Jalen Brunson left Game 2 of the second-round series between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers with roughly four minutes left in the first quarter with what the Knicks called a sore right foot. He was initially listed as questionable to return, but Brunson gave it a go after halftime and was on the floor for the Knicks at the start of the third quarter. His return was the difference for the Knicks, as his 29 points led the way in their Game 2 victory.
Fortunately for the Knicks, Brunson said he was “all good” with the injury after the game. He did not sit at any point in the second half, so the on-court evidence supports his belief. Barring complications between now and Friday, he should likely be expected to suit up for Game 3.
It is unclear when exactly Brunson’s injury occurred. At one point in the first quarter, it looked as though he had taken either knee-to-knee contact or had been hit in the groin. With roughly three-and-a-half minutes to go in the first quarter, Brunson, who was not moving well, looked as though he was asking out of the game as Josh Hart committed a transition take foul. Here’s a look at the play leading up to that moment:
Brunson is not only New York’s best player, but he has been one of the best players in the entire postseason. He entered Wednesday’s action as the postseason’s leading scorer with 256 total points despite the fact that other players have played more games thus far. And Brunson made history by scoring 40 or more points in four consecutive playoff games.
He entered Game 2 ranked fourth in the postseason in assists with 60, and earlier Wednesday, he was announced as the fifth-place finisher for this season’s MVP award.
Brunson’s presence would be critical to New York under any circumstances, but think about how injured this team already is. Julius Randle has been out for most of the season. Bojan Bogdanovic and Mitchell Robinson both suffered injuries that are expected to be season-ending during the postseason. OG Anunoby’s status for Game 3 is up in the air after he suffered a Game 2 injury of his own. The Knicks have relied heavily on just seven players lately, and Brunson has been their only consistent generator of shots in the half court.
The Knicks were ahead by seven when Brunson left the game. Indiana took complete control of the game from there, and led by 10 points at halftime. That should give you an idea of just how important Brunson is to the Knicks. His health is paramount if they are going to sustain this postseason run.
