There’s some bad news for the New York Knicks, and fans aren’t going to like it.
According to a well-known NBA insider, All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson is expected to miss at least two weeks after suffering a right ankle sprain against the Los Angeles Lakers.
You might think the Knicks are still in a good spot, holding the No. 3 seed in the East. But this close to the playoffs, it’s a huge setback.
Brunson’s Injury: A Brutal Blow for New York
Brunson’s injury? It looked nasty when it happened. NBA insider Shams Charania posted on Twitter that Brunson will be out for at least two weeks.
New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson is expected to miss at least two weeks with a right ankle sprain.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 8, 2025
In overtime against the Lakers, with just 1:20 left, Brunson drove hard to the lane but stepped on Austin Reaves’ foot. In the process, he rolled his ankle and went down in pain. While he stayed in the game long enough to shoot free throws, he had to be helped to the locker room right after.
The good news? There’s no ligament damage, so it’s not a season-ending injury. The bad news? The Knicks will have to survive without their leader for at least two weeks.
What makes it worse? Brunson was on a tear, averaging 26.3 points, 7.4 assists and shooting 38.4% from 3 this season.
He’s been the engine for the Knicks’ offense, and without him, things could get tricky fast.
Just look at what happened Friday night—the Knicks played their second game without Brunson and managed just 95 points on 38.9% shooting in a loss to the Clippers. Not exactly encouraging.
How Do the Knicks Survive Without Brunson?
If you’re the Knicks, you can’t replace a guy like Jalen Brunson.
But if they want to hold onto the No. 3 seed and avoid sliding down the standings, they’ll need big performances from the rest of the squad.
Karl-Anthony Towns has to step up—he dropped 23 points against the Clippers, but now, he needs to be even more aggressive. Mikal Bridges has to take on a bigger offensive role—he scored 22 on 8-of-12 shooting last game, and the Knicks will need more of that.
The rest of the backcourt has to create more shots. Brunson does a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to playmaking but now’s the time for someone else to step up.
The Knicks still have a lead over the Bucks for the No. 3 seed. And with 19 games to go, as long as they avoid a total collapse, they should be fine.
But the real concern? Making sure Brunson is 100% for the playoffs. This team is built to make noise in the postseason, and their best shot at doing that is with a fully healthy roster.
For now, all eyes are on Brunson’s recovery—because the Knicks’ playoff hopes might depend on