Why Jalen Brunson didn’t play against the Timberwolves after his 47-point masterpiece
As New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson couldn’t help himself in the team’s 132-125 win over the Miami Heat on Sunday night, there’s no question fans want to see him build on that great outing. After Brunson’s record performance with the Knicks has been great, fans will have to wait to see him play.
Brunson will miss Tuesday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with what is being described as “right ankle injury management,” according to New York’s NBA injury report.
New York’s head coach Mike Brown even tried to limit it Brunson’s minutes in the win over Miami, but with back-and-forth play, set the tone for the star who played brilliantly, scoring a season-high 47 points while playing 38 minutes.
“You try to sit them as long as you can,” Brown said, according to The New York Post. “But if you feel the game slipping away, my job is to help us win in the best possible way.”
Averaging just over 35 minutes per game, that’s slightly more than Brown’s goal of 34, though one could tell how difficult that would be to manage given how key a player he is for the Knicks. However, in the last nine games, Brunson has played up to 37 minutes per game, even playing 41 in the NBA Cup Finals.
“I want to play,” Brunson told the media on Sunday. “But if Mike (Brown) wants to do something, then obviously we’ll talk about it. I have the utmost confidence in him. But obviously, when I’m out there, I want to play.”
In addition to Brunson, And the Anunobi will also miss Tuesday’s game against the Timberwolves with a sore left ankle as New York is 20-8, which puts them in second place in the Eastern Conference.
2025-12-23 16:30:00
