Jalen Brunson returns to Knicks' lineup vs. Magic
Jalen Brunson of the Knicks controls the ball in the second half against Stephen Curry of Golden State at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 29. Credit: Jim McIsaac
For some players, it might be a reality. The pregame workout to test an injury really might be a last-second decision. But for Jalen Brunson, it seems as if it is just a formality.
Testing his contused left knee about 90 minutes before Friday night’s game, Brunson showed little sign of the pain that had sidelined him 47 seconds into his last game and forced him to miss the next one. He had needed help to hobble off the court and into the locker room Sunday, throwing a scare into the Knicks’ fan base. But if he can go, Brunson will go. So when the starting lineup was announced Friday night at the Garden, Brunson was back.
It was a relief for the Knicks and maybe a sign that with the standings tight and the playoffs not far off, they finally might be heading toward being healthy and ready for the final run.
“Yeah, it’s been a challenge all year,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “You look at where you are. There’s 20 games to go. We’re 10 games over .500 and we have a top 10 offense, we have a top 10 defense, we’re No. 1 in rebound margin. But we know this is the time that everything gets ramped up, so we’ve just got to keep fighting until we get everyone back.”
It was vital to have Brunson available as the Knicks faced the Orlando Magic, whom they trailed by a half-game entering the night. The Magic and the first-place Boston Celtics were the only Eastern Conference teams the Knicks had not beaten at least once this season. They were 0-3 against Orlando, but in two of those games, the Knicks didn’t have Brunson.
“They’re good,” Thibodeau said of Orlando. “And you hit on it. We haven’t been at full strength, but we’ve still got to find a way to get it done. We have more than enough.”
That is the default statement for Thibodeau, but the Knicks — who were without four starters when they lost to the Hawks on Tuesday — actually may have enough shortly. Brunson is back and OG Anunoby seems to be close to a return to game action, as he has begun practicing fully with the team.
“Every game we have a chance to win,” Thibodeau said. “If we defend and we rebound and we take care of the ball, we’re going to be in position to win. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing against, doesn’t matter where. It’s a four-point game with six minutes to go, you’ve got to come up with a stop, we’ve got to make a shot . . . We’ve got to understand that the fourth quarter is different. So we have some guys out there that are probably going through it for the first time. Just to understand the intensity of a fourth quarter, in a tight situation, that’s where we can get better.”
Entering Friday, the Knicks (36-26) had lost eight of their last 11 games, but despite playing without so many pieces — Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Anunoby have been long-term absences — they have managed to keep their heads above water by getting contributions up and down the roster. Deuce McBride was the latest example, playing the final 47:13 when Brunson went down in Cleveland and then playing 45:38 Tuesday.
The Knicks believe that by staying alive through all the injuries, it will help when the postseason arrives to have seen the growth from their unheralded pieces.
“Definitely. Even just having guys be more in rhythm,” said Isaiah Hartenstein, who stepped in as the starting center when Robinson went down in December. “I feel like that’s a thing. I’ve been on a couple of teams where most of the guys were healthy but in the playoffs — as funny as it sounds — you start getting more touches, and you’re not really in a rhythm at that point. Just having guys in rhythm is going to be good.
“I think it’s kind of how we are as a team, an organization, from top to bottom. Thibs coaches, what kind of players Leon brought to this team, it’s always like a next-guy- up mentality. That’s what kind of makes us special that we’re able to hold on, especially when we had so many guys out.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
