When two in-form teams lock horns, there’s only one who gets the better of the two, and this time it was the Golden State Warriors. But honestly, everyone thought the Knicks were destined for greatness after Mikal Bridges scored a glorious three-pointer buzzer-beater in OT to win 114-113 against the Trail Blazers. Probably they didn’t know the Warriors were waiting to ‘cook’ them. Rightly so, they lost the next game to an in-form Steph Curry-led side. The worry is not another loss, but Josh Hart. He probably had one of the worst games of his life, with 0 points in 7 attempted shots in 39 minutes on the floor! If this wasn’t enough, he had an exchange of words with HC Tom Thibodeau in the team huddle. But can they continue with their differences, especially in the last leg of the season?
The heat of the game truly gets to you, which is what happened to Hart. He’s otherwise been having a fantastic season- averaging 14.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game while shooting 53.3% from the field. So this game was a lot lower than his usual standards. Understandably, the heat and passion played into the team’s huddle, where Hart and Thibs were seen arguing.
But when you put two passionate individuals in a team together, moments like this are bound to happen. “You all know me. You know my feelings towards Thibs,” Hart said. “You’re not going to find a more loyal player. I love Thibs. I think that was just my frustration coming out with the flow of the game, my own individual performance.” Safe to say, this isn’t going the Butler-Riley way. But what has the coach said about this?
Thibs had the same reaction towards his no. 3, calling it a ‘passionate moment’. “I love Josh,” Thibodeau said. “It was whatever to get us going, to try to get us going.” But all their woes have begun since star guard Jalen Brunson sprained his ankle against the Lakers earlier this month. Much to the dismay of the Knicks fans, he’s a long way from coming back to the floor.
Jalen Brunson faces extended spell on the sidelines
That was one of the worst blows to the Knicks in recent times when Jalen injured himself in OT; the Knicks lost to the Lakers 113-109 in that game. He rolled his ankle pretty badly and could barely stand. But true to his commitment, he scooped two free throws after winning a foul, after which he was escorted off the court. But what is the update on him?
According to Shams Charania, he’s due to be injured for another couple of weeks, at least until late March or early April. “The key for the Knicks and Jalen Brunson is keeping that swelling down in that ankle, getting it lower, and then increasing the mobility in the ankle. They know they need to get him right for the playoffs. That’s of the utmost importance,” said Charania on NBA Countdown.
They’ve been 2-2 since his absence, and have just survived. Relative to expectations, they’ve done well without the Brunson Burner steaming through town. Out of the Knicks 109 points against the Lakers, Jalen contributed to 39 despite the swollen ankle. They sit comfortably in 3rd- six games behind 2nd placed Celtics and four games ahead of 4th placed Bucks. So, as long as they continue to tread the waters similarly, they should qualify without a hitch.
Jan 13, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) warms up before a game against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Up next for New York is a Heat side with 7 losses in a row. It’s the perfect match to get back to winning ways, especially with Jalen Brunson due to be out for a good few games. With Josh Hart and Thibs on the same page now, only a Knicks-level disaster class will preclude them from qualifying for the playoffs. But with a good season, it is safe to say, not this time.
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