Jalen Brunson’s Injury Update

In light of the situation, it seems fair to say this is probably the most favorable outcome for Jalen Brunson.

According to league officials, he sustained a Grade 1 right ankle sprain during Wednesday night’s game against the Magic, which the Knicks lost 124-107 at Madison Square Garden. He will be absent for Friday’s game against the Heat and will undergo daily evaluations moving forward.

Just to clarify, a Grade 1 sprain is the mildest severity.

Last season, Brunson sprained the same ankle in March, keeping him sidelined for nearly a month and causing him to miss 15 games.

During those 15 games, the Knicks managed a 9-6 record. I really hope he isn’t out that long this time around.

Brunson injured himself during the final moments of the game when, trailing by 16 with just under two minutes left, he drove to the basket. While attempting a layup, he apparently twisted his ankle and fell. He did make both free throws after being fouled, but before taking his shots, he glanced at the Knicks’ bench and shook his head.

After the free throw, he immediately slipped out and headed to the tunnel.

Prior to exiting, he had an impressive game, scoring 31 points and providing six assists. He seemed to be adjusting well to coach Mike Brown’s system this season, averaging 28.0 points and 6.5 assists per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from beyond the arc.

With the Knicks set to play on the road for the next five games, this loss snapped their five-game winning streak and marked their first defeat at MSG this season.