Knicks Lose Star Guard Ahead of Grizzlies Matchup

The New York Knicks head into Memphis already on a three-game losing streak, and the injury news that dropped before tip-off made things worse.

New York Post reporter Stefan Bondy confirmed on X: "Jalen Brunson is OUT for the Knicks tonight. He's sitting with right ankle soreness."

Brunson had been listed as questionable earlier in the night before being ruled out.

Jalen Brunson is OUT for the Knicks tonight. He’s sitting with right ankle soreness.
— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) April 1, 2026

Brunson is not alone on the sideline. Mitchell Robinson is out for injury management on the second night of a back-to-back, and Miles McBride is also sitting out tonight. McBride did return from sports hernia surgery recently and played one game, but is not available for the second leg of a back-to-back just yet.

That is three key rotation players gone in one night. The Knicks are already 48-28 and fighting to hold onto third place in the East, just one game ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers with six games remaining.

What Jalen Brunson's Absence Means for the Knicks vs Grizzlies

Memphis is 25-50 and has been one of the weakest teams in the league for months. On paper, this should still be manageable for New York, even shorthanded. But that is exactly the kind of logic this Knicks team has been making look foolish lately.

It started in Charlotte. The Knicks walked in riding a seven-game winning streak as heavy favorites against a Hornets team with nothing to play for. A 20-year-old rookie, Kon Knueppel, dropped 26 points and six threes, and New York left with a 114-103 loss that had no easy explanation.

The losing has continued since. The Knicks dropped games to the Thunder and the Rockets, which you can somewhat justify given the quality of those opponents.

But even before that streak, New York trailed a patchwork Warriors team missing Curry, Butler, and Green by 21 points at home before rallying to win 110-107. That game should have been comfortable. It was not.

The Grizzlies are in a similar spot, running out a roster filled with G-League players. But the Warriors game showed that a depleted lineup does not automatically mean an easy night for this Knicks team.

The one consistent bright spot through all of this has been Karl-Anthony Towns. He has averaged more than 20 points and nearly 13 rebounds over his last 14 games, and against a Grizzlies front court that is mostly G-League caliber right now, he should have every opportunity to dominate inside.

Towns, Bridges, and Anunoby will need to carry the load tonight without Brunson. They are capable. Whether this Knicks team actually shows up and executes is a question nobody can confidently answer right now.

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