Heading into the March 17 matchup between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers, the All-Star guard Jalen Brunson was added to the injury report.
Brunson was dealing with two ailments–a neck strain and an ankle issue, which is being managed.
The Knicks weren’t taking any risks on Brunson. They ruled him out for the night, knowing they should have enough power to pick up a win against a struggling and undermanned Pacers team.
Their instincts were correct. Without Brunson, the Knicks dominated the Pacers with a score of 136-110.
With that win, the Knicks improved to 45-25 on the year. They are riding a four-game winning streak. As for the Pacers, they remain at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 15-54 record. They have dropped 14 games in a row.
Josh Hart Drops The Game-High
Heading into the Tuesday night matchup, Josh Hart’s season-high in scoring was 22 points. He achieved that number twice.
- November 26 vs. Charlotte Hornets on the road. Hart went 8-13 from the field, draining 4-6 shots from three.
- January 28 vs. Toronto Raptors on the road. Hart shot 7-11 from the field, hitting 4-7 shots from deep.
A new season-high is in the picture. Hart went 12-13 from the field, making all five of his shots from three. He also went 4-5 from the charity stripe to score 33 points in 26 minutes.
Hart also collected seven rebounds while picking up two steals on defense. On offense, he added five assists to his line for the night.
Knicks Announce Critical Injury Update On Deuce McBride
The Knicks haven’t had Deuce McBride in the lineup since January 27.
At the time, McBride checked in for 29 minutes. He scored nine points, four assists, and two rebounds in a 103-87 win over the Sacramento Kings.
He underwent surgery for a core muscle injury. McBride wasn’t ruled out for the remainder of the year, so he remains a player to keep an eye on as the regular season begins to close. On Tuesday, the Knicks announced a critical update.
via Ian Begley, SNY: “Mike Brown said Miles McBride has progressed to taking contact in his rehab from sports hernia surgery. The Knicks say McBride is doing on-court work, taking contact and progressing well. No reason at this point to think McBride won’t be fully ready for the postseason.”
In 35 games this season, McBride has shot 43% from the field and 42% from three to average 12.9 points.
Josh Hart Gets Real On ‘Money Hungry’ NBA
Pacers victory aside, NBA figures have been asked about Steve Kerr’s recent opinion on cutting the season down.
The big argument from Kerr–and others who share the same desire to see fewer than 82 games get played–is that the NBA would become more competitive, as games would mean more.
Plus, injuries could become less frequent. Josh Hart was asked about it recently…
via Stefan Bondy, NY Post: “Do I think it will be probably be better for the game and the quality on the court? I think so. Do I think it will happen? Probably not because everybody is so money-hungry and money-driven. I think everybody puts that above everything else.”
What’s Next For The New York Knicks?
A quick road trip to Brooklyn.
The Knicks will pay a visit to the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, March 20, 2026.
For all the latest NBA news and rumors, head over to Newsweek Sports.