Knicks star Jalen Brunson badly rolled his right ankle when he landed on **Austin Reaves**‘ foot with 1:24 remaining in overtime during Thursday’s loss to the Lakers (YouTube link). While Brunson was able to stay in to shoot free throws after being fouled on the drive, he left the game immediately afterward, slowly and carefully limping off the court.
According to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link), there’s optimism that Brunson sustained a sprained ankle and not something more serious.
Still, it’s worth noting that the severity of ankle sprains can vary drastically — a mild sprain might cause a player to only miss a game or two, while a major sprain can see a player sidelined for months. Brandon Ingram has missed four months and counting with a “significant” sprain, with no timetable for a return.
Former teammate Luka Doncic checked in on Brunson after the game, according to Steve Popper of Newsday (subscriber link). While Doncic said Brunson told him he’d be OK, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said the team’s point guard was still being evaluated.
“He’s being examined,” Thibodeau said. “I haven’t spoken with him. He was back with the medical people. … His mental toughness is through the roof. It doesn’t surprise me (that he stayed in to shoot free throws). The way he played the whole game, they were loaded up on him the whole game.”
Close friend Josh Hart expects Brunson to miss some time due to the injury, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
“Obviously it’s a bummer of an injury. We’ve got to expect him to be out for a little bit,” Hart said. “We’ve got guys. Now we have to step up. Other guys’ roles are going to be bigger. There’s more opportunity. Keep it afloat until he comes back, be aggressive, go out there and compete.”
Brunson, who finished with 39 points and 10 assists, is New York’s team captain. He has made All-Star appearances each of the past two seasons, leads the team in points and assists per game, and is the Knicks’ go-to option in crunch time. Clearly, any type of extended absence would be detrimental to the club, even if it has all but secured a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
More to come…