Jalen Brunson made his return to the New York Knicks' lineup to help them squeak by a depleted Dallas Mavericks squad. After missing a month late last season with a sprained ankle, and Brunson's ankle troubles in recent years, there was cause for concern. On Wednesday night, Brunson's 28-point performance sent Knick fans a reminder and the rest of the league a warning: this guy is superhuman.
The hearts of Knick fans everywhere came to a stop, even if briefly, in last week's loss to the Orlando Magic. Jalen Brunson appeared to tweak his ankle, then committed an intentional foul to sub himself out. The point guard was seen leaving the arena on crutches, and in a walking boot, with Knicks PR revealing the next day that it was a 'grade 1 ankle sprain.'
Unreliable internet doctors guessed that Brunson would miss anywhere from 1-3 weeks of the season as a result of the injury. It took him one week to the day to return to action. The Knicks gave their superstar a designation of 'questionable' on the injury report leading up to the game, inspiring hope that he was cleared to play. When head coach Mike Brown revealed to reporters pregame that Brunson was a game-time decision, it became increasingly clear that the guard would push to play.
Fans can rely on Jalen Brunson's 'New York Toughness'
It was a double-return for Brunson, with Luka Doncic not being the only star guard to depart the Mavericks in recent years. It's completely unknown whether or not the lone regular season opportunity to play in Dallas inspired Brunson's healing abilities to accelerate, but the Knicks' captain typically doesn't need extra motivation.
Brunson had 28 points, three rebounds, five assists, a steal, and even a block in his 35 minutes of playing time. There were clearly no restrictions on his minutes in his return. He shot only 11-23 from the floor, including 2-7 on 3-pointers, and committed four personal fouls. But even with all of the shenanigans that preceded the game's quite-unusual conclusion, New York snuck out of the American Airlines Center with the win.
It's fair to assume that only Knick fans already beyond help were concerned with his efficiency or foul tally. This was a big game from Brunson, against his former team, regardless of the circumstances. It is certainly suboptimal that the Knicks needed the call they got to beat this particular Mavericks roster in regulation.
The Knicks having a superstar, though, that pushes to play through injuries and pain in what has unfortunately been deemed the "era of load management" is significant. A plethora of head coaches have gotten up at podiums, leaned into microphones, and passionately explained to hopeful fans that their team's effort will now mirror their fans' hard work (and every day, but only one day at a time). Brunson saves the lip service for other stars, opting to let his play do the talking.
He may not have the most efficient night. He may not be the floor general that Pistol Pete Maravich would have been with the same opportunity. But he's the one on the floor – the man in the arena – and he's a winner. Hopefully for Knick fans, he keeps all of that up.