The New York Knicks suffered a double whammy during their 113-109 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena last night. Not only did they lose their second consecutive game, but they also lost their best player in the process.
Jalen Brunson tweaked his right ankle after landing on Austin Reaves with 1:24 left in overtime. He stayed in the game to hit two free throws to tie the game at 107 and headed straight to the locker room.
The two-time NBA All-Star finished the game with 39 points, four rebounds, and 10 assists on 13-for-26 shooting from the field and 12-for-13 from the free throw line.
Brunson’s injury could not come at a worse time for the New York Knicks, who will play four more road games against the Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, and Golden State Warriors.
New York Knicks News: Josh Hart drops pessimistic outlook on Jalen Brunson’s ankle injury
New York Knicks forward Josh Hart expects Jalen Brunson to be out for a while due to a sprained ankle. He hopes he is wrong. However, if he is proven correct, the team has to adopt the “next man up” mentality.
“(We’ve got to) expect him to be out for a little bit,” Hart said about Brunson via Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “We’ve got guys. Now we have to step up. Other guys’ roles are going to be bigger. There’s more opportunity. Keep it afloat until he comes back, be aggressive, go out there and compete.”
With Brunson on the mend, Miles McBride and Cameron Payne are expected to soak up more playing time at the point guard position.
