	0.0	0.8	1.9	3.5	7.2	.493	0.4	1.2	.347	0.4	0.6	.733
Nate Thurmond	51	43.6	20.5	-	-	22.0	4.2	-	-	-	2.7	7.5	18.2	.411	-	-	-	5.5	8.6	.644

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	10	16.5	4.6	0.0	0.4	0.4	3.0	0.1	0.1	0.5	2.4	2.0	5.3	.377	0.2	1.2	.167	0.4	0.4	1.000
Nate Thurmond	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 6
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1988-89	1968-69
Team	Chicago Bulls	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf Finals	Warriors Lost West Div Semis

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	78	22.3	7.3	0.2	1.0	1.2	3.9	0.7	0.1	0.9	2.1	3.2	6.6	.480	0.6	1.7	.331	0.4	0.5	.861
Nate Thurmond	71	45.2	21.5	-	-	19.7	3.6	-	-	-	2.4	8.0	19.6	.410	-	-	-	5.4	8.7	.615

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	16	18.9	5.8	0.1	0.5	0.6	2.1	0.8	0.0	0.9	2.2	2.3	4.9	.474	0.3	1.2	.263	0.9	1.0	.875
Nate Thurmond	6	43.8	16.7	-	-	19.5	4.7	-	-	-	3.0	6.7	17.0	.392	-	-	-	3.3	5.7	.588


Season 7
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1989-90	1969-70
Team	Chicago Bulls	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf Finals	Did Not Play

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	82	28.8	10.0	0.3	1.1	1.5	4.1	1.0	0.1	1.0	2.1	4.5	8.6	.516	0.4	1.1	.359	0.7	0.8	.824
Nate Thurmond	43	44.6	21.9	-	-	17.7	3.5	-	-	-	2.6	7.9	19.2	.414	-	-	-	6.1	8.0	.754

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	15	26.3	6.1	0.1	1.3	1.5	3.6	0.6	0.0	1.0	2.8	2.5	5.8	.425	0.3	0.6	.444	0.9	0.9	1.000
Nate Thurmond	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 8
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1990-91	1970-71
Team	Chicago Bulls	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Warriors Lost West Conf Semis

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	82	24.0	8.7	0.2	0.9	1.1	3.6	0.8	0.0	0.8	1.7	3.9	7.0	.548	0.5	1.2	.438	0.4	0.5	.829
Nate Thurmond	82	40.9	20.0	-	-	13.8	3.1	-	-	-	2.3	7.6	17.1	.445	-	-	-	4.8	6.6	.730

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	17	28.6	8.2	0.1	1.2	1.4	3.1	0.6	0.0	0.4	1.9	3.6	6.9	.530	0.1	0.8	.143	0.8	0.8	1.000
Nate Thurmond	5	38.4	17.6	-	-	10.2	3.0	-	-	-	4.0	7.2	19.4	.371	-	-	-	3.2	4.0	.800


Season 9
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1991-92	1971-72
Team	Chicago Bulls	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Warriors 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		%
John Paxson	79	24.6	7.0	0.3	0.9	1.2	3.1	0.6	0.1	0.6	1.8	3.3	6.2	.528	0.2	0.6	.273	0.4	0.5	.784
Nate Thurmond	78	43.1	21.4	-	-	16.1	2.9	-	-	-	2.7	8.1	18.6	.432	-	-	-	5.3	7.2	.743

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	22	27.2	7.9	0.0	1.0	1.0	2.8	0.6	0.0	0.6	2.4	3.3	6.3	.525	0.5	1.2	.444	0.7	0.9	.842
Nate Thurmond	5	46.0	25.4	-	-	17.8	5.2	-	-	-	2.4	10.6	24.4	.434	-	-	-	4.2	5.6	.750


Season 10
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1992-93	1972-73
Team	Chicago Bulls	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Warriors Lost West Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	59	17.5	4.2	0.2	0.7	0.8	2.3	0.6	0.0	0.5	1.7	1.8	3.9	.451	0.3	0.7	.463	0.3	0.3	.850
Nate Thurmond	79	43.3	17.1	-	-	17.1	3.5	-	-	-	3.0	6.5	14.7	.446	-	-	-	4.0	5.6	.718

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	19	17.4	4.9	0.3	0.7	1.0	1.7	0.3	0.1	0.2	1.6	1.8	3.2	.583	0.8	1.3	.625	0.4	0.6	.727
Nate Thurmond	11	41.8	14.5	-	-	13.2	3.6	-	-	-	2.7	5.8	14.6	.398	-	-	-	2.9	3.6	.800


Season 11
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1993-94	1973-74
Team	Chicago Bulls	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf Semis	Did Not Play

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	27	12.7	2.6	0.1	0.6	0.7	1.2	0.3	0.1	0.2	0.7	1.1	2.5	.441	0.3	0.8	.409	0.0	0.1	.500
Nate Thurmond	62	39.7	13.0	4.0	10.1	14.2	2.7	0.7	2.9	-	2.9	5.0	11.2	.444	-	-	-	3.1	4.6	.666

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	9	6.4	0.7	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.6	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.7	0.3	0.8	.429	0.0	0.1	.000	0.0	0.0	-
Nate Thurmond	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 12
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	-	1974-75
Team	-	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	-	Bulls Lost West Conf Finals

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Nate Thurmond	80	34.5	7.9	3.2	8.1	11.3	4.1	0.6	2.4	-	3.4	3.1	8.6	.364	-	-	-	1.7	2.8	.589

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Nate Thurmond	13	19.5	3.5	1.8	4.8	6.7	2.4	0.4	1.6	-	2.8	1.1	2.9	.368	-	-	-	1.4	2.8	.486


Season 13
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	-	1975-76
Team	-	Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	-	Cavaliers 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		%
John Paxson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Nate Thurmond	78	17.9	4.4	1.5	3.8	5.3	1.2	0.3	1.3	-	2.1	1.8	4.3	.421	-	-	-	0.8	1.6	.504

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Nate Thurmond	13	28.8	6.7	2.9	6.1	9.0	2.2	0.5	2.2	-	4.0	2.8	6.1	.468	-	-	-	1.0	2.5	.406


Season 14
	John Paxson	Nate Thurmond
Season	-	1976-77
Team	-	Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	-	Cavaliers 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		%
John Paxson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Nate Thurmond	49	20.3	5.5	2.5	5.2	7.6	1.7	0.3	1.7	-	2.6	2.0	5.0	.407	-	-	-	1.4	2.2	.642

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
John Paxson	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Nate Thurmond	1	1.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	-	0.0	0.0	0.0	-	-	-	-	0.0	0.0	-

John Paxson vs. Nate Thurmond Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Nate Thurmond and John Paxson, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8

Season 9

Season 10

Season 11

Season 12

Season 13

Season 14