The Knicks didn’t want classic Jalen Brunson on Sunday night time.
Not in opposition to a spiraling Phoenix Suns workforce that was with out Kevin Durant and that continues to be an extended shot to make the NBA’s play-in match.
However Brunson’s return after a 15-game absence for a proper ankle sprain was a welcome sight for the Knicks.
The star guard completed with 15 factors, two rebounds and 6 assists in 34 minutes within the Knicks’ 112-98 win at Madison Sq. Backyard.
He confirmed some rust, capturing 3-of-9, together with 1-of-4 on 3-point makes an attempt, because the offense ran by way of a red-hot OG Anunoby, who erupted for 32 factors.
However within the sport’s waning minutes, Brunson delivered.
With 1:44 left within the fourth quarter, Brunson drilled a 3-pointer that put the Knicks up by 10, successfully serving because the dagger. He added three free throws to ice the sport.
Sunday’s return got here precisely one month after Brunson rolled his ankle when he landed awkwardly on a lay-up try throughout the additional time interval of the Knicks’ March 6 loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles.
The scary-looking damage left Brunson writhing in ache, and after he made a pair of free throws, he limped to the locker room.
The Knicks went 9-6 with out Brunson, and whereas their defensive effectivity improved over that stretch, they scored solely 111.7 factors per sport in his absence, in comparison with their season-long common of 116.2 to start play Sunday.
Brunson practiced with contact on Friday, then entered Sunday as a game-time resolution.
He was greeted with a modest roar as he arrived to the Backyard court docket for a 15-minute pregame warmup, then earned a raucous ovation about 90 minutes later when he was launched as a Knicks starter.
The Knicks allowed him to ease again into motion early.
Brunson sometimes performs your complete first quarter, however he subbed out with 3:04 left within the opening interval and didn’t return till there was 6:10 remaining earlier than halftime.
He completed the primary half with 5 factors on 1-of-3 capturing, with the lone basket approaching a transition runner he remodeled Bradley Beal. He dished out three assists in 15 first-half minutes.
Brunson performed the total third quarter, then sat the primary 4:39 of the fourth earlier than returning because the Suns turned a 17-point deficit right into a 10-point drawback.
Serving to the Knicks give Brunson a relaxation at occasions was the next return of backup level guard Miles “Deuce” McBride, who had missed the earlier eight video games with a groin contusion.
McBride scored eights in 16 minutes.
The Knicks additionally obtained 14 minutes from Cameron Payne, who performed in his second sport in a row after lacking the earlier 4 with an ankle sprain.
Brunson, 28, entered Sunday averaging a team-high 26.3 factors and seven.4 assists in 35.4 minutes per sport. Whereas he didn’t strategy these numbers in opposition to the Suns, he delivered a number of highlight-worthy moments.
Within the first quarter, Brunson lasered a cross between two Suns defenders, discovering Anunoby beneath the basket for a dunk.
Early within the third quarter, Brunson transformed a three-point play when he completed a floater by way of contact by Royce O’Neale.
Later within the third, Brunson cut up the Suns protection with a exact bounce cross to a driving Mikal Bridges, who cashed in with a lay-up.
The Suns primarily defended Brunson with Ryan Dunn, a 6-8 rookie with a 7-1 wingspan, and the scrappy Collin Gillespie, who, like Brunson, performed at Villanova.
Sunday marked the 62nd look of the season for Brunson. There are 4 video games left within the common season. Brunson might want to play in three of them to achieve 65 video games, which is the NBA’s cutoff for award consideration.
Final week, after he was cleared to return to basketball actions, Brunson spoke in regards to the significance of returning earlier than the playoffs.
“I think it’s good for me to get some game reps before we go into that kind of stretch run,” Brunson mentioned. “But most importantly, I want to make sure I’m healthy.”
Sunday was a strong first step.
