Jalen Brunson’s status for the Knicks’ game against Magic on MLK Day
For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson might be forced to miss his second straight game.
When the New York Knicks traveled to Memphis on Saturday night to play the Grizzlies, Jalen Brunson was not in the lineup. Due to a calf injury, the Knicks’ star point guard was unable to play in that game. It is now unknown if he will be well enough to play for the team on MLK Day when they play the Orlando Magic, who are the team that is right below them in the Eastern Conference.
Due to a calf injury, Jalen Brunson was unable to play in the Knicks’ most recent game, a 106-94 victory over the Grizzlies. After playing in 49 straight games (including the 2023 NBA playoffs), Brunson’s absence was unusual as it marked his first of the 2023–24 season. However, given that he is currently listed as “questionable” on the most recent injury report the Knicks submitted to the league, there’s a chance his absence will last for two games in a row.
Brunson’s injury report indicates that he is still dealing with a calf contusion, so the Knicks will undoubtedly be concerned that this could be a chronic injury for their star point guard. That being said, the Knicks’ opponent on Saturday night may have contributed to Brunson’s absence, as they may have felt that they didn’t need to push Brunson to play through pain against a depleted Grizzlies team.
Jalen Brunson might be required at the point of attack because the Magic will be a far tougher opponent for the Knicks than the Grizzlies were.
There has only been one meeting between those two teams this year, on December 29, when the Magic won 117-108. On the other hand, Brunson’s performance that evening was subpar. Even though he had a stellar stat line (20 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists), he was a poor shooter, making only 4 of his 15 field goals and shooting blankly from beyond the arc.
In the event that Brunson misses more time, Julius Randle will likely be given more playmaking responsibilities by the Knicks, and Malachi Flynn and Miles McBride should also see increased playing time.
