This is the Knicks right now. This is the team. These are the players. This is reality, for now and for at least a couple of weeks as Jalen Brunson’s right ankle continues to be safeguarded in a walking boot. The Knicks are taking the long view with Brunson, as they should. He’s done some light shooting. He still needs heavy healing.
So that’s the bad news. Worse for Brunson is if he can’t make it back for at least four of the Knicks’ remaining 15 games. In that case, he won’t make 65 games for the season, and he’ll be disqualified for consideration for All-NBA (where he was almost certain to land on the second team) and for the Clutch Player of the Year Award, for which he was a heavy favorite.
But here’s the good news:
For those who expected the Knicks to crawl up into a ball and mourn the loss of their captain with real tears and miserable basketball, they are now 3-2 without him after obliterating the mailing-it-in Heat 116-95. Heat Culture, it seems, works a lot better when there are also good Heat basketball players.
