Yabusele’s Slow Start, Brunson’s Ankle, and Brown’s Rotation Moves Highlight Knicks Updates
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NEW YORK — The Knicks’ early-season storylines continue to pile up after a difficult week that included a blowout loss, an injury scare for their starting point guard and ongoing questions about head coach Mike Brown’s rotation.
Yabusele’s minutes remain scarce
New York invested most of its taxpayer mid-level exception in Guerschon Yabusele last summer with the expectation the French forward would play a significant role in 2025/26. Through the opening weeks, however, Yabusele has struggled to find rhythm in limited action.
“It’s the circumstance sometimes,” Brown said. “I put him in, take him out. It’s a little hard to get a rhythm doing that. I’ve got to take some blame in that as well. He’s a really good basketball player, but he needs minutes to show it, and I don’t know if those are always there for him.”
Brunson sprains ankle in Orlando rout
The Knicks saw their five-game winning streak snapped Wednesday when Orlando cruised to an easy victory. More troubling, Jalen Brunson rolled his right ankle late in the contest. Early indications suggest the sprain is not expected to sideline him long term.
Bridges and Hart ride the bench late
During the fourth quarter in Orlando, Brown kept key wings Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart on the bench for nearly the entire period. Bridges logged just one minute in the final frame and finished with a season-low six points on 3-for-9 shooting. “I’m not sure,” Bridges said when asked about the decision.
Hart, who did not play at all in the fourth, said the group must respond when it hosts Miami on Friday. “I don’t think we responded properly to Orlando’s physicality,” he said. “We have a tough, physical opponent on Friday, and we’ve got to respond.”
Robinson’s workload under watch
Center Mitchell Robinson sat out the front end of a back-to-back Tuesday in Memphis as the medical staff continues to manage his minutes. Brown rejected the notion that the 27-year-old will routinely miss games, saying, “We just have to take that thing one game at a time and follow the lead of our medical people in terms of what the process is gonna be.”
Anunoby earns coach’s praise
Brown also campaigned for OG Anunoby’s first All-Star selection, calling the 28-year-old “an All-Defensive performer” and stating he should be in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year.
The Knicks resume play Friday night at Madison Square Garden against the Heat.
Source: Hoops Rumors
