NBA
Why does Jalen Brunson have a bandage on his hand?
The Knicks guard has been seen with a heavily strapped right hand for several weeks. Medical or cosmetic? Let’s take a look.
Jalen Brunson has been seen with his right hand taped up for several weeks - not such a big deal for a lefty but a strange sight to see the player with one hand bandaged and the other in a sleeve.
Brunson sprained his right hand in March but managed to complete 77 games during the regular season, ending with an average of 28.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game. He was excluded for the last three games of the regular phase but that was more about giving him a chance to rest after a long campaign rather than any issues with his hand. The sprain was not considered serious enough to put him on the injury list and being left-handed, it wouldn’t affect his shooting anyway. “I’m able to do whatever I need to do,” he explained at the start of April.
Jalen Brunson equals NBA postseason feats
He has continued to play with his hand strapped up and has been one of Tom Thibodeau’s most-used players. It hasn’t cramped his style at all - in fact, since he hurt his hand, his performance figures have gone through the roof. During the postseason, Brunson has averaged 35.6 points, 8.1 assists and 4.4 rebounds in eight games and finished with 40+ points in four of them. He became the first player since Michael Jordan, 30 years ago, to score 40+ points in four consecutive playoff games and the first in history with 40+ points and five assists in four straight postseason games.
Longest 40+ point streaks in NBA playoff history
- 6 Jerry West (Los Angeles Lakers) 1965
- 4 Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks) 2024
- 4 Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls) 1993
- 4 Bernard King (New York Knicks) 1984
- 3 Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets) 2020
- 3 Allen Iverson (Philadelphia 76ers) 2001
- 3 Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls) 1990
- 3 Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls) 1989
- 3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Los Angeles Lakers) 1977
Brunson, first his hand, now his foot
So Jalen continues with his taped up hand. We don’t know the severity of it but judging by the length of time he has had his hand bandaged, it could either be a Grade II sprain, which can take between six and 12 weeks to heal or a Grade III, which can take several months to sort itself out.
That’s the least of his worries right now, Brunson is listed as questionable for Game 3 against the Pacers. Apparently, he finished Game 2 with soreness to his right foot and his situation is being monitored day-to-day.
OG Anunoby is certain to miss tonight’s game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a low-grade muscle sprain. Anunoby injured his left hamstring in the second half of the second game against Indiana and is expected to be out for the next fortnight, which means he will miss the remainder of this series but could be back for the finals, if the Knicks progress.