SUMMARY
- Jalen Brunson sustained a knee contusion vs Cleveland Cavaliers.
- The Knicks star was injured within the first minute of the game.
New York Knicks fans have good reasons to feel nervous or frustrated after the most recent injury sustained by Jalen Brunson. As the majority of the basketball community should be aware by now, Brunson is the franchise star for the Knicks and helped bring the team back into relevance after being traded there last season.
Jalen and the Knicks were doing quite well this season and currently hold a record of 36 wins and 25 losses. This is quite impressive considering that the Knicks have been dealing with a plethora of injuries. Despite not having consistent teammates, Brunson continued to play at a high level before being injured in a recent game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
How did Jalen Brunson suffer a knee contusion?
Now that the teams are in the final quarter of the regular season, injuries and the impact of a long 82-game schedule have started taking a toll in the form of injuries. Knicks fans already criticized their head coach for playing Jalen on the court for long minutes without much rest.
Perhaps that toll finally manifested itself in their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Within the first minute of the game, Jalen rose for a jump shot but ended up landing awkwardly and sustaining a left knee contusion. Although some fans expected him to return towards the later stages of the game, Brunson remained on the sidelines.
Jalen Brunson was helped to the locker room after landing awkwardly on his left leg.
Hope he’s alright 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Z7GU6ts3Xp
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 4, 2024
While the Knicks managed to win their road game against the Cavaliers without their leader, Jalen’s injury certainly gives the fanbase significant cause for concern. Therefore, many will want to know more about his expected return to the court.
When is Brunson coming back?
As soon as it was reported that Jalen Brunson had sustained a knee contusion, fans worried that their hopes of contending in the playoffs were ruined. Soon reports on his X-ray were released and it was revealed that Jalen’s knee contusion was not very serious.
“…That news is good…It’s a knee contusion & everything was negative, so we’ll see where he is tomorrow…”
–– Thibs full postgame comments on Jalen Brunson’s knee injury pic.twitter.com/vlCPumbLQB
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 4, 2024
This can be considered a positive outcome given that knee injuries have the potential to keep players out for several months as fans have seen with Joel Embiid or Lonzo Ball. Although there is no way of knowing for certain, Brunson is expected to return within a few weeks after fully completing his rehabilitation and recovery. However, it is important to remind fans that this prediction is under the assumption that the contusion is not too serious.