It's been nearly a month since Knicks star Jalen Brunson suffered an ankle injury in an overtime loss to the Lakers, and while it is clear that the team misses him, New York has managed to put up an 8-5 record in his absence, including five wins in the team's last six games.
Still, the Knicks' playoff hopes hinge on a full return to health for Brunson, especially as New York appears locked into the No. 3 seed in the East, meaning the Knicks will either get the rough-and-tumble upstart Pistons in the opening round or the experienced Bucks.
Either is a tough matchup and Brunson said he is hopeful he will get a return to the court before then.
"Realistically, I'm hoping to play before the playoffs," Brunson said. "I think it's good for me to get some game reps before we go into that type of stretch run, but most importantly I want to make sure I'm 100% healthy."
With just seven games remaining, Brunson is running out of time. The Knicks play in Cleveland on Wednesday, and Brunson won't be on hand for that. But the team has a back-to-back this weekend, playing in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon, followed by a home game on Sunday night against the Suns.
SNY Knicks insider Ian Begley reports that one of those weekend games is a likely spot for a Brunson return.
He writes: "Also on the injury front, I think this weekend is a realistic timeframe for Jalen Brunson's return from injury. Brunson has been out with a right ankle sprain since March 8. The Knicks play at Atlanta on Saturday and host Phoenix on Sunday. Based on the current trajectory, I'd expect Brunson to return during one of those games."
The Knicks are bringing along center Mitchell Robinson in his return from an ankle injury, as well as dealing with a groin injury to Miles McBride and a knee injury to Karl-Anthony Towns.
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This story was originally published April 2, 2025 at 12:09 PM.