The New York Knicks have ruled point guard Jalen Brunson out for Thursday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors with a right ankle sprain. Brunson left the Knicks 112-101 loss to the Sacramento
Kings on Wednesday night early after seeming to hurt his ankle. Brunson had missed time earlier this season with an ankle injury. The Knicks have also ruled big man Mitchell Robinson out.
Brunson has appeared in 37 games so far this season, averaging 28.2 points, 6.1 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game on .481/.388/.852 shooting. With Brunson out, backup guards Miles McBride and Tyler Kolek will likely see larger roles in Knicks coach Mike Brown’s rotation.
The Knicks will not only be missing one of the team’s top players, but is also playing the second half of a back-to-back on the eighth day of a west coast roadtrip. Golden State has lost a number of games this season against shorthanded opponents, but the combination of home court, rest, and health advantage would make this a particularly embarrassing defeat.
The Warriors are coming into the matchup with a 22-19 record and are the 8th seed in the Western Conference. The Knicks have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, and enter Thursday with a 25-15 record.
