The marquee Tuesday night matchup between the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks fell silent in an instant. Jalen Brunson, the Knicks’ heartbeat, had already given fans a scare earlier after landing awkwardly on a steal attempt against Ryan Rollins. But the tension spiked when, moments after, Brunson went one-on-one with Giannis Antetokounmpo and suddenly stumbled mid-dribble, clutching his upper leg in visible pain. The energy drained from the Fiserv Forum as both teammates and opponents gathered around, concern etched across their faces.

Lying on the floor, Brunson appeared to be holding his groin area before being helped up by Giannis and a few Knicks players. Head coach Mike Brown immediately called timeout, and the team’s trainers surrounded their captain for the entire break. Though the extent of the injury wasn’t immediately clear, the sight of Brunson in discomfort was enough to unsettle Knicks fans- a reminder of just how much their season hinges on his health.

Up to that point, Brunson had been exactly what the team needed. In a bruising matchup against Milwaukee, Brunson had been the engine of the offense with Karl-Anthony Towns struggling the whole way. He helped the Knicks keep pace early in the game, logging 15 first quarter points to take an early lead.

Even after the scare, Brunson refused to sit out. He checked in immediately after the timeout, anchoring the team’s offense. JB finished the game with 36 points, leading all Knicks scorers and making this his third straight game with 30 or more points.

Groin twinge or not, he wasn’t going to let his team go down without a fighting chance against the Bucks. Unfortunately, the Bucks won 121-111 behind 37 from Giannis.

Brown addressed the injury in the post-game conference. “I know he fell,” he said. “But our training will tell me if somebody gets hurt. But nobody said anything. That’s why he continued playing. I don’t know. I don’t know. You would have to ask him that question.”

For now, there’s no official update on his injury, and uncertainty lingers. With New York already dealing with Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson missing time, even a minor tweak could spell trouble if it lingers.

New York Knicks Fans React to Jalen Brunson’s Scare

New York Knicks fans are well aware of the risks of overextending their starting lineup. During the 2024 playoffs, several Knicks players sustained injuries directly linked to excessive playing time. OG Anunoby suffered a hamstring injury, Brunson injured his hand, and a viral photo of Josh Hart surrounded by ice packs spread across social media. The team now faces the possibility of experiencing similar issues again.

One fan captured the mood of New York sports fans, saying, “NO NO NO NO NO JALEN BRUNSON GET UP PLEASE, I ALREADY AM DEALING WITH MALIK NABERS AND CAM SKATTEBO, I CANNOT LOSE YOU. PLEASE BE OKAY BB YOU’RE LEGIT MY ONLY HOPE IN SPORTS RN.” New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo recently suffered a dislocated ankle, and wide receiver Malik Nabers suffered a torn ACL about a month ago.

Others voiced concern with a tone of resignation, understanding that sitting out their star might mean sacrificing tonight’s game. One viewer said, “Knicks need to sit Jalen Brunson down for the game after this injury. Lose the battle, win the war.” The message is clear: Brunson’s health is more important than one early-season game.

It’s known league-wide, Knicks fans can take it up a notch when it comes to their team. This backfired last season, outside Madison Square Garden after a playoff win, a group of Knicks supporters forced a visiting Indiana Pacers fan in a Pacers jersey to remove his shirt.

The incident was captured on video and widely shared. In that same stretch, the Pacers fan- identified as a New York firefighter named Hans Perez- was reportedly followed on the streets around the Garden, taunted and had garbage bags thrown at him for wearing opposing team gear.

On the lighter side, the “Bing Bong!” moment: a viral taunt by a Knicks fan outside MSG (“KD don’t you regret not coming to the Kniiiiiiiicks?”) captured the unique culture, voice and intensity of Knicks fans.

Coming back the JB injury, the sight itself unsettled many. One viewer said, “Nooooo.. damn I hope bro recovers quickly,” showing the collective fear amongst Knicks fans, who were united in concern for their franchise cornerstone.

Another comment read, “hope Jalen Brunson be ok that look scary,” showcasing the kind of emotional outpouring that only a player as vital as Brunson could inspire.

There was some relief, when viewers saw Brunson returning to the game. “Jalen Brunson is staying in the game after hamstring(?) and(?) groin(?) scare,” one fan updated, offering a cautious hope.

The anxiety hasn’t faded though, and many still wait to see if their leader has escaped serious injury.