Jalen Brunson’s sprained right ankle has kept him sidelined for nearly three full games, starting with an early exit in the Knicks’ loss to the Kings. But the good news for New York? That absence may be coming to an end soon-and not a moment too soon.
Brunson is officially listed as “questionable” for Monday’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, his former team. And if you’re reading the tea leaves, there’s real optimism around his return.
Head coach Mike Brown made it clear before Saturday’s loss to the Suns that the team isn’t overly concerned, calling Brunson “day-to-day.” That’s about as encouraging as it gets this time of year, especially when you consider the Knicks upgraded him to “questionable” ahead of that Phoenix game.
For context, when Brunson sprained the same ankle earlier this season, he missed just a couple of games. So the timeline tracks.
And make no mistake-getting Brunson back on the floor is more than just a minor boost. It’s the lifeline the Knicks desperately need right now.
Brunson Is the Engine That Drives Everything
The Knicks’ recent slide isn’t solely because of Brunson’s injury. Their post-NBA Cup performance has been shaky, to say the least. Since that point, they rank 28th in defense and 22nd in net rating-numbers that paint a picture of a team drifting toward the play-in tournament rather than climbing the Eastern Conference standings.
But things have gotten even worse without Brunson. The Knicks’ offense drops into the 32nd percentile when he’s not on the court.
In other words, they can barely function without him. That’s been evident in the last three games, all losses, where the offense looked disjointed and turnover-prone-especially against a high-energy Suns defense that forced one of New York’s five worst turnover rates of the season.
Brunson’s value isn’t just about scoring or facilitating. He’s the stabilizer.
The floor general. The guy who keeps the offense moving and the ball protected.
Without him, the Knicks are trying to run a half-court set with the wheels falling off.
No One Else Can Fill His Shoes-And That’s the Problem
The Knicks didn’t build this roster expecting to lean so heavily on one player. But that’s exactly where they’ve landed.
Karl-Anthony Towns hasn’t found his rhythm. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are being asked to do more offensively than they’re wired for.
Tyler Kolek, while promising, hasn’t shown he’s ready to run the show at this level-and time is ticking.
That leaves Brunson as the one player the Knicks simply can’t afford to be without. And while it’s a testament to how good he’s been, it’s also a flashing red light for a team that had higher aspirations coming into the season.
The Offense Is Reverting-And That’s Not What Mike Brown Signed Up For
When Mike Brown took the reins, the vision was clear: a modernized offense built around pace, movement, and drive-and-kick principles. And early on, we saw flashes of that identity. But lately, the Knicks have drifted away from that system-and back into old habits.
Without Brunson, the offense has leaned heavily on isolation sets and late-clock heroics. Even when he’s been available, more of his buckets have been self-created, with fewer assisted baskets than earlier in the year. That’s a sign of an offense losing its structure and falling back into a "Brunson, save us" approach.
It’s not sustainable. It’s not how contenders operate. And it’s not what this team needs if it wants to make real noise in the postseason.
Brunson’s Return Offers Hope-but Also a Reminder
The Knicks are still in the thick of the Eastern Conference race, but their margin for error has vanished. Brunson’s potential return against Dallas is a massive lift-not just because of who the opponent is, but because of what he means to this team’s identity.
He’s more than their best player. He’s their compass. And if the Knicks are going to pull themselves out of this slide and back into the contender conversation, it starts with Brunson-on the court, in rhythm, and hopefully, healthy enough to stay there.