3. The Duel With Dirk
If a European big man stands at near 7’0″ tall and shoots the 3-ball, they’re going to be compared to Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki is the gold standard for big men who can shoot as a former NBA champion, league MVP, and Finals MVP.
That’s exactly what makes Monday, December 7, 2015 such a momentous occasion: it was the first meeting between Nowitzki and Kristaps Porzingis.
Porzingis hasn’t shied away from the Nowitzki comparisons. Instead, he’s acknowledged that the 13-time All-Star is one of his most influential peers—and truth be told, it’d be more surprising if he weren’t.
When they finally met, Nowitzki held a master class with 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting—and Porzingis, the student, showed just how quick of a study he is.
Porzingis went right back at Nowitzki. The New York Knicks rookie finished with 28 points on 13-of-18 shooting from the field, going shot-for-shot with Nowitzki during extended stretches of the game.
The Knicks came up short, 104-97, but watching Porzingis duel with Nowitzki was a surreal Kobe-Jordan type of moment.
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