The New York Knicks are hopeful that Jalen Brunson will take the court on Friday night against the Orlando Magic. New York Post reporter Peter Botte shared Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau’s comments on Brunson’s status:
“Brunson, who was injured in the opening minute of Sunday’s game in Cleveland, participated in ‘most of practice’ Thursday at the team’s facility in Tarrytown, according to coach Tom Thibodeau,’ Botte said.
“He added, ‘We’ll see where he is [Friday],’ when asked if the All-Star point guard would be able to play in a key playoff-positioning matchup against the Magic at the Garden.”
Knicks: Jalen Brunson avoided a major injury in his last appearance against the Cavaliers
Brunson originally hurt his knee in the opening minute of the Knicks’ 107-98 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers this past Sunday. It originally appeared as a non-contact injury, but Thibodeau and ensuing reports suggested Brunson may have banged knees with Isaiah Hartenstein in the pick-and-roll that led up to his fall.
Brunson’s return to the Knicks’ lineup will pay huge dividends down the stretch of the year
Despite dodging a major bullet, the Villanova product did not play in the Knicks’ 116-110 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. New York and Brunson have benefited from a slow stretch in the schedule.
The 27-year-old point guard is averaging 27.2 points per game on 47.7% shooting from the field. His dynamic scoring will help the Knicks regain steam as the season bears its final stretch. The Knicks are also awaiting the returns of OG Anunoby, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson, which will stack their lineup right in time for the postseason.