The New York Knicks have managed to stay afloat with Jalen Brunson sidelined with an ankle injury, but they need him back on the court as soon as possible with injuries starting to mount up at the point guard position.
Knicks’ Jalen Brunson inching closer to return from injury
Brunson has progressed well in his rehab from a sprained ankle he suffered in overtime against the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this month, and there is optimism that he can return very soon. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon gave more insight and indicated that he could make his return in time to log a few more starts before the playoffs.
“It’s my understanding Brunson will be back before the playoffs,” MacMahon said on ESPN’s NBA Today (h/t NBA Analysis Network’s Dan Coombs).
MacMahon added that Brunson will likely be able to get at least four games in. If that were to hold true, not only would he have enough time to ramp back up before the playoffs, but he would also be eligible for the end-of-season awards.
Brunson has played 61 games this season, which is four short of the minimum 65 to be eligible for the league’s awards. He is considered the favorite to win Clutch Player of The Year and is likely in consideration for an All-NBA team selection.
The Knicks do not need to rush Brunson back
Brunson was named an All-Starter this season and is averaging 26.3 points and 7.4 assists. He has been the engine of the Knicks’ offense and is their best performer in crunch time, and they will need a lot of that during the playoffs.
New York doesn’t need to rush Brunson back on the court, as they officially clinched a playoff spot with the Atlanta Hawks loss on Thursday. They also still hold a 2.5-game lead over the Indiana Pacers for the third seed with 10 games remaining, so they can play it safe as the regular season closes.
However, the Knicks are shorthanded at the point guard position, as Miles McBride has missed the past three games with a groin injury and Cameron Payne has an ankle injury that will keep him out of Friday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Therefore, they need Brunson back as soon as possible.