The New York Knicks are set to welcome back their star player just in time for the NBA playoffs.
Guard Jalen Brunson is slated to make his return to the Knicks’ lineup for Sunday’s game against the Phoenix Suns, as reported by various sources. Brunson has been sidelined for the past 15 games following an ankle sprain suffered in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 7.
Before his injury, Brunson was leading the Knicks in scoring with an average of 26.3 points per game and 7.4 assists, with a 38% success rate on his 3-point shots. At that point, New York had a record of 40-22 after losing to the Lakers.
Despite Brunson’s absence, the Knicks have performed admirably, going 8-6 and holding onto the third seed in the Eastern Conference standings. However, they have faced setbacks against strong opponents like the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, and Cleveland Cavaliers during this period.
The Suns, on the other hand, have struggled recently, losing five games in a row and eight out of their last 13, causing them to slip out of contention for a play-in tournament spot. With matches against the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, and Cavs remaining on their schedule, getting Brunson back could be crucial for the Knicks to avoid dropping to the fourth or even fifth seed.
Brunson was given the green light for basketball activities on Wednesday and was initially listed as questionable for Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks before being ruled out by the Knicks. This decision spared him from a tough matchup against defensive ace Dyson Daniels in his first game back.