New York Knicks star guard Jalen Brunson is expected to miss at least two weeks after spraining his right ankle late in Thursday night’s overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Brunson, attempting a shot with 1:24 remaining in the extra period, came down on the foot of Lakers guard Austin Reaves after being fouled on a drive to the basket, rolling his ankle in the process. Visibly in pain, Brunson was helped up by teammates and stayed in the game to make both free throws and tie the score at 107. He then went to the locker room.
Brunson led the Knicks with 39 points and 10 assists. He sent the game into overtime with a three-point play after the Lakers rallied from a double-digit deficit midway through the fourth quarter.
It’s hard to overstate Brunson’s importance to the Knicks’ explosive offensive attack. The two-time All-Star, who finished fifth in last season’s MVP voting, has controlled the ball for an NBA-high 8.7 minutes per game this season, according to Second Spectrum data. Brunson’s late-game play has been particularly noteworthy, with his 145 points in clutch scenarios tied for most in the league.
The 28-year-old captain is seventh in the league in scoring (26.3 points per game) and eighth in assists (7.4).
The team said Friday it will provide an update on Brunson’s status in “approximately two weeks.”
Brunson’s injury could not come at a worse time for the Knicks. The loss to the Lakers began a five-game West Coast trip.
New York, which is 40-22 and in third place in the Eastern Conference, remains in Southern California to face the Clippers on Friday night before facing Sacramento on Monday night, Portland on Wednesday night and Golden State on March 15.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
