Jalen Brunson, the Knicks’ All-Star point guard, rolled his right ankle late in the fourth quarter of the team’s 123-113 win over the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, but appears to have avoided a severe injury.
Brunson left the game immediately after suffering the injury on a drive to the basket, but SNY’s Ian Begley reported that Brunson and teammate Josh Hart, who appeared to sustain a knee injury, “walked out of [the] locker room area at MSG without a noticeable limp.”
In an interview on SNY, Begley added, “We saw [Brunson] walking out of the locker room area. He was walking slowly, a little gingerly, no limp though. No crutches, nothing on his ankle.”
Villanova assistant Mike Nardi told NJ Advance Media of Brunson: “Knowing him he will be fine if he walked out of the arena. I have never seen someone sprain his ankle so many times and never miss anything, a practice or a game – he is a KILLER! You can quote me on that one.”
The Knicks (33-18) have won 10 of 11 and stand as the No. 4 seed in the East despite dealing with injuries to Mitchell Robinson (ankle), Julius Randle (shoulder), OG Anunoby (elbow) and Quentin Grimes (knee).
One league source told NJ Advance Media that Anunoby is “spending a lot of time rehabbing his elbow.”
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday and the Knicks have been linked to various players, including Bruce Brown, Malcolm Brogdon and Alec Burks.
The Knicks on Thursday host Kyrie Irving — who went for 36 points in the Dallas Mavericks’ 117-109 win Tuesday over the Nets — and then have three more games before the All-Star break. They could opt to just rest some of the injured players through the break.
Brunson was selected for his first All-Star Game and probably wants to play in the game, but could opt to rest depending on the status of his ankle.
Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria…
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