The New York Knicks sit third in the Eastern Conference and have mostly weathered the storm while point guard Jalen Brunson remains sidelined with an ankle sprain. Now, the team has provided an update on his recovery timeline.
As of Saturday, March 22, Brunson has begun controlled court work and will be re-evaluated in one week.
The two-time All-Star hasn’t played since the Knicks’ overtime loss to the Lakers on March 6. In his absence, the team is 3-4 and clearly misses the production provided by their starting floor general.
Brunson averages 26.3 points and 7.4 assists per game, the seventh and eighth-best marks in the NBA for each category. His offensive impact is undeniable — the Knicks have only crossed the 100-point threshold in three-of-seven games since Brunson went down with the injury.
While Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges have tried to shoulder the load, the team just hasn’t looked the same without their star guard. In a similar vein to Stephen Curry, Brunson’s gravity in the backcourt opens things up for teammates due to the defensive attention he demands.
Beginning on Saturday night, New York plays a three-game homestand against the Wizards, Mavericks, and Clippers before an away game at the Bucks on March 28. It’s around that time Brunson will be re-evaluated, with two more home games scheduled soon after for March 30 and April 1.
