Jim Paxson vs. David Thompson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of David Thompson and Jim 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 / 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.

Jim Paxson played 11 years in the NBA, 3 more than David Thompson, who played 8. Jim Paxson had the first of his seasons in 1979-80, while David Thompson had his rookie season in 1976-77. 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
Jim Paxson 11 9 1979-80 to 1989-90
David Thompson 8 5 1976-77 to 1983-84

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11

Rookie Season

Jim Paxson David Thompson
Season 1979-801976-77
Team Portland Trail BlazersDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdNuggets 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 %
Jim Paxson 72 17.6 6.2 0.3 1.2 1.5 2.0 0.7 0.1 1.3 1.3 2.6 6.4 .411 0.0 0.3 .045 0.9 1.3 .711
David Thompson 82 36.6 25.9 1.7 2.4 4.1 4.1 1.4 0.6 - 2.9 10.0 19.8 .507 - - - 5.8 7.6 .766
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 3 14.7 5.3 0.0 1.3 1.3 1.0 0.7 0.3 0.7 0.7 1.7 5.3 .313 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.0 1.000
David Thompson 6 39.5 24.7 2.2 3.0 5.2 4.0 1.5 0.7 - 3.7 9.3 20.2 .463 - - - 6.0 8.8 .679

Season 2

Jim Paxson David Thompson
Season 1980-811977-78
Team Portland Trail BlazersDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdNuggets 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 %
Jim Paxson 79 34.2 17.1 0.9 1.7 2.7 3.8 1.8 0.1 1.7 2.2 7.4 13.8 .536 0.0 0.4 .067 2.3 3.1 .734
David Thompson 80 37.8 27.2 2.0 2.9 4.9 4.5 1.2 1.2 3.1 2.7 10.3 19.8 .521 - - - 6.5 8.4 .778
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 1 4.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
David Thompson 13 37.0 25.2 1.4 2.7 4.1 4.0 0.7 1.6 3.0 2.6 10.1 22.4 .450 - - - 5.1 6.2 .825

Season 3

Jim Paxson David Thompson
Season 1981-821978-79
Team Portland Trail BlazersDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets 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 %
Jim Paxson 82 33.6 18.9 0.9 1.8 2.7 3.4 1.6 0.1 1.8 1.9 8.1 15.3 .526 0.1 0.4 .229 2.7 3.5 .767
David Thompson 76 35.1 24.0 1.4 2.2 3.6 3.0 0.9 1.1 2.4 2.4 9.1 17.8 .512 - - - 5.8 7.7 .753
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson ------- --- ----------
David Thompson 3 40.7 28.0 2.3 4.7 7.0 4.0 1.3 0.3 4.0 4.0 12.7 23.0 .551 - - - 2.7 3.7 .727

Season 4

Jim Paxson David Thompson
Season 1982-831979-80
Team Portland Trail BlazersDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Trail Blazers 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 %
Jim Paxson 81 33.8 21.7 0.8 1.3 2.1 2.9 1.7 0.2 1.9 2.0 8.4 16.3 .515 0.0 0.3 .160 4.8 5.9 .812
David Thompson 39 31.8 21.5 1.4 3.0 4.5 3.2 1.0 1.0 3.0 2.7 7.4 15.8 .468 0.2 0.5 .368 6.5 8.6 .758
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 7 37.1 23.3 0.6 1.6 2.1 2.6 1.3 0.1 2.1 1.6 9.7 16.6 .586 0.3 0.6 .500 3.6 4.7 .758
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Jim Paxson David Thompson
Season 1983-841980-81
Team Portland Trail BlazersDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 81 33.2 21.3 0.8 1.3 2.1 3.1 1.5 0.1 1.8 2.0 8.4 16.3 .514 0.2 0.7 .288 4.3 5.1 .841
David Thompson 77 34.0 25.5 1.4 2.3 3.7 3.0 0.7 0.8 3.2 3.0 9.5 18.8 .506 0.1 0.5 .256 6.4 8.0 .795
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 5 34.4 22.8 2.2 1.6 3.8 2.4 0.4 0.0 1.8 2.6 8.0 15.6 .513 0.2 1.0 .200 6.6 8.0 .825
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Jim Paxson David Thompson
Season 1984-851981-82
Team Portland Trail BlazersDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf SemisNuggets 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 %
Jim Paxson 68 33.1 17.9 1.0 2.3 3.3 3.9 1.5 0.1 1.6 1.7 7.5 14.5 .514 0.1 0.6 .154 2.9 3.6 .790
David Thompson 61 20.4 14.9 0.9 1.5 2.4 1.9 0.6 0.5 2.3 2.4 5.1 10.6 .486 0.1 0.2 .286 4.5 5.6 .814
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 9 23.6 12.9 0.7 1.6 2.2 2.3 0.7 0.0 0.6 1.8 5.2 11.2 .465 0.3 1.1 .300 2.1 2.7 .792
David Thompson 3 22.0 11.7 1.3 2.0 3.3 2.0 0.3 0.0 2.7 2.7 5.0 11.0 .455 0.3 1.0 .333 1.3 2.3 .571

Season 7

Jim Paxson David Thompson
Season 1985-861982-83
Team Portland Trail BlazersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdSupersonics 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 %
Jim Paxson 75 25.7 13.1 0.6 1.4 2.0 3.7 1.3 0.1 1.5 2.1 5.0 10.6 .470 0.3 0.8 .323 2.9 3.3 .889
David Thompson 75 28.7 15.9 1.3 2.3 3.6 3.0 0.6 0.4 2.2 1.9 5.9 12.3 .481 0.0 0.1 .200 4.0 5.1 .784
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 4 17.8 10.5 0.3 0.8 1.0 3.8 0.8 0.0 1.5 3.0 3.5 9.3 .378 0.5 1.5 .333 3.0 3.8 .800
David Thompson 2 32.5 12.0 0.0 0.0 0 3.5 0.5 0.5 2.0 3.5 4.5 12.5 .360 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 5.0 .600

Season 8

Jim Paxson David Thompson
Season 1986-871983-84
Team Portland Trail BlazersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 72 25.0 12.1 0.6 1.4 1.9 3.3 1.1 0.2 1.5 1.9 4.7 10.2 .460 0.4 1.4 .265 2.4 3.0 .806
David Thompson 19 18.4 12.6 0.9 1.4 2.3 0.7 0.5 0.7 1.4 1.6 4.7 8.7 .539 0.0 0.1 .000 3.3 3.8 .849
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 4 23.5 8.5 1.0 1.3 2.3 3.3 1.3 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.3 8.0 .406 0.0 0.5 .000 2.0 2.3 .889
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Jim Paxson David Thompson
Season 1987-88-
Team Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Jim Paxson 45 17.8 7.7 0.3 0.7 1.0 1.7 0.7 0.1 0.9 1.6 3.0 6.6 .460 0.1 0.5 .238 1.5 1.8 .861
David Thompson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 15 12.5 3.3 0.1 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.4 0.1 0.8 1.2 1.1 3.9 .288 0.0 0.1 .000 1.1 1.3 .800
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Jim Paxson David Thompson
Season 1988-89-
Team Boston Celtics-
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 %
Jim Paxson 57 20.0 8.6 0.3 1.0 1.3 1.9 0.7 0.1 1.0 1.7 3.5 7.8 .454 0.1 0.4 .167 1.5 1.8 .816
David Thompson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson ------- --- ----------
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Jim Paxson David Thompson
Season 1989-90-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Jim Paxson 72 17.8 6.4 0.3 0.7 1.1 1.9 0.5 0.1 0.8 1.6 2.7 5.9 .453 0.1 0.3 .250 1.0 1.3 .811
David Thompson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 5 12.4 3.8 0.0 0.0 0 1.4 1.0 0.0 0.6 0.2 1.6 3.2 .500 0.0 0.2 .000 0.6 0.8 .750
David Thompson ------- --- ----------