Jalen Brunson, who wasn’t able to finish Game 7 because of a fractured left hand, said he does not view the Knicks’ season as a success because it didn’t end with a championship.
As he sat at the podium, his left hand and wrist immobilized after suffering a fracture in a season-ending 130-109 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden, New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson was asked if this season was a success.
« No, » he said, flatly.
Asked later why that was the case, he responded, « Did we win the championship? Did we get close? »
After a pause, he continued, « So, no. That’s my mindset.
« That’s just how it is. »
That could also apply to Brunson’s injury, which occurred in the third quarter when, he said, he swiped down at Tyrese Haliburton and felt something in his hand.
After a brief trip to the locker room, Brunson returned to the court for 14 seconds before checking back out with 3:02 to go in the third quarter and heading to the locker room for what would become the rest of both the game and New York’s season.
« I thought I just jammed it, to be honest with you, » Brunson said of briefly checking back into the game, only to leave again. « I looked down and knew something was wrong. »
For Brunson, it was a frustrating end — on both a personal and team level — to what has been a fabulous season, one that included him finishing fifth in the NBA’s Most Valuable Player voting earlier this month.
