Jalen Brunson couldn’t keep away from the damage report for Saturday’s dwelling recreation towards the Pistons.
Brunson, who didn’t play the ultimate 14-plus minutes of Thursday’s win over the Hornets after crashing exhausting to the ground in a third-quarter collision, has been listed as questionable with a decrease again contusion.
Tom Thibodeau stated after Thursday’s recreation that the All-Star level guard “could have gone back in” after returning to the bench halfway by the fourth quarter.
However there was no motive to place Brunson again within the recreation with the Knicks up by greater than 20 factors.
Brunson, who has began all 22 video games this season, stated after the sport he felt “amazing” however would wait to see how he felt Friday.
Brunson additionally was listed as questionable for the Knicks’ Nov. 13 recreation towards the Bulls, however he performed and scored 24 factors with eight assists in 34 minutes.
With the return of Valuable Achiuwa towards the Hornets, backup heart Jericho Sims performed simply three minutes — all within the first half — with no factors.
Sims has appeared in all 22 video games this season with one begin, averaging 1.9 factors and 4.0 rebounds in 13.2 minutes per look.
Requested if Sims now might be a situational participant with Achiuwa’s return, Thibodeau replied, “No, I didn’t like the energy of the group, so we just started searching for something that could get us going. He’s got to make sure that you’re getting things done out there.”
Cam Payne has been listed as questionable after lacking Thursday’s recreation with left-elbow effusion, which is a situation during which the elbow joint swells due to a buildup of fluid.
“We’ll see where he is [Friday],” Thibodeau stated Thursday night time. “Deuce [McBride] has been terrific, but I like having the bench with Deuce and Cam together. That gives us a big spark and huge energy. I think what Precious will add to that [second-unit] group will be even more speed and athleticism.”
