New York Knicks fans were hoping for a positive update about Jalen Brunson, who sprained his ankle on March 6 against the Lakers. ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Brunson would be re-evaluated in a week or two, the best-case scenario for a sprain that looked much worse.
Shortly before the Knicks tipped off their fourth game without Brunson on Saturday, Charania gave another update. He said Brunson is expected to remain out until late March/early April, so there's a chance he could miss at least two more weeks.
Reporting for ABC NBA Countdown -- Knicks' Jalen Brunson expected out through late March/early April, and fallout from Mikal Bridges and Tom Thibodeau meeting: pic.twitter.com/NtkgNMyI6R
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 16, 2025
Brunson played 61 games before getting hurt, and needs to play at least four more to be eligible to make another All-NBA Team. New York will play eight games in April, so he could return at the beginning of next month and reach the 65-game threshold. Of course, that isn't Brunson's top priority, but it'd be a shame if he didn't reach that mark after the season he's had.
The Knicks will have to continue to navigate life without Brunson for at least another week (or so), and there's good and bad in that.
Jalen Brunson expected to remain out until late March/early April
New York is 2-2 since Brunson got hurt (2-3 if you want to get technical and count the Lakers loss). He has powered the Knicks' offense all season, particularly in late-game situations. Everyone knew that the team being without Brunson for an unknown period would be quite an adjustment.
They still hold the No. 3 seed in the East, four games ahead of the Bucks. New York is in a position to keep control of its spot in the conference, with its next five games coming against teams below .500 (Miami, San Antonio, Charlotte, Washington, and Dallas).
The Knicks escaped their West Coast road trip with a 2-3 record, but you can easily argue they would've won at least two more games with Brunson.
The team's offensive rating has dipped to 110.1 without Brunson (27th in the league), but their defensive rating has risen to 106.6 (fourth in the NBA). Golden State has averaged 119.3 points per game since trading for Jimmy Butler, but New York held the Warriors to 97 on Saturday. Watching the Knicks' defense ramp it up with Brunson out has been encouraging.
Brunson's absence certainly isn't preferable, but it has forced New York to form an identity without him. Look at Mikal Bridges, averaging 22.3 points and 5.0 assists per game (he's averaging 17.5 points and 3.5 assists on the season), shooting 61.4% from the field and 36.6% from three. He's had an up-and-down season, so watching him come alive the past few games has been a positive.
The Knicks know they'll be without Brunson for a while longer, but at least he's expected to return before the playoffs start. Brunson would rather be playing than watching from the sideline or at home, but another silver lining is that he's gotten some unexpected rest. Hopefully, he'll be able to play in a few games before the regular season ends, and it seems like that'll happen.