UPDATE: Brunson will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Update: Jalen Brunson has been ruled out of tonight’s game against the LA Clippers.
Late in overtime of last night’s 113-109 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the New York Knicks’ season took a turn for the worse. Point guard Jalen Brunson went down to the hardwood at Crypto.com Arena, clutching his right ankle. He was barely able to put any weight on it as he was helped to the free throw line to drain his two foul shots before heading to the locker room.
There was some initial concern that he might have suffered a fracture, but according to the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy, X-Rays of his ankle came back negative.
The Knicks have not yet released any information about Brunson’s diagnosis or how long he might be out for, but any absence that extends into the postseason would be devastating for the team. New York has the inside track to the third seed in the Eastern Conference, three and a half games ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks, but its road will become more difficult if Brunson misses significant time. The southpaw has been extremely durable this season, only missing one game and being fourth in the league in minutes, and New York easily won the game he sat out.
While they’re currently 6.6 points better per 100 possessions with Brunson off the court than on it, the Knicks will likely struggle, especially on offense, if their talisman — who finished fifth in MVP voting last season and is averaging an efficient 26.7 points and 7.5 assists per game so far in 2024-25 — misses significant time. In 2023-24, they went just 1-4 with Brunson out.
While he’s sidelined, Miles McBride — who’s averaging 9.0 points per game on 42-37-85 shooting splits — will likely step into the starting lineup. In his one start this season, which came alongside Brunson, he scored a season-high 23 points in a win over the Chicago Bulls on February 20.
New York’s chances moving forward hinge heavily on the severity of Brunson’s sprain. A Grade 1 sprain would likely hold him out for no more than two weeks, but a Grade 2 sprain might end his regular season, given that the Knicks will play their final game on April 13. Grade 3 sprains typically take at least six weeks to recover from, which would keep Brunson out well into the first round of the postseason.
