Jalen Brunson’s Injury Worked Out Well For Knicks Playoff Run

As we near Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs, the Knicks blissfully appear to be fully healthy for Saturday’s tilt against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. During New York’s last two postseason appearances in 2023 and 2024, they entered the first round with major injuries. In 2023, Julius Randle was nursing a severe ankle sprain that would affect his entire playoff run. In 2024, NY played Game 1 without Randle due to a shoulder injury, and would lose OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson, and Bojan Bogdanovic along the way. No one should take this perfect bill of health for granted as the Knicks embark on what’s hopefully a deep playoff push. However, it didn’t always seem possible. Jalen Brunson‘s brutal ankle sprain on March 6 could’ve derailed their season. Instead, he’s not only back on the floor, but his absence provided several silver linings for his team.

Jalen Brunson’s Injury Worked Out Well For Knicks Playoff Run

When Brunson went down in LA about six weeks ago, it looked as though he might need surgery or months off. He needed four more games to qualify for All-NBA consideration, for which he was sure to be selected. His award status was far from the Knicks’ priority, as they were hopeless for any kind of playoff run without their captain. Well, Brunson’s rehab went better than expected, and he returned with a week left in the season. Not only did he become eligible and will in all likelihood earn All-NBA honors, he was also able to play in four games and shake the rust off. He appears to be fully healthy and should enter the postseason with no restrictions.

Silver Linings

Their Overworked Superstar Is Finally Fresh

No team ever hopes for an injury, especially to the face of their franchise. However, if that player can return before the playoffs in time to get into playing shape, it can actually be a blessing in disguise. This is even more relevant for a guy like Brunson, who shoulders one of the largest offensive burdens in the league. His 28.9% usage rate ranks eighth in the NBA. For a small, bruising guard, getting off his feet for a month heading into the postseason could work wonders. In a league of worn-down players nursing injuries this time of year, having your star completely healthy and rested is a big advantage.

Wing Duo Leveled Up

Another silver lining of Brunson’s month-long absence is the increased opportunities for those around him. The Villanova product is one of the most ball-dominant players in basketball, and deservedly so. With that, however, comes a difficult situation in terms of sharing the ball. On a team with four elite scoring threats like the Knicks, it was tough for Brunson to get everyone involved on a nightly basis. Karl-Anthony Towns‘ game was elevated next to Brunson on plenty of volume. However, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby were both underused for most of this season.

In the 15 consecutive games Brunson sat out, the team went 9-6. A huge reason for this was the explosion from Anunoby and Bridges on the wing. With increased offensive opportunities, both guys got closer to reaching their ultimate potential. In those 15 games, Bridges averaged 20.5 points and 4.9 assists on 63.1% true shooting. The former Net was finally able to flash back to his Brooklyn days, serving as a primary on-ball creator for New York. He showcased his playmaking, pick-and-roll chops, and ability to create his own shot off the bounce. NY will need that version of Bridges in the playoffs to match up with talented teams like Boston and Cleveland.

Even more jarring was the star leap that Anunoby took while Brunson was out. OG had already begun to assert himself offensively before his point guard left the lineup. He exploded onto the scene after the injury. In Brunson’s absence, Anunoby averaged 23.8 points on 49.4% from the field and 41.8% from deep.

There’d been flashes of this player previously, but this was the longest sustained scoring success of Anunoby’s career. OG showed off his shot creation ability both on the perimeter and in the post. In his first game with Brunson back in the lineup, Anunoby dropped 32 points on 13-17 from the field. If he can maintain this level of play, New York becomes a much more dangerous playoff team.