Knicks Get Silver Lining to Jalen Brunson Injury

The New York Knicks finally caught a break after their disastrous 112-101 loss to the Sacramento Kings. While the defeat was ugly and exposed several weaknesses, there's one piece of genuinely positive news: Jalen Brunson's ankle injury doesn't appear to be serious.

According to The Athletic's James L. Edwards III, Brunson walked out of the Golden 1 Center locker room without crutches or a walking boot, a massive relief for a franchise that can't afford to lose their franchise cornerstone for an extended period.

This is quite different from his previous ankle injuries, particularly the one against the Lakers in March 2025 that cost him a full month. When players leave in a boot or on crutches, you're typically looking at weeks on the sideline. The fact that Brunson walked out under his own power suggests this is a minor tweak, not a major sprain.

Brunson walked out of the locker room without a boot or crutches, which is a good sign .
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) January 15, 2026

The injury itself looked relatively innocuous during the game. Brunson rolled his right ankle on a non-contact play in the first quarter while attempting a hesitation dribble against Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud. There was no awkward landing, no collision, just an unfortunate ankle roll that forced him out after just five minutes.

Who Steps Up in Brunson's Absence?

If Brunson misses time, the burden falls squarely on Miles McBride and Karl-Anthony Towns, but the sad reality is that neither inspired confidence against Sacramento. McBride shot a dreadful 4-for-14 with just 2-for-8 from three, proving he's simply not equipped to replace Brunson's playmaking and offensive gravity.

Towns, who should be the go-to scorer when Brunson sits, managed a pathetic 13 points on 5-for-14 shooting in 33 minutes. This is the nightmare scenario: without Brunson orchestrating everything, the Knicks' offense becomes stagnant and lifeless.

The Knicks' Alarming Dependency Problem

Here's the uncomfortable truth: the Knicks are dangerously dependent on Jalen Brunson, and it's not even close. Brunson is averaging a career-high 28.2 points and 6.1 assists while shooting 48 percent from the field.

He ranks second in the NBA in first-quarter scoring at 10.2 points per period, consistently setting the offensive tone before anyone else even wakes up. Without him on the floor against Sacramento, the Knicks shot a catastrophic 31.9 percent in the opening quarter and finished 8-for-41 from three-point range for the game.

The Knicks can't afford another prolonged absence after Josh Hart's ankle injury revealed just how thin this roster truly is. Hart missed eight games after spraining his ankle on Christmas Day, and the Knicks went 3-5 during that stretch.

The silver lining? Brunson's injury appears minor, and he should return soon. But make no mistake, this team is built on a foundation of eggshells, and one wrong step could shatter their entire season.

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