Jalen Brunson Sprained Ankle, Knicks Crumble to Kings

The Knicks fell 112-101 to the Kings and lost Jalen Brunson to a sprained right ankle after just five minutes, with New York offering no update postgame. Coach Mike Brown called it "one of the worst, if not the worst, games we've played the entire year," and added "We didn't respond. We didn't respond at all." Sacramento rode a balanced attack — DeMar DeRozan led with 27 and all five starters scored in double figures — while no Knick reached 20 points. The loss drops New York to 25-15 and raises immediate concern about their floor general as they head into a tough road date with Golden State. Merlin sees a familiar pattern: a short injury can expose thin depth and stall rhythm. Brunson sprained the same ankle in November and missed two games then; if sidelined again, the Knicks' offense could become predictable and fragile. Short term, this game matters as much for tone as for the standings.