Skip to main content
All Knicks

Everything Jalen Brunson, Knicks Said About His Injury After Game 1

Isaiah De Los Santos|
Jalen Brunson and some of the Knicks chimed on his health after their Game 1 win.
Jalen Brunson and some of the Knicks chimed on his health after their Game 1 win. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

In this story:

New York Knicks

There were several hiccups along the way for the Knicks before they claimed victory Wednesday night. Chief among them was star Jalen Brunson suffering a pair of injury scares involving his knee and ankle.

While he shook off those ailments and put on his superhero cape in the fourth quarter to secure a 1-0 series lead, some concerns remain about how he'll feel for Game 2 once the adrenaline wears off.

Well, if New York's postgame comments are to be taken at face value, it seems Brunson will be just fine.

Latest injury updates on Jalen Brunson ahead of Knicks' Finals Game 2

Following his incredible night, Brunson reassured fans that he's not planning to miss any time. In an on-court interview with ESPN, the guard said "I'll be alright" when asked about how his body was feeling.

He doubled down on that stance when speaking with Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter, stating, "I'll be good to go." However, Brunson dodged the question that prompted that response, which was about his pain on a scale of 1-10.

It seems as though Brunson is following advice from the Knicks' staff to not give any useful health intel to the opposition. But his confidence that he can play through whatever he's dealing with is a great sign. The fact that he could perform at a high level when it mattered most, despite his early trip to the locker room and pain, signals that this won't hamper him much this series.

Head coach Mike Brown's postgame remarks only echo that sentiment. He said, "Jalen's tough as nails. To me, he didn't seem like he had any effect afterwards. I haven't talked to our medical people, [but] he didn't look like it was bothering him down the stretch, so I think he's okay."

Brown is one of the top people who would notice a change in the guard, so this is another encouraging sign in the fallout of Game 1. He also mentioned how he was ready to throw in Jose Alvarado and even noted Tyler Kolek was about to check in before Brunson came back, which reinforces how adaptable Brown is and the steady hand he provides in challenging times.

Brunson's injury is the type that can rattle a team, and running mate Karl-Anthony Towns certainly expressed worries both he and his teammates shared when the guard got hurt. However, their concern was more from an emotional and personal caring standpoint, rather than a basketball one.

When we all saw him limp off, obviously we was all worried -- not only because he's Jalen Brunson but more because he's our brother. We're a family in our locker room and we're just worried about his health. When we were on the court and I saw him walking back out to the bench, it's a relief feeling just to know he's safe. That's really at the end of the day what we care about, is his safety.
Karl-Anthony Towns on Jalen Brunson

Towns' response highlights the incredible culture within New York's locker room, which has played a part in getting the team to three wins away from the title. Sure, they're a finely tuned collection of talent that complements each other well on the court, but the buy-in off the court is what really underpins the synergy they share during games.

It'll be no surprise if Brunson does pop up on the Game 2 injury report, but that'll simply be a formality if he's as fine as everyone believes. Even a questionable tag could be some gamesmanship from the Knicks to make the Spurs' planning even more difficult for Friday night.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Isaiah De Los Santos
ISAIAH DE LOS SANTOS

Isaiah De Los Santos has been in sports media for 10 years, most recently joining OnSI to cover the New York Knicks, New York Jets and New York Yankees. Previous stops for Isaiah include FanSided, SB Nation and SLAM.

Home/News