Jalen Brunson officially will discover Thursday night, nevertheless it’s hard to fathom the Knicks’ breakout point guard not being named to the primary All-Star team of his profession.
Brunson is averaging profession highs in points (26.8), assists (6.5) and 3-point percentage (42.2 percent) in his second season in Latest York, and he was even higher (28.9 and seven.7) in the primary two categories through the Knicks’ 14-2 surge in January.
Tyrese Haliburton of the Pacers and Damian Lillard of the Bucks were named the starting backcourt for the Eastern Conference last week in voting by fans, NBA players and choose media members.
Brunson also was deserving of selection last season after signing a four-year contract price $104 million with the Knicks in free agency, but Julius Randle was chosen to represent the Knicks for the second time in three years.
Randle must be in consideration again this yr — with averages of 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists — but he’s sidelined indefinitely with a dislocated right shoulder.
RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley received standing ovations once they returned to the Garden on Jan. 20 for the primary time since a late-December trade to the Raptors.
Former Knicks forward Obi Toppin likely will receive an analogous welcome Thursday night in his return to MSG with the Pacers.
“I might think,” Tom Thibodeau said. “You never know until you get on the market, but he was a extremely popular player here. We loved having him. I believe there’s at all times an appreciation for former Knick players that come back and the proven fact that he’s from the world. So yeah.”
The Brooklyn native has scored 11.2 points per game in 48 appearances (28 starts) for the Pacers, who recently acquired two-time All-Star power forward Pascal Siakam from the Raptors.
Quentin Grimes (knee sprain) was added to the Knicks’ injury report as questionable, together with OG Anunoby (elbow), for Thursday’s game against the Pacers.
Haliburton (hamstring), Bennedict Mathurin (toe) and TJ McConnell (illness) are questionable for Indy.
Haliburton was on a minutes restriction and was faraway from Tuesday’s loss in Boston within the third quarter after he’d missed 10 of the previous 11 games, ending with 13 points and 10 assists in 22 minutes.
