Why is Jalen Brunson not playing tonight for Knicks? Latest injury update on New York's star vs Pelicans - February 27, 2024

The New York Knicks will be undermanned as they face the New Orleans Pelicans tonight, as Jalen Brunson will reportedly not be suiting up. He was initially listed as questionable prior to today but has since been downgraded to out. Miles McBride could potentially step up to fill his role.

This will be the first game that the star point guard will miss since Feb. 8 and will be his fourth overall time that he's missed a game this season. The reason for this latest absence is reported to be neck cervical spasms.

Brunson has been the clear leader of the Knicks offense, averaging 27.7 points and 6.7 assists in 55 games. The point guard is also seeing a lot of playing time, averaging 36.0 minutes per game this season. He is number one on his team in minutes, points and assists.

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When will Jalen Brunson return?

There is no clear timeline for how long Jalen Brunson will be sidelined or when he might potentially return. He might be out for just this one game or miss an extended period of time, which will hurt the Knicks as they attempt to secure a more favorable spot in the postseason.

On the upside, he could be back as soon as Thursday when the Golden State Warriors visit them for an East vs West matchup.

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Jalen Brunson's injury brings the total of injured Knicks players to six

The Knicks were already dealing with two major injuries. Julius Randle's dislocated shoulder has caused him to be sidelined since Jan. 29. Meanwhile, Mitchell Robinson has been out of action since Dec. 5.

They are now joined by Isaiah Hartenstein, who is dealing with an Achilles injury. His absence puts an even bigger dent in the Knicks' depth at center. OG Anunoby, who has been out since Jan. 29, also remains unavailable as he continues to recover from an elbow surgery.

Knicks two-way player Duane Washington Jr. is also listed as out due to a thumb injury. Along with Jalen Brunson being sidelined, the number of injured Knicks players is now at six.