Jalen Brunson vs. Dirk Nowitzki: Career Scoring Comparison

We break down the scoring legacies of Dirk Nowitzki and Jalen Brunson to determine who has the better numbers. Here you can compare their career totals, points per game, games of 40+ points, 50+, etc. and their year-by-year scoring averages side by side, both in the Regular Season and Playoffs.

Dirk Nowitzki is among the NBA's all-time leaders in points and here we compare his scoring stats with those recorded by Jalen Brunson.

By taking a look at their career numbers for points, the first conclusion one can arrive at is that Dirk Nowitzki scored more points both in the regular season and Playoffs and also has better season average while Jalen Brunson has a better scoring average in the postseason. However, we won't stop there and we'll go into detail to analyze what these statistics are made up of, from how many games they had in each threshold (30+ points, 40+, 50+, etc.) to their season-by-season scoring averages.

Career Numbers
Who has the better scoring stats?

Points in the Regular Season

In his 21 NBA regular seasons played, Dirk Nowitzki averages 2.5 points more than Jalen Brunson in his 8 seasons (20.7 points against 18.2), and he also scored a total of 22,583 points more (31,560 vs. 8,977).

Points Per Game

Seasons
Jalen Brunson 18.2
8
Dirk Nowitzki 20.7
+2.5
21

Total Points

Seasons
Jalen Brunson 8,977
8
Dirk Nowitzki 31,560
+22,583
21

Points in the Playoffs

In the NBA postseason Jalen Brunson has a better career point average than Dirk Nowitzki (+0.1 points per game) while Dirk Nowitzki scored more points (+1,962).

Points Per Game

Playoffs
Jalen Brunson 25.4
+0.1
5
Dirk Nowitzki 25.3
15

Total Points

Playoffs
Jalen Brunson 1,701
5
Dirk Nowitzki 3,663
+1,962
15

Points by Thresholds

Regular Season

60+ Point Games

Jalen Brunson 1
+1
Dirk Nowitzki 0

50+ Point Games

Jalen Brunson 3
+1
Dirk Nowitzki 2

40+ Point Games

Jalen Brunson 18
Dirk Nowitzki 20
+2

30+ Point Games

Jalen Brunson 81
Dirk Nowitzki 245
+164

20+ Point Games

Jalen Brunson 207
Dirk Nowitzki 861
+654

10+ Point Games

Jalen Brunson 378
Dirk Nowitzki 1,373
+995

1+ Point Games (games with points)

Jalen Brunson 479
Dirk Nowitzki 1,509
+1030

0 Point Games (games without points)

Jalen Brunson 13
Dirk Nowitzki 13

Playoffs

50+ Point Games

Jalen Brunson 0
Dirk Nowitzki 1
+1

40+ Point Games

Jalen Brunson 9
+2
Dirk Nowitzki 7

30+ Point Games

Jalen Brunson 24
Dirk Nowitzki 46
+22

20+ Point Games

Jalen Brunson 48
Dirk Nowitzki 109
+61

10+ Point Games

Jalen Brunson 61
Dirk Nowitzki 142
+81

1+ Point Games (games with points)

Jalen Brunson 67
Dirk Nowitzki 145
+78

0 Point Games (games without points)

Jalen Brunson 0
Dirk Nowitzki 0

Career Shooting Stats Comparison

more >>

Regular Season

Stats Per Game

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Jalen Brunson 18.2 6.7 13.7 48.9 1.6 4.1 38.8 3.2 3.9 82.3 8 492
difference:+2.5+0.6+1.9+1.8+0.3+0.7+0.8+1.6+1.5+5.6+13+1,030
Dirk Nowitzki 20.7 7.3 15.6 47.1 1.3 3.4 38.0 4.8 5.4 87.9 21 1,522

Total Stats

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Jalen Brunson 8,977 3,296 6,745 48.9 791 2,038 38.8 1,594 1,936 82.3 8 492
difference:+22,583+7,873+16,989+1.8+1,191+3,172+0.8+5,646+6,303+5.6+13+1,030
Dirk Nowitzki 31,560 11,169 23,734 47.1 1,982 5,210 38.0 7,240 8,239 87.9 21 1,522

Playoffs

Stats Per Game

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Jalen Brunson 25.4 9.0 19.7 46.0 2.0 5.8 34.2 5.3 6.4 82.6 5 67
difference:+0.1+0.6+1.5+0.2+1.0+3.0+2.3+2.1+1.9+6.6+10+78
Dirk Nowitzki 25.3 8.4 18.2 46.2 1.0 2.8 36.5 7.4 8.3 89.2 15 145

Total Stats

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Jalen Brunson 1,701 606 1,318 46.0 132 386 34.2 357 432 82.6 5 67
difference:+1,962+614+1,324+0.2+17+22+2.3+717+772+6.6+10+78
Dirk Nowitzki 3,663 1,220 2,642 46.2 149 408 36.5 1,074 1,204 89.2 15 145

Year by Year Points Average Comparison

NBA Champion = NBA Champion

Regular Season

Rookie Season

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson 9.3
+1.1
201973
Dirk Nowitzki 8.2
199947

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson 8.2
202057
Dirk Nowitzki 17.5
+9.3
200082

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson 12.6
202168
Dirk Nowitzki 21.8
+9.2
200182

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson 16.3
202279
Dirk Nowitzki 23.4
+7.1
200276

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson 24.0
202368
Dirk Nowitzki 25.1
+1.1
200380

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson 28.7
+6.9
202477
Dirk Nowitzki 21.8
200477

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson 26.0
202565
Dirk Nowitzki 26.1
+0.1
200578

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson 31.2
+4.6
20265
Dirk Nowitzki 26.6
200681

Dirk Nowitzki's additional seasons:

* Dirk Nowitzki played 13 seasons more than Jalen Brunson in the NBA.

In those years—his seasons 9 to 21, from 2007 to 2019—he averaged 19.9 points in a total of 919 regular season games. During that period, his highest average was 25.9 ppg and his lowest 7.3.

Playoffs

Rookie Season

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson -
DNP
20190
Dirk Nowitzki -
DNP
19990

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson -
DNP
20200
Dirk Nowitzki -
DNP
20000

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson 8.0
20217
Dirk Nowitzki 23.4
+15.4
200110

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson 21.6
202218
Dirk Nowitzki 28.4
+6.8
20028

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson 27.8
+2.5
202311
Dirk Nowitzki 25.3
200317

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson 32.4
+5.8
202413
Dirk Nowitzki 26.6
20045

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson 29.4
+5.7
202518
Dirk Nowitzki 23.7
200513

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
Jalen Brunson -
DNP *
20260
Dirk Nowitzki 27.0
+27.0
200623
* season in progress

Dirk Nowitzki's additional Playoffs:

* During his 13 additional NBA seasons, Dirk Nowitzki played in 9 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship. In those postseasons he averaged 24.8 points in a total of 69 games. His highest playoff average during that period was 27.7 ppg and his lowest 19.1.