Suffering a 123-114 defeat at the hands of the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night should be the least of the New York Knicks’ concerns.
The franchise’s star point guard, Jalen Brunson, left the contest early with an apparent ankle injury, and let's say it didn’t look good by any means necessary.
While the extent of Brunson’s injury has yet to be revealed, many are concerned that the 29-year-old and the Knicks could be in significant trouble moving forward. Sure, New York boasts a 25-15 record and plays in a weakened Eastern Conference, but it only takes one devastating losing streak for the Knicks’ season to take an unfortunate turn.
Everyone who keeps tabs on the Knicks is aware that the organization’s offense runs through Brunson. The Villanova product’s ability to regularly attract multiple defenders and wreak havoc even when defenders take away his strong hand (right) makes him New York’s most valuable offensive contributor.
Brunson is averaging 28.9 points and 6.3 assists per game with the Knicks this season, shooting 48.1% from the field and 38.9% from three-point land.
Luckily for the Knicks, they have a talented enough roster to stay afloat if Brunson misses time on the hardwood.
Assets like Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges undoubtedly have what it takes to ensure New York doesn’t fall off the cliff in an event that its No. 1 scoring option is inactive for several contests.
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