New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson will miss at least two weeks due to a right ankle sprain. ESPN’s Shams Charania was first to report.
Brunson appeared to twist his ankle in overtime of the Knicks’ 113-109 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The New York superstar was spectacular all game, finishing with 39 points, four rebounds, and 10 assists.
Knicks fans and the organization as a whole will rue that the game even went to overtime. New York looked in control until a late fourth quarter rally by the Lakers.
For the season, Brunson is averaging 26.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 7.4 assists and one steal per game. Having played in 61 games, one would think Brunson still has enough leeway to meet the 65-game threshold required for end of season awards.
Jalen Brunson headed to the locker room after suffering a leg injury on this play
He stayed in to shoot his FT’s pic.twitter.com/bw4jrE3Uhj
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 7, 2025
Knicks’ Hopes Of Catching Celtics Over?
New York would have harbored some hope of catching Boston for the two-seed and home court advantage in a potential second round clash. This extended absence for Brunson certainly puts a dent in that.
The Knicks are 4.5 games behind the Celtics for the second seed, and will now be better served trying to hold on to the third seed. The Milwaukee Bucks are 3.5 games behind New York and have won eight of their last nine games.
Currently on a five-game West coast road trip, the Knicks do have a fairly favorable schedule to lean on after the road trip. Miami hasn’t looked good post the Jimmy Butler trade, while San Antonio is in bad shape after Victor Wembanyama was ruled out for the season. The Charlotte Hornets are tanking, as are the Washington Wizards.
That’s followed by a matchup on Mar. 25 against a Dallas Mavericks team now without Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively II. One would imagine Brunson may even be targeting that game as a return date to play against his former team.
Who Steps In For Brunson?
In the absence of their leader, expect New York to lean on Cameron Payne and Miles McBride. One would certainly expect to see a green light for McBride for the foreseeable future.
Delon Wright hasn’t seen the floor since Feb. 21, but perhaps this will present an opportunity for him to make an impact.
It’s a big hole to fill offensively. Karl-Anthony Towns will be expected to shoulder even more of the load, while Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby will see a significant increase in touches as well.
