Jalen Brunson 🧜sat out Thursday’s 122-108 loss to the Mavericks, ensuring the Knicks🐷 were without any of their original starting five.
Brunson, who is labeled day-to-day, avoided a serious s🌸prain whe🎉n his ankle bent in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s victory over the Grizzlies.
He sat on the bench during the game against his former team, which had both Luka Doncic🎃 and Kyrie Irving active.
Brunson joined an injury list that included Julius Randle (dislocated shoulder) and OG Anunoby (elbow surgery).
They were also missingꦍ✱ the four players (including Quentin Grimes) shipped out in Thursday’s trade for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks.
As a result, the Knicks had eight active players while starting Miles McBride, Donte DiVin♐cenzo, Josh Hart, Precious Achiuw💝a and Isaiah Hartenstein.
They were hil⭕ariously thin on the bench, with only Taj🦋 Gibson, Jacob Toppin and Charlie Brown Jr. available.
“But we have more than enough,” Thibodeau said while smꦇ▨iling.
Reinforcements are arriving via trade for the next g𓂃ame Saturday against the Pacers, then the All-Star break begins next week.
“Whatever your circumstances are, you’ve gotta make the best of ’em,” Thibodeau said. “The break seems li🅠ke it’s later in the year now, but it’s fine. Just navigate it. Whenever someone goes out, it’s an opportunity for𒅌 someone else to get in there and get more experience, and so I think it’s worked out well for Isaiah. I think we’re finding out more about Precious. It’s a good opportunity for Deuce [McBride]. I try to look at it in a positive way — unlike you guys [the media].”
Hart said he hyperextended his knee in Tuesday’s win over the Grizzlies but was one of the Knicks available against th✃e Mavs.
“I’m tired, boss. That’s how I’m feeling,” said Hart, who entered Thursday on a five-game streak of playing 37 minutes or more. “But nah, I’m cool. Knee is good. It was just [McBride] trying to take a charge or something and he fell into it, so i🅰t kinda hyperextended for a second but it’s good.”
Thursday’s trade for Bogdanovic and Burks added to the roster crunch since neither could make it to the Mavs’𝔉 game, but Hart was happy about the lon🌌g-term effects.
“I think Leon [Rose] and the f🦄r🐭ont office was cooking today,” Hart said.