Knicks Just Surviving Without Biggest Star

A star player has missed the last 10 games for the New York Knicks.

Mar 2, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) watches his shot against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks have been without Jalen Brunson for the last 10 games, and it's been a mixed bag.

In the three weeks since Brunson has been sidelined, the Knicks have been up and down, but they have remained in the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference standings, which was a reasonable goal for the team when he went down.

CBS Sports writer Colin Ward-Henninger kept the Knicks in the No. 7 spot in his power rankings as they embarked on another week without Brunson.

"The Knicks are now 5-5 since Jalen Brunson's ankle injury with an offensive rating just under 114, good for 19th in the league over that span. Rookie Tyler Kolek has gotten some run as Tom Thibodeau searches for answers at the point guard position, racking up 24 total assists while averaging fewer than 20 minutes over his last three games," Ward-Henninger writes.

The only teams placed higher on Ward-Henninger's list were the Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Knicks will have to live without Brunson for a little bit longer as he is still not 100 percent ready to return to the court. That being said, the Knicks have played without him for 10 games, and the sky has yet to fall. That should keep New York optimistic while it carries out the final games of his absence.

With Brunson out, the Knicks have been relying on a committee of Miles McBride, Cam Payne, Tyler Kolek and Delon Wright to shoulder the load. McBride and Payne have each picked up injuries of their own while Brunson has been out, leaving Kolek and Wright to come in on mop up duty.

It's gotten the Knicks this far, and they will have to keep it going for a little while longer.

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