Is Jalen Brunson playing tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers? Latest injury update on Knicks star guard (Mar. 12)

New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson will be a major miss for Wednesday’s clash with the Portland Trail Blazers. Brunson has been out for the last two games with an ankle injury. He last played in the Knicks' 113-109 overtime loss against the LA Lakers on March 7, scoring 39 points, 10 assists and four rebounds before sustaining the injury late in the game.

Brunson has been a mainstay in the Knicks' lineup this season, playing 61 of their 64 games so far. He isn’t expected to suit up for another two weeks and his return to full fitness will be carefully managed ahead of the playoffs. However, coach Tom Thibodeau will likely provide an update on his recovery later in the week.

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Jalen Brunson stats vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Jalen Brunson has averaged 14.8ppg, 3.0 rpg, and 3.9 apg in 15 games. He has nine wins against the Blazers. Brunson and the Knicks faced the Blazers four times since his arrival at Madison Square Garden, going 3-1.

Last season, Brunson played in both games as the New York Knicks swept the series. He scored 12 points in the first game and 45 points in the later matchup, which is his highest against the Western Conference rivals.

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What to expect from New York Knicks vs Portland Trail Blazers

Fatigue and a packed schedule seemed to catch up with the Knicks (41-23) as they suffered three quick defeats on the road, but they responded perfectly with a 133-104 win against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

Despite some recent inconsistencies, they will approach Wednesday's game with confidence as their opponent, Portland, isn't in the best shape at the moment. They will hope to rebuild some confidence from the Kings game and expect to continue during the final stretch of the regular season.

On the other hand, Chauncey Billups’ men have likely fallen out of the playoff race after dropping their last four games, going 5-5 in their last 10. However, there remains a necessity for a response as they could still make a late push for a play-in spot.

Portland currently sit 12th with a 28-38 record. They are five games behind the 10th-seeded Dallas Mavericks and 2.5 games behind the 11th-seeded Phoenix Suns. While they may be underdogs on Wednesday, the “Rip City” have proven to be a tough opponent and will not go down without a fight.

The matchup between the two cross-conference rivals is scheduled to tip off at 10 PM at Moda Center and will be broadcast on KATU, KUNP, and MSG.