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Jalen Brunson has been the center of the New York Knicks throughout the season. His arrival helped to generate the most successful period for the Knicks this century, and on Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers he was the only thing that kept them alive when the Lakers drew a 13-point second half of comeback.
Brunson was the only KNICKS player who scored in the last three minutes of the regulations, and his and one layout with 46.1 seconds remaining eventually sent the game to overtime.
In retrospect, the Knicks would probably have preferred the game to end in regulations. With 1:24 remaining overtime, Brunson drove to the basket and pulled an error, but crumbled on the floor in clear pain. Repetition showed that Brunson stepped on the ankle of Austin Reaves, so that his own foot bends in an uncomfortable angle.
And while he stayed in the game to make his free throws to give him 39 points on the night, he left from there and did not return as the Lakers prevailed with a win of 113-109.
Every extensive absence for Brunson would be terrible for New York. The Knicks (40-22) currently have a four-game lead on the Milwaukee Bucks for the number 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, but the theory of their team trusts the shots that Brunson makes.
There is no other high-level ball handler in this schedule, and although Karl-Anthony Towns is a perfect capable number 1 option, his partnership with Brunson has led to the best offensive season of his career. No more team relies on its starters than on the Knicks, and if Brunson misses time, they have 35.4 minutes to be filled per night.
The schedule is also not exactly forgiving. The Knicks still have four games to a discouraging road trip from the Western Conference, and then they went out two more after a short return of one game home against the Miami Heat.
For now the team is waiting for a solid diagnosis of the seriousness of Brunson’s injury. With the play -offs only six weeks away, Brunson’s health is crucial.
