Jalen Brunson has been the centerpiece for the New York Knicks all season. His arrival helped spark the most successful period for the Knicks this century, and on Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers, he was the only thing that kept them alive when the Lakers pulled off a 13-point second-half comeback.
Brunson was the only Knicks player to score in the last three minutes of regulation, and his and-one layup with 46.1 seconds remaining ultimately sent the game to overtime.
With hindsight, the Knicks likely would have preferred the game to end in regulation. With 1:24 remaining in overtime, Brunson drove to the basket and drew a foul, but crumpled to the floor in obvious pain. Replay showed that Brunson stepped on the ankle of Austin Reaves, causing his own foot to bend at an awkward angle.
And while he stayed in the game to make his free throws to give him 39 points on the night, he exited from there and did not return as the Lakers prevailed with a 113-109 victory.
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau had no definitive update after the game as Brunson was still getting examined. According to Chris Haynes, there is optimism that Brunson only suffered an ankle sprain. Of course, given the different variety of possible ankle sprains, that does not offer a clear timetable for his recovery.
Any extended absence for Brunson would be dire for New York. The Knicks (40-22) currently hold a four-game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, but the theory of their team relies on the shots that Brunson creates.
There is not another high-level ball-handler on this roster, and while Karl-Anthony Towns is a perfectly capable No. 1 option, his partnership with Brunson has led to the best offensive season of his career. No team relies on its starters more than the Knicks, and if Brunson misses time, they’ll have 35.4 minutes to fill per night.
The schedule isn’t exactly forgiving either. The Knicks have four games left on a daunting Western Conference road trip, and then they hit the road for two more after a brief one-game return home against the Miami Heat.
For now, the team is awaiting a firmer diagnosis of the severity of Brunson’s injury. With the playoffs only six weeks away, Brunson’s health is critical.
