New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 right ankle sprain and will miss the team’s game Friday night at home against the Miami Heat, according to ESPN.
Brunson sustained the injury late in the Knicks’ 124-107 loss to the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. Brunson posted 31 points and six assists in 37 minutes before leaving the game. Last season, Brunson missed time on the court due to an ankle injury as well.
The Knicks are currently tied for first place (7-4) in the Atlantic Division with the Philadelphia 76ers. They are also tied for third place in the East, in what many analysts feel is a wide-open conference. After Friday night’s game at MSG with the Heat, the Knicks start a five-game road trip in Miami on Monday.
Friday will be Brunson’s first missed game of the season, and he’s been off to a hot start, averaging 28 points, 6.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. Last season, Brunson led the Knicks to 51 wins and the franchise’s first Eastern Conference finals appearance since the 1999-2000 season. Brunson even took home Clutch Player of the Year honors for his frequent late-game heroics in the regular season.
Since joining the Knicks in 2022, Brunson has played more than 68 games just once and missed a total of 17 last season. With the tricky nature of ankle injuries, it wouldn’t be surprising if Brunson was out beyond Friday’s game with the Heat. Guards Miles McBride and Jordan Clarkson will need to pick up the slack and fill the void left by Brunson’s absence.
The next chapter in the Heat-Knicks rivalry begins Friday with an NBA Cup group stage game at 7 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden and broadcast on Prime Video.
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