The Knicks are deep in the playoff hunt, but right now, the biggest story isn’t just the standings—it’s Tom Thibodeau’s rotations and what’s really going on with Jalen Brunson’s injury. As New York gears up for a showdown with the Warriors, two things are dominating the conversation: Mikal Bridges openly questioning Thibs’ heavy minutes for starters and the frustrating uncertainty surrounding Brunson’s return.

Now, minutes have always been a thing with Thibodeau, but Bridges took it to another level this week. He didn’t hold back, saying, “We have a good enough team where our bench guys can come in, and we don’t need to play 48 minutes.” He even claimed he had talked to Thibs about it.

But here’s where it gets messy—Thibodeau flat-out denied it. “We never had a conversation about it,” he said, making it clear that, from his perspective, there was no issue. Then he doubled down: “The facts are the facts. Jalen is 20th or 21st in average minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns is below that. Your wings play more. They’re matched up against primary players.”

And just like that, a back-and-forth was out in the open.

That led to a behind-closed-doors meeting before the Knicks’ game in Portland, and according to Shams Charania, it was “productive.” Both sides got their feelings out, and whatever was said must have worked because Bridges came out and dropped 33 points, including his first-ever buzzer-beater. Oh, and he played 41 minutes. Albeit, the game going into overtime.

So, is this over? For now, yeah. Bridges made history as the first active player to challenge Thibs’ minutes strategy publicly, but did that actually change anything? That’s a different story.

Jalen Brunson’s Injury Timeline Extended

While all that was unfolding, Shams also dropped another bombshell—Jalen Brunson’s injury might keep him out longer than expected. Originally, the hope was two weeks. Now? It’s looking more like three or four.

“Thursday marks two weeks for Jalen Brunson,” Shams reported. “Sources tell me it’s more of a three-to-four-week minimum return time frame. That sidelines him through late March, early April. The key for the Knicks and Jalen Brunson is keeping that swelling down, getting it lower, and then increasing the mobility in the ankle. They know they need to get him right for the playoffs.”

The Knicks need to be patient. But at the same time, they need him back as soon as possible—because, let’s be real, their playoff hopes depend on it.

On paper, they’ve handled his absence well, going 3-1 without him. But don’t let that fool you—this team needs Brunson. He’s averaging 26.3 points and 7.4 assists per game, and the offense just isn’t the same without him. There’s also another factor at play: He needs to play at least four more games to qualify for end-of-season awards, which could add even more urgency to his return.

With the dust seemingly settling on the drama between Bridges and Thibodeau, the Knicks can finally shift their focus to surviving this brutal stretch. But it won’t be easy. Brunson is still sidelined, Thibs’ rotations are facing heavy scrutiny, and with a tough showdown against the Warriors on deck, New York’s playoff push just got a whole lot trickier.