New York Knicks captain Jalen Brunson has revealed that he played through significant pain in his left wrist during the latter stages of the team's recent playoff run, which culminated in their first championship in 53 years. The discomfort began in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Brunson detailed the onset of the injury during an appearance on ESPN Radio. "There wasn’t a play I remember it happening," he said. "I just remember being at the free-throw line in the third or fourth quarter of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. My wrist was starting to feel weak. I was like, ‘Where is this coming from?’ From that point on, I was trying to figure out what was going on, and how I can push through, because I wasn’t going to get anything done during that time."
Following the Knicks' championship victory, Brunson underwent surgery to repair a tendon issue in his left hand and wrist. Initial reports indicated a recovery timeline of six to eight weeks. "I’m good," Brunson stated. "It’s obviously going to take a little bit of time."
Despite the injury, Brunson's performance was not significantly hampered. In the NBA Finals, he averaged 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, and shot 38.9 percent from three-point range, including a 45-point performance in the championship-clinching game. In the final two games against the Cavaliers, he posted averages of 22.5 points and 5.5 assists.
More than a month has passed since the Knicks secured their title. Brunson described the period since the win as a "roller coaster," filled with the championship parade and various public appearances. He reflected on the experience, stating, "Obviously, once we won and everything, everything was up and high and everything was amazing, the parade and all of that. Everything after we won was amazing. Then kind of getting back into real life and realizing it was probably best to get surgery done for my wrist. That kind of brought me back down. But I would do it all again."
Brunson emphasized the unique value of winning the championship with the Knicks in New York City. "It’s an incredible feeling, and something that doing it here has made it 10 times better. The experience has been better, just being in the city. It’s been amazing, to say the least."