Thursday was one of the worst nights in recent Knicks memory. They blew a double-digit lead against the hottest team in the league in a game with many positives. New York stared the Lakers in the eyes and brought them down to the wire, but ultimately couldn’t hold on for a victory. The game’s result is moot, however, because Jalen Brunson suffered a brutal ankle injury late in overtime. The severity of the injury is unknown, but it appears that the Knicks have avoided the worst-case scenario.
Knicks Outlook Without Jalen Brunson
With the Knicks trailing by two with less than two minutes in overtime, Brunson drove the lane through three Laker bodies for a floater. He landed on Austin Reaves‘ foot and his ankle bent nearly parallel to the ground. NY’s captain stayed in to hit both clutch free throws before leaving to the locker room with a serious limp. It’s a shame because Brunson was once again having an outstanding game, going toe-to-toe with LeBron James and Luka Doncic all night long. He finished with 39 points and 10 assists on 13-26 from the field.
What’s important, however, is his health going forward. Chris Haynes reported that the team is optimistic that it was only an ankle sprain, not a fracture or anything worse. MRIs will determine the severity and how long he will miss. It goes without saying that if he has to miss any time in the playoffs, New York’s season is likely over. They’ve been remarkably dependent on his production over the past month-plus despite all the talent they brought in over the last year.
There’s optimism New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson only sustained a sprained ankle, sources tell me.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 7, 2025
Knicks Still in a Good Position Standings-Wise
There is a basketball strategy element to Brunson’s injury, but first, the standings. Thanks mostly to his own clutch prowess of late, New York is in a great spot in the East standings. At 40-22, they sit comfortably in the third seed despite the surging Milwaukee Bucks. NY is 3.5 games ahead of the Bucks, 4.5 clear of Indiana, and 5.5 above Detroit. Tom Thibodeau’s group has the 16th-hardest remaining schedule, Milwaukee is fifth, Indiana is 20th, and Detroit is 14th. With the Bucks’ difficult stretch ahead, NY may be able to hang onto the three seed even without Brunson.
However, the Knicks are going to lose a bunch of games if their captain misses extended time. They’ve struggled recently to create offense without him, especially because of the poor play from Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. While this could put a damper on what’s been the best Knick regular season in decades, falling to fourth wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Cleveland is playing at a near 69-win pace, but Boston is still the king of the East. NY would much rather play the Cavaliers in the second round than the Celtics and hope someone beats Boston before the Conference Finals.
Boston is easily the worst matchup for the Knicks (and everyone). It’s particularly bad for New York because they have two entry points on defense in Karl-Anthony Towns and Brunson. The Celtics specialize in matchup-attacking opponents’ weak links with their five-out offense. Defensively, they also present massive issues for NY when Hart, Precious Achiuwa, or Mitchell Robinson are on the floor as non-shooters. There’s no doubt Cleveland would be an extremely tough matchup, but it’s still a better option for NY. They’ve had playoff success against their same core in the past and shouldn’t be intimidated by their gaudy record. They’ll play whoever lines up against them, but resting Brunson and falling to the fourth seed wouldn’t be the worst thing.
NY Should Use This Chance to Give Guys Opportunities
The silver lining of this injury is that it will give certain players chances to get into a rhythm. Mikal Bridges has struggled mightily over the past month, scoring 16 or more points just once in his last 11 games. He’s looked oddly tentative and unaggressive for long stretches. Well, he has no choice but to wake up now, as he will be the second option behind Towns. He’ll also be the Knicks’ primary ball-handling scorer. Hopefully, this can get him in a groove heading into the playoffs, regardless of whether New York suffers in the standings.
Miles McBride will surely play 35-plus minutes a night until Brunson returns, which he’s earned. Rookie Tyler Kolek may see some extended playing time, as will Cameron Payne and Landry Shamet. Towns will get more touches, although so much of his production relies on Brunson’s gravity. It’s going to be a brutal few weeks for New York, but they just need to get their leader back healthy for the playoffs. He’s one of the toughest players in the league and will do everything he can to be back for the postseason.
Photo credit: © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
