A POINT OF CONCERN
Brunson’s sore foot still nagging Knick guard, who’ll sit vs. Clippers
Jalen Brunson’s injury is now officially a concern.
The Knicks point guard was ruled out of Saturday’s matinee against the Clippers because of a “sore foot,” the same ailment that kept him out of the second half in Thursday’s loss to the Kings.
Brunson had missed two previous games this week with the sore left foot, and it wasn’t a good sign that his return in Sacramento lasted just 19 minutes. The point guard moved and played well in the 122-117 loss to the King while dropping 19 points.
But he was also in clear discomfort and spotted limping to the locker room with trainer Anthony Goenaga. The Knicks are in the middle of a Western Conference trip with back-to-back games this weekend against the Clippers and Lakers.
“When you’re dealing with a bruised foot like that, it’ll feel great when you have a little time off – which Brunson has had,” TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy, a longtime coach who is close with Thibodeau, said during the broadcast. “But then when you’re back on it, pounding on it, it comes right back. And that could end up being a long-term thing. And the Knicks certainly want to avoid that. But at the same, they’re still in a fight for playoff position.”
Thibodeau, whose No. 5 Knicks were just a game above the No. 6 Nets in the East before Friday night’s results, provided another non-update to reporters after the Sacramento game.
Thibodeau has only offered vague descriptions about the injury.
“He just reaggravated it, but I haven’t talked to the medical people yet,” the Knicks coach offered. “Just soreness. We’ve got to let the medical people do their job.”
Brunson has missed six games this season. Before the foot pain, he dealt with minor injuries while absorbing the heaviest workload – by far – of his NBA career. Two days before Brunson’s sore foot was first announced, he turned his ankle against the Miami Heat. He also missed three games in December with a sore hip. There can be a physical tax to being the lead guard – a role Brunson didn’t have in Dallas alongside Luka Doncic – and now, with a month remaining in the season, would be a bad time for his body to pay up.
But it’s better than during the playoffs.
Thibodeau, meanwhile, has lauded New York’s depth and his squad recovered in Sacramento from a 16-point halftime deficit to tie the game in the fourth quarter. But Brunson’s replacement at point guard, Immanuel Quickley, was ice cold (he shot 1-for-11) and the Knicks (39-29) ran out of gas for a second straight loss.
Their worst defensive possession occurred with about five minutes remaining, when Julius Randle and RJ Barrett stood as if touched in freeze tag as Sacramento’s Kevin Huerter drove into the lane and tipped in his own miss.
Thibodeau responded by benching Barrett, which was quickly followed by Sacramento’s game-breaking 9-0 run.
Against the Clippers on Saturday afternoon without Brunson, the Knicks are trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak since January.