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LOS ANGELES — New York star guard Jalen Brunson could miss an extended period of time after suffering an ankle injury during overtime in the Knicks’ 113-109 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
Coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game that Brunson was still being examined by the medical staff.
“It’s a bummer of an injury,” forward Josh Hart said. “We expect him to be out for a little bit.”
Brunson — who is seventh in the league in scoring (26.3 points per game) and eighth in assists (7.4 per game) — rolled his right ankle with 1:24 remaining in overtime after landing on the foot of Lakers guard Austin Reaves after being fouled on a drive to the basket. Brunson got help up from teammates and stayed in the game to make both free throws and tie the score at 107. He then came out and went to the locker room.
Brunson led the Knicks with 39 points and 10 assists. He sent the game into overtime with a three-point play after the Lakers rallied from a double-digit deficit midway through the fourth quarter.
“His mental toughness is through the roof,” Thibodeau said about Brunson, who was 13-of-26 from the field and made 12 of his 13 foul shots. “It doesn’t surprise me the way he played the whole game. He still keeps battling and battling.”
Brunson’s injury could not come at a worse time for the Knicks. The loss to the Lakers began a five-game West Coast trip.
New York, which is 40-22 and in third place in the Eastern Conference, remains in Southern California to face the Clippers on Friday night before facing Sacramento on Monday night, Portland on Wednesday night and Golden State on March 15.
“It’s next man up,” center Karl-Anthony Towns said. “He’s a huge part of our team. We’ve been playing with grit and have to go out there and do it again.”
