Blowing a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter was bad for the New York Knicks. Losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in overtime was worse. Losing Jalen Brunson would be another level.
The Knicks star exited Thursday’s loss in overtime with an apparent ankle injury. With 1:20 remaining, Brunson drove to the basket and stepped on the foot of Austin Reaves, who was called for a foul. A Lakers challenge upheld the foul, and further review showed Brunson significantly rolled his ankle on the play.
Brunson was in clear pain on the floor, but stayed in to shoot his free throws before limping off the court to the locker room.
Up to that point, Brunson had scored all eight of the Knicks’ points in overtime. He finished the game with 39 points on 13-of-26 shooting, 10 assists and four rebounds. Facing a streaking Lakers team, the Knicks were once again relying on him to create just about everything on offense.
Now they’re facing the possibility of more than a few games without him. At 40-22, New York still holds the No. 3 seed in the East, but has only 20 games and just over a month left before the start of the postseason.
The Knicks will be hoping Brunson can return well before that.
