Will Jalen Brunson play today against the Dallas Mavericks?
The New York Knicks star is set to miss out on the high-profile clash against the Mavs.
The New York Knicks are facing a challenging stretch as they navigate the 2025-26 NBA season without their star point guard, Jalen Brunson.
The All-Star guard has been sidelined with a right ankle sprain sustained in a game earlier this month, and his absence has coincided with a noticeable dip in the team’s performance.
Brunson’s injury came in a loss to the Sacramento Kings, where he twisted his right ankle just minutes into the first quarter and had to leave the game early.
Since then, the Knicks have struggled to find consistency. Without their talisman, New York have seen their performances take a huge slide and they currently find themselves on a three-game losing run.
KAT: “Without you playing... it's harder out there”
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) January 16, 2026
Brunson: “My fault bro... it's not our…”
(h/t @NBA_NewYork)pic.twitter.com/gqYxKndFnY
Given the impact Brunson’s absence is having, head coach Mike Brown and the Knicks medical staff have been cautious with his recovery timeline, as a further aggravation from a rushed return could see him worse off in the long term. There has been no firm return date set, and the club have kept to the line that his status will be reassessed game by game, with Brown saying he is “day to day.”
“Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart are both questionable with minor ankle injuries for Monday against the Mavericks. Neither played in Saturday’s loss to the Suns,” said The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy.
However, local reports say that Brunson might well feature: Daily Knicks wrote that “reading between the lines, it seems like Brunson will be a go versus Dallas." We shall see.
Despite the rough patch, there is a silver lining to the sad situation. Brunson was seen walking without crutches or a boot immediately after the injury occurred, suggesting the sprain may not be as severe as initially feared.
Could feel the fury emanating off of Jalen Brunson as he watched the end of that game from the sidelines pic.twitter.com/oWOOEXgzMQ
— Kris Pursiainen (@krispursiainen) January 18, 2026
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The game between the New York Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks is scheduled to tip off today, Monday 19 January, at 5 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden in New York.
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