New York Knicks 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.
Brunson suffered the injury late in the Knicks’ 124-107 loss to the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. Brunson had 31 points and six assists in 37 minutes before leaving the game. Last season, Brunson was sidelined with an ankle injury as well.
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The Knicks are currently tied for first place (7-4) in the Atlantic Division with the Philadelphia 76ers. They’re also tied for third in the East, which many analysts consider a wide-open conference. After Friday night’s matchup at MSG with the Heat, the Knicks begin a five-game road trip in Miami on Monday.
Friday will be Brunson’s first game this season, and he’s 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 their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since the 1999-00 season. Brunson was even named Clutch Player of the Year 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 games last season. With the difficult nature of ankle injuries, it would not be surprising if Brunson missed last Friday’s game with the Heat. Guards Mace McBride and Jordan Clarkson will need to pick up the slack and fill the void left by Brunson’s absence.
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The next chapter in the Heat-Knicks rivalry begins on Friday with an NBA Cup group stage game at 7:00 PM ET, from Madison Square Garden and broadcast on… Prime Video.