"It sucked" - Jalen Brunson makes feelings known on shouldering increased load during 2024 East semis run 

Last season, the New York Knicks dealt with a slew of injuries throughout the season that led to Jalen Brunson shouldering what appeared to be an ever-increasing load.

While the team worked to fill the void left due to a shoulder injury sustained by Julius Randle, they were then dealt several more blows during the postseason.

Ahead of the start of the 2024-25 season, Jalen Brunson spoke candidly about the situation in an interview with GQ Sports. As he explained, the injuries piling up led to healthy players taking on an increased load.

“It sucked. But no one complained. And we were one win away from the conference finals. And I mean, I can go on and on about how, like, we have a certain mindset when it comes to how we play. But I just think it was really important for us to realize what we can do."

In addition to the absence of Randle, in the Knicks' series with the Philadelphia 76ers, Mitchell Robinson wound up suffering an ankle injury at the hands of Joel Embiid. Then, during the team's semifinal matchup with the Indiana Pacers, they temporarily lost OG Anunoby to a hamstring injury in Game 2.

Players like Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo and Isaiah Hartenstein all took on bigger roles and more minutes.

"This is the window" - Spike Lee has high hopes for Jalen Brunson and Knicks heading into the 2024-25 season

Although the Knicks dealt with a slew of injuries that hampered the team during the 2023-24 season, they still came within an arm's reach of the Eastern Conference Finals.

There is hope among New York fans, like the one and only Spike Lee, that with a healthy roster this year, the team will be able to make their long-awaited return to the NBA Finals.

Following this summer's blockbuster trade between the Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves, which reunited Karl-Anthony Towns and Tom Thibodeau, Spike Lee made it clear that expectations are at an all-time high. In an interview with GQ, he spoke about the season ahead, saying:

“We're going for it now. It's all in. Do or die. The next two, three, four years? This is it. This is the window, and you gotta go for it.”

There are questions about the team's depth, given the offseason departures of Isaiah Hartenstein, Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. However, coach Tom Thibodeau has shown in the past that he likes to keep his rotations tight.

Although New York may not have the depth of teams like the Boston Celtics or the OKC Thunder, the team seems poised to make waves in the Eastern Conference once more.