Jalen Brunson was injured at the start of the month, but now at the end of the month, he finally appears to be nearing a return.
The New York Knicks guard Brunson spoke with reporters on Sunday and shared a big update about his recovery from an ankle sprain. Brunson revealed that he has been cleared to participate in basketball activities, per Fred Katz of The Athletic.
While Brunson did not mention any specific target date for a return, he added that he is “realistically hoping to play before the playoffs” (which begin on Apr. 19).
The two-time All-Star Brunson was injured on March 6 during an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. He was going up for a contested layup and badly turned his right ankle upon landing (video here).
Since Brunson’s injury, the Knicks have managed to stay afloat, going 6-5 overall. But their offense has obviously suffered badly without Brunson, who is averaging 26.3 points and 7.4 assists per game this season. In reality, the Knicks won’t have much hope of a deep playoff run unless Brunson is available and in form.
Brunson did not play in Sunday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, but the Knicks still have eight more games left before the regular season ends on Apr. 13. While it helps that the Knicks have already clinched a playoff spot and look all but locked into the No. 3 seed in the East, Brunson’s impending return should alleviate some of the tensions that have been plaguing the team in his absence.
