Knicks star Jalen Brunson has a Grade 1 ankle sprain, a league source told the Daily News.
He is set to miss Friday night’s game against the Miami Heat and will be evaluated on a daily basis moving forward, the source said.
Brunson’s right ankle rolled awkwardly as he drove to the basket with 1:54 remaining in Wednesday night’s 124-107 loss to the Orlando Magic.
The point guard was fouled by Wendell Carter Jr. on the play, and Brunson stayed in to shoot two free throws.
But Brunson committed a foul — his sixth — two seconds later, then went straight to the locker room, appearing to walk with a slight limp.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown had no update after the game, other than that Brunson turned his right ankle, but The Athletic reported Brunson left Madison Square Garden on crutches and in a walking boot.
The Knicks were trailing, 115-99, when Brunson suffered the injury. He did not address the media after Wednesday’s game, during which he scored a game-high 31 points before fouling out.
“I haven’t talked to him,” guard Josh Hart said afterward of Brunson’s status. “I have no idea.”
Brunson missed 15 games last season with a right ankle sprain. He appeared to tweak that ankle multiple times during the Knicks’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals, though he did not miss a playoff game.
The two-time All-Star started each of the Knicks’ first 11 games this season.
Brunson, 29, leads the Knicks in points (28.0) and assists (6.5) per game, while his 33.9 minutes per game rank second on the team.
In any games Brunson were to miss, backup point guard Miles “Deuce” McBride figures to slide into the starting lineup. McBride is averaging 8.4 points in 22.0 minutes per game, primarily off of the bench, and offers strong defense in addition to his scoring punch.
Second-year point guard Tyler Kolek, who has fallen out of the Knicks’ primary rotation after receiving early-season minutes, could also see an increased role.
