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Dirk Nowitzki shares proud moment with Jalen Brunson after NBA Cup win over Magic
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- Dirk Nowitzki shares proud moment with Jalen Brunson after NBA Cup win over Magic
Dirk Nowitzki shares proud moment with Jalen Brunson after NBA Cup win over Magic appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Dirk Nowitzki didn't need a box score to explain how he felt about Jalen Brunson . After Brunson torched the Orlando Magic for 40 points and pushed the New York Knicks into the NBA Cup final, Nowitzki joined the postgame conversation on NBA on Prime and delivered a message that carried real weight. The Dallas Mavericks legend spoke directly to his former teammate, offering praise that felt both personal and earned.
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"When you left for New York I wasn't sure," Nowitzki said. "I'm super proud of you. I saw how hard you work, how much it means to you, how much time you put in when nobody's watching… I'm so happy the way you're leading this franchise."
That kind of endorsement doesn't come lightly, especially from someone who spent two decades defining what leadership looks like in Dallas.
Brunson's performance backed it up. He finished with a season-high 40 points while controlling the game late, delivering shot after shot whenever Orlando made a push. The Knicks leaned on him down the stretch, and he responded with poise, patience and a few cold-blooded buckets that sealed the outcome.
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The moment resonated because of where Brunson started. When he left Dallas for New York, plenty of people questioned whether he could carry a franchise. He wasn't supposed to be the face of anything. He was supposed to be solid, dependable, not dominant.
Now he's doing exactly that. Brunson has become the engine of the Knicks, setting the tone every night and leading with a calm confidence that mirrors some of the greats he once played alongside.
Nowitzki saw the work before the spotlight ever followed. Watching Brunson thrive on this stage clearly meant something deeper than a win.
Related: Knicks' Jalen Brunson joins elite NBA Cup club with 40-point masterclass vs. Magic
Related: Magic's Jalen Suggs leaves T-Mobile Arena in wheelchair after injury vs. Knicks
