Jalen Brunson back in Knicks lineup after nagging foot injury – Vigour Times

Jalen Brunson returned to action for the Knicks on Saturday.

After he practiced Friday and went through warmups, the team announced Brunson would be good to go against the Denver Nuggets at the Garden.

Brunson missed five of the past six games with a left foot injury, which he called a bone bruise on Friday.

“It makes us whole again,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said pregame.

Indeed, getting Brunson back was a big step for the Knicks.

The point guard was averaging 23.8 points and 6.1 assists per game coming into Saturday, and though the Knicks went 3-3 while he was hurt, it’s hard to replace him.

Thibodeau was noncommittal on whether there would be a minutes restriction in place for Brunson against Denver, which leads the Western Conference at 47-23.

“You’re gonna be able to tell whether he needs an earlier break or whatever it is that he needs,” Thibodeau said. “You’re gonna have guidelines that you use but there’s no hard 30 minutes and 30 seconds, it’s 28 minutes and 22 seconds [as a limit]. It’s OK, here’s a guideline and we go from there.”