"Just gotta keep playin'": Tom Thibodeau makes his feelings clear about resting players after Jalen Brunson suffers sprained ankle in loss to Lakers

During the overtime period of the New York Knicks-LA Lakers game on Thursday, Jalen Brunson stepped on Austin Reaves' foot and sustained an apparent ankle sprain. This caused the All-Star guard to head to the locker room before the game could reach its conclusion, which turned out to be a 113-109 Lakers victory.

In the wake of Brunson's injury and the latest New York loss, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau had to deal yet again with a frequently discussed topic: his short rotation and the extended minutes of his core players.

When asked about the possibility of resting some players as the Knicks' regular season winds down, Thibodeau reaffirmed his stance:

"Still a long way to go, so you just gotta keep playing," Thibodeau said before taking his leave from the post-game interview.

Having relatively fewer players logging extended minutes has been a staple of Thibodeau's coaching style since his days at the helm of the Chicago Bulls. Despite pushback from fans and analysts every now and then, Thibodeau — who has remained consistent with this approach — has won the NBA Coach of the Year award on two separate occasions (2011 and 2021).

Thibodeau, however, has not been able to take an NBA team to the Finals as a head coach. Last season, the Knicks got as far as Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, but they ultimately got blown out 130-109 by the Indiana Pacers on their home floor.

This season, four of the five Knicks starters are in the top 20 of minutes played per game. Brunson is 20th at 35.4 mpg while his fellow Villanova alum Mikal Bridges tops all NBA players at 37.8 mpg.

Jalen Brunson makes feelings known on Knicks' dismal record against top teams despite talented roster

On a recent episode of "The Roomates Show," Brunson wondered aloud why the Knicks have constantly lost to the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics.

In a clip posted on the podcast's official X account, Brunson told co-host Josh Hart that the team's 0-7 record against top teams is baffling, given the quality of their roster:

"The frustrating part about all that is we have what it takes. We have the personnel," Brunson said in the clip. "The amount of times we have been embarassed on national television...we got to wake the hell up."

While having the right mindset is certainly important as the Knicks prepare for another postseason trip, they will also have to prioritize health and availability, especially in light of Brunson's latest injury.