New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 sprain of his right ankle and will be reevaluated on a day-to-day basis, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The injury occurred late in Wednesday night’s 124-107 home loss to the Orlando Magic. Brunson turned the ankle on a drive to the basket with 1:52 remaining and immediately removed himself from the game. He was later seen leaving Madison Square Garden wearing a walking boot and using crutches. Head coach Mike Brown confirmed the ankle turn but provided no additional details after the game.
The sprain affects the same ankle Brunson hurt last season—an issue that sidelined him for 15 games after an initial two-week prognosis. Although he aggravated the ankle several times during the playoffs, the problem did not significantly affect his postseason performance.
The Knicks have already ruled Brunson out of Friday’s matchup with the Miami Heat, the final contest of a seven-game homestand. The club starts a five-game road swing Monday in Miami.
Strong start to the season
Through 11 starts, Brunson is averaging 28.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists in 33.9 minutes while shooting 46.7% from the field, 36.9% from three-point range and a career-best 86.3% at the free-throw line.
NBA tracking data shows his average time of possession has dropped to 7.6 seconds per touch this season from 8.6 seconds last year, and his dribbles per touch have fallen from 6.04 to 4.52. Despite fewer touches, the two-time All-Star is posting a 32.1% usage rate and attempting nearly 21 shots per game, approximately 2.5 more than in 2024-25.
Wednesday’s defeat ended New York’s five-game winning streak and marked the club’s first home loss after a 7-0 start at Madison Square Garden.
Source: Basketball Insiders
