Knicks’ Jalen Brunson Suffers Ankle Injury, Could Miss Extended Time:

New York standout guard Jalen Brunson may be out for a long time after rolling his ankle in overtime during the Knicks’ 113-109 defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

Coach Tom Thibodeau noted following the contest that circular scans were still being done on his injury.

Its unfortunate the way the injury occurred. “We expect him to be out for a little bit,” forward Josh Hart said.

Brunson— currently standing seventh in the NBA on 26.3 points per game and eighth in assists with 7.4 dimes per game— sustained his injury while getting fouled by Laker’s guard Austin Reaves as he drove to the basket during overtime. He was able to finish both of his free throws to tie the game at 107. After that, he was helped up by his teammates, but then he walked to the locker room.

Brunson tallied out 39 points and 10 assists to lead the Knicks in scoring. He was able to bring about overtime after putting in a three point play following the barrage of points the Lakers scored after coming back from a double digit deficit mid-way through the fourth quarter.

Brunson, who shot 50 percent from the floor and hit all but one of his free throws, had Thibodeau praising him, saying, “His mental toughness is through the roof. The way he played the entire game does not surprise me one bit. He just keeps battling and battling.”

Brunson’s heretofore undisclosed injury helps explain why the Knicks have struggled of late, including their loss to the Lakers that marked the start of a five-game trip out west.

The Knicks currently hold third place in the conference with a record of 40 wins and 22 losses. They will remain in Southern California to play the Clippers on Friday, before heading to Sacramento on Monday, Portland on Wednesday, and then Golden State on March 15.

Karl-Anthony Towns shed some light on the Knicks' mindset, saying “It’s next man up. He’s a huge part of our team. We’ve been playing with grit and have to go out there and do it again.”