It’s been 12 days and five games since Jalen Brunson suffered a nasty ankle injury that would sideline him for weeks. Well, New York weathered the storm in that time, going 3-2, with four of those being on the road. The Knicks bounced back from an emotional loss to the Warriors with a dominant comeback win over the Miami Heat on Monday. While Erik Spoelstra’s squad has struggled mightily, losers of eight straight, there are continued positives to take away from their play without the captain.
2 Knicks Positives Since Jalen Brunson’s Injury
1. Mikal Bridges Has Responded
The most obvious positive side effect of Brunson’s absence would be the increased offensive opportunities for his teammates. This has clearly manifested itself, as Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Miles McBride, and others have all seen heavier volume. NY desperately needed a chance like this, as several of their tertiary options were struggling to get into rhythm with fluctuating opportunities and/or minutes. I left Karl-Anthony Towns out of this for the most part because he carries a large burden with or without Brunson, and he benefits so much from his pick-and-roll partner.
Bridges Is Better in an Increased Role
Easily the player who has profited most from the improved role has been Bridges. The Villanova product simply hadn’t seen consistent enough reps on-ball to get in a flow because of all the talent around him. Just two seasons ago, Bridges averaged 26.1 points per game in 27 games with his new Brooklyn team. It was his first chance since college to be a main on-ball scoring option, and he thrived instantly. With the Suns he had always been capable, but was trapped behind Chris Paul and Devin Booker.
Bridges is actually a tremendous on-ball scorer, especially in screening actions. He has one of the best mid-range jumpers in the league (50.6% on 2.4 FGA). Bridges simply has a way of navigating slowly through the defense to find a window to raise up and shoot. He’s more equipped to hit pull-up threes and attack the rim than he’s shown this year in a limited role. Since Brunson left the lineup, Bridges is averaging 23.4 points and 4.6 assists on an absurd 73.3% true shooting. When their leader re-enters the fray, both he and the team must make sure they keep him heavily involved. While effective, their Towns/Brunson isolation and pick-and-roll attack can get predictable, especially against the good teams. Bridges gives them a completely different dynamic.
2. New York’s Defense is Revitalized
The initial reaction to NY’s defense being so strong over the past five contests is obvious: it’s because of Brunson being off the floor. Well, this is true to some extent, but the Knicks simply need to take what they’ve learned defensively and use it to make sure the decline on that end isn’t as wide as the upgrade on offense when their captain rejoins the lineup. In the five games since he was injured, NY ranks third in the NBA in defensive rating at 104.9. Now, their offense has cratered to 22nd at 112.2, but it’s certain they’ll return to top-five form when Brunson is healthy.
How Can NY Defend Better When Brunson Returns?
So, what can the Knicks do to maintain their improved defense when their weakest perimeter defender comes back? Firstly, simply continuing to play Mitchell Robinson, even next to Towns, will work wonders for New York. Even in the four games before Brunson left when Robinson was healthy, NY had the league’s seventh-best defensive rating at 112.2 which is well above their season ranking of 14th. That will certainly get it done in the playoffs, and Robinson was rusty, out of shape, and on a minutes restriction. He continues to improve in those areas every day. It’s clear that the seven-footer gives this group a fighting chance defensively, even with both Brunson and Towns.
Secondly, Thibodeau should attempt to play Brunson or Towns with the foursome of McBride, Bridges, Anunoby, and Robinson as much as possible. Those two five-man groups can both be great offensively and compete well defensively in the playoffs. I know Thibs loves Josh Hart, and all Knicks fans do as well. However, at the moment, he’s hurting the offense while not being one of NY’s four best defenders. McBride and Robinson deserve to take more of his minutes.
In the 38 minutes they have played together, the 4-man lineup of Deuce / Bridges / OG / Robinson has posted a microscopic Defensive Rating of 85.4
nightmare defensive matchup for any opponent. https://t.co/HAzxwsq0ZN
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) March 18, 2025
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Lastly, when the playoffs arrive, New York should strive to play with the same frenetic energy that they have without their captain. It’s almost as if losing their crutch on offense in Brunson has forced them to win games defensively, but they should maintain that mentality even when he gets back. Assuming Brunson returns healthy, the weeks of rest could be a blessing in disguise. While he is limited athletically, Brunson has shown he can be a competent defender when he commits. A fresher version of him combined with better effort around him could go a long way.
Photo credit: © Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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