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CLEVELAND — New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson suffered a left knee damage within the opening minute of a 107-98 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday and didn’t return.
The Knicks referred to as the damage “left knee soreness” and initially mentioned Brunson was “questionable” to return, earlier than ruling him out after halftime. The incident certainly didn’t look good for the New York All-Star.
On the Knicks’ first possession, Brunson dribbled from the left wing towards the foul line and hoisted a soar shot, kicking each legs out to the aspect awkwardly whereas he was on the best way up. Brunson was clutching his knee even earlier than he landed, and there was no obvious contact by Cavs defender Isaac Okoro to sign an damage. He hopped a couple of occasions earlier than falling to the court docket, and was carried to the locker room with 11:13 left within the first quarter.
One potential reason for the damage occurred solely seconds earlier than Brunson went down, when he shuffled round a display from his teammate, Isaiah Hartenstein, and by chance banged knees with the middle. However Brunson completed curling across the display, caught the ball, and made his transfer earlier than clutching his knee in midair.
Brunson, 27, an All-Star for the primary time this season, is averaging 27.7 factors and 6.7 assists — each profession highs. Miles McBride took over for Brunson and completed with 16 factors and 5 assists in 47 minutes. The one minute he didn’t play on this sport was the one which belonged to Brunson. Donte DiVincenzo led the depleted Knicks with 28 factors and 6 3-pointers, whereas Josh Hart produced a triple double with 13 factors, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists. The Knicks are alone in fourth within the East.
This rematch of final yr’s first-round playoff sequence between the Cavs and Knicks had already misplaced some critical luster, with the Knicks lacking Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson — who’re rehabbing main accidents — whereas Cleveland was with out Donovan Mitchell and Caris LeVert due to minor accidents.
The Cavs, who fell to 3-4 after the All-Star break and slipped out of second place with the loss, acquired 21 factors off the bench from Sam Merrill. Darius Garland completed with 19 factors and Jarrett Allen chipped in 18 factors.
Particularly recently, the damage bug has bitten the Knicks. Hartenstein has popped out and in of the lineup with Achilles tendinopathy. Brunson simply missed a sport Tuesday due to neck spasms, as properly.
Randle, an All-Star, has been out since Jan. 29 with a dislocated proper shoulder. He and Robinson (out since Dec. 11 — ankle surgical procedure) each made the journey to Cleveland with the Knicks, and Randle labored out on the court docket Sunday morning and once more earlier than the sport.
“He’s making actually good progress, so we’re hopeful that it’ll be quickly,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned of Randle. “You wanna make it possible for medically the docs be ok with it; he feels good about it. After which as soon as that occurs — and he’s doing nearly every part. He’s taken some gentle contact however nothing with a participant but. In order that’ll be the following step.”
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(Picture: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Pictures)
