Jalen Brunson Out Two Weeks , Knicks Must Learn to Win without Him

 Jalen Brunson will miss at least two weeks with an ankle sprain he suffered in an overtime loss to the LA Lakers on Thursday. 

While it is only for a couple weeks, and there is still plenty of time between now and the start of the postseason, the Knicks are going to get tested.  Brunson has run the floor for the Knicks for a better part of the last two seasons, and it is easy to see why New York has turned around so incredibly: it's all because of number 11. 

 "You don't replace a guy like him individually," coach Tom Thibodeau said Friday. "We're going to have to do it collectively."

The injury occurred late in the fourth quarter when Brunson was attempting a shot and wound up rolling on his ankle. Brunson left the Lakers game having scored 39 points. 

Without him on Friday against the Clippers, the Knicks were flat in a 105-95 loss. And the schedule won't get any easier with a continued west coast swing that includes games at Sacremento, Golden State and Portland. After a return home to face the Heat on St. Patrick's Day, the Knicks will head to San Antonio. 

The one thing New York has going for it, is they are comfortably perched as the third best team in the East. Milwaukee is three full games behind them for the number 3 seed in the East. 

Everyone will have to step up obviously for the Knicks to compete. They have the talent, but Brunson always provided that steadying presence and leadership. 

This is going to be a huge litmus test for the Knicks. If they can come out of this stretch playing even .500 ball, or just a little better than that, it will go a long way to help build confidence should Brunson miss more than just two weeks.