The New York Knicks will have to find a way to stay afloat for three or four weeks without their superstar, Jalen Brunson, who suffered an ankle injury on March 6.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the timetable, which shelves the point guard until late March or early April and potentially threatens the remainder of the regular season, considering things wrap up on April 13.
With 16 games left in the season, the Knicks hold a four-game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. New York is 2-2 without Brunson, which most recently featured a 97-94 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night, and they have also lost four of their last six.
It makes Brunson’s absence felt all the more. He averaged 26.3 points and 7.4 assists per game in 61 games this season.
There appears to be some unrest building within the Knicks’ ranks as of late, too. First, Mikal Bridges called out head coach Tom Thibodeau for playing his starters too many minutes. The two apparently reconciled after a “productive” meeting, which then saw Bridges hit the buzzer-beating overtime game-winner on Wednesday in Portland to beat the Blazers.
On Saturday night in San Francisco, Josh Hart and Thibodeau were caught getting into a heated exchange on the bench during a timeout. Hart was clearly frustrated on a night when he did not score a single point while shooting 0-for-7 from the field.
“I love Josh, you guys know that,” Thibodeau said after the game. “Just whatever can get us going, just try to get us going.”
When a follow-up asked if it was just a “passionate moment,” Thibodeau replied, “Yeah, that’s it.”
A down stretch will often strain emotions, and without Brunson’s stabilizing impact, more stress could be heaped on the Knicks if the downturn in play continues. Luckily for them, they have one of the easier stretches ahead of them, with their next five games coming against the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, and Dallas Mavericks.
