Knicks' Jalen Brunson Mum on Mavericks' 'Surprising' Fall

As he continues to push the New York Knicks to new heights, Jalen Brunson is mostly remaining silent when it comes to the ongoing downfall of his former employers, the Dallas Mavericks.
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Perhaps no one's made a louder statement this NBA season than Jalen Brunson, who has turned into a proven top option and star during his debut season with the New York Knicks, his first on a four-year, $104 million contract. 

When it comes to the status of the Dallas Mavericks, however, Brunson is remaining decidedly mute.

Brunson's arrival has helped the Knicks (46-33) lock up a spot among the Eastern Conference's top six automatic playoff teams, officially sealing their postseason fate with a win over the Washington Wizards on Sunday. With Brunson setting new career bests in almost every major statistical category, he has justified his new nine-figure deal and then some, putting the Knicks back into the championship tournament after a disappointing 37-win campaign from the year prior. 

Coming to New York ended Brunson's four-year tenure with the Mavericks, his original employers who have floundered in his absence. With Brunson serving as a major part of a surprising run to the Western Conference Finals last summer, Dallas (37-42) is now on the verge of basketball oblivion, even with superstar Luka Dončić sticking around. As it stands, the Mavericks are one game behind Oklahoma City for the fourth and final spot in the West's Play-In Tournament after dropping seven of their last eight.

Asked about the Mavericks' downfall after the Knicks' clinch, Brunson was reserved yet open concerning the developments. 

"I am surprised," Brunson said in video from SNY. "I honestly have no comment about that, but it's definitely surprising."

Brunson appears to understand that he has bigger, more pressing affairs to focus on. The Knicks are searching for their first playoff series victory since 2013 and they're set to enter with a fair bit of momentum: since bringing in Brunson's former collegiate teammate Josh Hart in a trade deadline deal with Portland on Feb. 11, the Knicks are 16-6, the second-best record in the NBA in that span behind only the Eastern leaders in Milwaukee. Dallas has not had similar success since trading for Kyrie Irving, as they're 8-16 since he first took the floor for them on Feb. 8.

Brunson has averaged 26.5 points in that span, which includes a career-best 48-point showing in a crucial win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. 

As it stands, the Knicks appear destined for the East's fifth seed, where the Cavs likely await. In the meantime, the Knicks have a chance to generate further momentum before the postseason with a final three-game stretch that begins on Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers (7 p.m. ET, MSG).  


Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks