As the playoffs loom closer, staying healthy becomes a key factor for teams hoping to contend for the title. For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson’s return remains a major concern. On March 6, the superstar guard suffered a brutal ankle sprain after landing awkwardly on Austin Reaves’ foot during the Lakers clash. The fall was so gruesome that everyone instantly knew Brunson would decidedly be out for a while. He hasn’t played since. However, the Knicks’ latest announcement has given the fans some hope for JB’s potential comeback.

Turns out, Brunson is making decent progress and has begun controlled court work. His status will reportedly be updated in one week. That means the point guard will surely miss a few more games due to the injury, but a return before the playoffs seems possible.

That’s exactly what Tom Thibodeau was hoping for as he revealed earlier this week, “Whenever he’s ready, he’s ready. He’s putting a lot into his rehab. That’s what he can control right now. So that’s where we want his focus to be. Hopefully, he’ll get some games where he can work himself back into it.”

Well, the Knicks still have twelve regular season games remaining following tonight’s dominant win against the Wizards. Hopefully, Brunson will be back for some of them so that he regains his rhythm as soon as the playoffs begin on April 19. Coach Thibs also detailed JB’s progress before Thursday’s Hornets game, “He’s doing light shooting and he’s out of the boot. So, there’s steady progress and we’ll see where it goes from there.”

Of course, the New York team needs Brunson back as soon as possible because their struggles without him have been evident.

Josh Hart reveals struggles without Jalen Brunson and sends stern message to Knicks locker room

Before the injury, Brunson had been his team’s best player and primary playmaker all year, averaging 26.3 points and over seven assists. Even on the night he sprained his ankle, he was having one hell of a game, finishing with a 39-point double-double. Had he been able to continue, the Knicks might even have defeated the Lakers. Just proves how important JB is for his team.

Even Josh Hart said it after Wednesday’s blowout loss to the Spurs, while sending a stern message to the locker room, “We have to play make for each other and put each other in good situation to be successful. We knew that was gonna be the struggle without JB. But you know we gotta make the game easier for each other. I feel like we didn’t do that today.” Moreover, he also admitted that their gruelling schedule has taken a toll on the players’ bodies and led to fatigue.

Hopefully, the Knicks won’t have to worry about these issues for very long as Brunson’s return seems imminent – right on time for their playoff push. Thoughts? Chime away below!