New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau had the perfect explanation for Jalen Brunson’s mysterious trip to the locker room during Saturday’s playoff opener against the Detroit Pistons.
The Knicks trailed the Pistons 91-83 entering the fourth quarter in Game 1 of their first-round series at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, N.Y. Brunson, who had played the entire third quarter, went back to the locker room as the final quarter began.
Despite causing concern among Knicks fans, Brunson returned to the floor a few minutes later. The two-time All-Star checked back in the game at the 9:06 mark looking ready to take over the game.
Brunson scored 12 points over the final nine minutes and proved instrumental to the Knicks’ 21-0 run that turned the game around.
During his postgame press conference, Thibodeau was asked about Brunson’s mid-game trip to the locker room. The Knicks coach let out a rare smirk before giving his answer.
“I think he grabbed his cape,” Thibodeau said.
Stef Bondy: "Jalen went to the locker room…do you know why he went back there?"
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 20, 2025
Thibs: "I think he grabbed his cape" pic.twitter.com/uc55ADJPW7
Brunson definitely looked like Batman in Game 1 as he tried to defend Gotham City from a Pistons invasion. The 6’2″ guard tallied a game-high 34 points and 8 assists to lead the Knicks to a resounding 123-112 win.
Brunson has been dealing with a lingering ankle injury that forced him to miss 15 games late in the season. But just like any caped crusader, Brunson shrugged it off to save the day.
