The star shipowner of the New York Knicks, Jalen Brunson, is expected to be lost at least two weeks after twisting the right ankle at night in the overtime defeat on Thursday night before the Los Angeles Lakers.
“You do not replace a guy like him individually,” said coach Tom Thibodeau on Friday before the Knicks lost to the 105-95 clippers, his third consecutive defeat. “We will have to do it collectively.”
The team said it will provide an update on the state of Brunson in “approximately two weeks.”
Thibodeau said he didn’t know if Brunson would return before the regular season ends in five weeks.
“It’s as hard as they,” said the coach. “Whatever you have to do to return to the court, it will work all day, I know.”
Brunson, trying a shot with remaining 1:24 in extra time, rolling the ankle when he went down to the Lakers guard, Austin, after having received a foul on a trip to the basket. Visibly with pain, Brunson was helped by teammates and stayed in the game to make free shots and tie the score at 107. Then he went to the locker room.
Brunson led the Knicks with 39 points and 10 assists. He sent the game on extra time with a three -point play after the Lakers recovered from a two -digit deficit in the middle of the last quarter.
It is difficult to exaggerate Brunson’s importance for the explosive offensive attack of the Knicks. The two-time All-Star, which ended fifth in the MVP vote last season, has controlled the ball for a maximum of 8.7 minutes per NBA game this season, according to the second spectrum data. Brunson’s play at the end of the game has been particularly remarkable, with its 145 points in clutch stages tied in most in the league.
The 28 -year -old captain is seventh in the league in annotations (26.3 points per game) and eighth in assists (7.4).
Brunson remained with the team on Friday. The New York coast trip continues with games in Sacramento, Portland and Golden State. The Knicks are third parties at the East Conference, 3 games ahead of Milwaukee in fourth place.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
