What happened to Jalen Brunson? Knicks' All-Star heads to locker room vs Cavaliers

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks were set to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday in a marquee Eastern Conference matchup. The Cavs seemed to be at a disadvantage heading into the match without their star Donovan Mitchell by their side. However, the playing field was somewhat evened out after Knicks star Brunson hurt his left knee early in the first quarter.

With 11:32 remaining in the opening quarter, Donte DiVincenzo passed the ball to Jalen Brunson at the mid-range left elbow. Brunson then went for a stop-and-pop while Isaac Okoro attempted to block the shot. The Knicks star fell to the ground after taking the shot and held on to his left knee. New York called for a timeout to have Brunson checked and the injury appeared to be bad as he stood considering that he was limping his way back to the locker room.

As of this writing, how Brunson hurt his left knee is uncertain. After watching the slow-motion replay, the analysts assumed that he could've bumped his left knee onto Okoro's knee. Analysts also confirmed that the Knicks star making a comeback on the hardwood against the Cavs is questionable. The medical team diagnosed his injury as a sore left knee. For now, we'll have to wait for the Knicks coach's decision.

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Can the Knicks hold down the fort without Jalen Brunson?

New York Knicks v Los Angeles Lakers

The 2023-24 regular season is fast approaching its conclusion with the New York Knicks (35-25) only having 22 games remaining. As of this writing, the Knicks are ranked fourth in the East and are looking to maintain their placement to secure one of the top seeds in the playoffs.

However, with Julius Randle still out due to his dislocated shoulder and now Jalen Brunson potentially adding to the mix, it is to be seen if New York can take care of themselves without their two stars.

Brunson has been brilliant all season long for New York. Not only has he carried the team but he also budded into a bright star and was named an All-Star for the first time in his career. The Knicks guard averaged 27.7 points, 6.7 assists and 3.8 rebounds. Brunson undeniably stepped up his game this year, especially when Randle was sidelined.

Fortunately, it seems that Jalen Brunson's injury doesn't seem too serious given the diagnosis being a sore knee. But that doesn't mean the Knicks won't struggle without their All-Star in the lineup. The next guy New York can rely on at the moment is Donte DiVincenzo. Based on stats alone, DiVincenzo is the best player on the team without Brunson with averages of 14.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals.

With all that in mind, the New York Knicks better hope for Brunson to make a speedy recovery, especially considering how they can instantly drop down the ranks in just a couple of losses. The Orlando Magic (34-26) are currently ranked seventh in the East. If the Magic manage to win their next two games while the Knicks lose theirs, both teams could easily swap positions.