The recent semifinal matchup of the ongoing NBA tournament saw the New York Knicks record their second consecutive win against the Indiana Pacers. Much of the win could be credited to the efforts of OG Anunoby, Donte DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson, who each contributed 25+ points to the overall score. Brunson was able to deliver an exceptional performance despite being absent for 1.5 quarters after developing an on-court injury. While the player continued to show that his ailment was not a big hindrance, the opposite may be said about it in the long run.

In the aftermath of the win, the 27-year-old point guard discussed his midgame return. He stated that he and the rest of the roster just “found a way.” As the interviewer, Chris B. Haynes, asked whether the player would be ready for Game 3, he replied with a neutral expression on his face, “I’m gonna try to be.”

‘Try’ is the keyword here, as the player knows that his availability cannot be confirmed until more information is known about his injury.

The Knicks went into the matchup without the presence of Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Bojan Bogdanovic. Therefore, the pressure for Jalen Brunson to do well was up. If attendees at Madison Square Garden were worried, then that same feeling would have intensified after the player headed to the locker room within the first 3:32 minutes of the game. Updates by various analysts and reporters credited his exit to a soreness in his right foot. Fortunately, Brunson returned during the second half and proceeded to drop 24 of his 29 points during that particular period of time. He was able to cover for OG Anunoby, who had to exit during the game’s final stage due to a sour left hamstring.

While the Knicks won, Brunson’s injury prevented him from recording his fifth consecutive 40+ points game. If the same had occurred, he would have been only the second player in the history of the NBA to do so.

Can the New York Knicks manage their winning momentum without Jalen Brunson?

Jalen Brunson is the literal heart and soul of the New York Knicks. Not only did he play for 77 games during the regular season, he also secured an average score of 28.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists during that period of time. His offensive prowess only increased during the ongoing playoffs. In the last 8 clashes, he scored at least 35.6 points, 8.1 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game.

The player was absent for 5 regular season games held between January and March. During that time, the Knicks had a 1-4 win record. If Brunson makes himself unavailable during the remaining Semifinals games, then his place will be taken up by the franchise’s secondary point guard, Miles McBride. While he appeared in 68 games during the regular season, McBride could only record an average score of 8.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists. The Knicks won their recent matchup by a mere 9-point gap. Therefore, his contribution will not be enough to take the franchise where they needs to go.

Furthermore, there hasn’t been an update on OG Anunoby’s availability for the next game. If he is ruled out of the remaining games due to his hamstring, it will be up to Brunson, and Donte DiVincenzo will have to carry the extra workload. Considering all these factors, one can deduce that the New York team won’t be able to hold on to their winning record without Jalen Brunson.