Before the Portland Trail Blazers could rely on 30-point games and Finals appearances from Clyde Drexler, they cranked out 40-to-45 wins through the offensive brilliance of Jim Paxson. From 1981 to 1985, the smooth-shooting two-guard averaged 19.4 points per game on a 52.1 field goal percentage, with tons of moves in his repertoire.
Just like his brother, Jim Paxson had an excellent shooting stroke. But he carved his Blazers legacy through off-ball offense and cuts to the basket.
It almost reminds one of how the Blazers used CJ McCollum, especially in his first few seasons as a featured star. Blazers players hit Paxson on plays that are similar to what we see today, in flare-type screens and “floppy sets” where he’s running baseline and coming off screens.
This minimized his dribbling, and maximized his shooting. See an example for yourself in the clip below around the one-and-a-half mark.
It didn’t always translate as well in the postseason, especially once Paxson had to share scoring responsibilities with more established Blazers like Drexler, Kiki Vandewaghe, and Mychal Thompson. But it earned Paxson two All-Star appearances, and he was recognized as one of the four best guards in the entire NBA, with his All-NBA Second Team selection in 1983-84. And for that, he earns the No. 16 spot.