The New York Knicks (7-4) will host the Miami Heat (7-5) on Friday night in an NBA Cup game that is also a battle of two teams with winning records in the Eastern Conference. But they’ll be doing so without the services of their star guard.
Jalen Brunson won’t play vs. Heat due to ankle sprain
Jalen Brunson has been ruled out of New York’s game against Miami on Friday night due to a Grade 1 right ankle sprain that he suffered late in the game on Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic.
Brunson sustained the injury in the closing minutes of the contest against Orlando as he appeared to tweak his ankle during a drive to the basket. Brunson was fouled on the play so he attempted two free throws before limping back to the locker room.
The matchup with Miami will represent the first missed game of the season for Brunson. He has appeared in all 11 of New York's games to this point and posted averages of 28.0 points, 6.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per performance. He leads the team in points and assists on the season.
Brunson's status moving forward beyond the Heat game remains fluid and he will be evaluated daily.
The game on Friday night is the second NBA Cup game of the season for both New York and Miami. The Heat won their first cup contest over the Charlotte Hornets, while the Knicks suffered a defeat at the hands of the Chicago Bulls in their first cup game.