The New York Knicks have their own issues to worry about, but All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson still shared a fitting message in reaction to the flashpoint moment of the 2025 NBA Finals.
Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton went down with a non-contact injury, and the worst – a torn Achilles – is the early fear in league circles.
“Prayers up man [praying hands emoji],” Brunson posted on X on June 22.
“Injury Update: Tyrese Haliburton (right lower leg injury) will not return to tonight’s game,” the Pacers posted on X after Haliburton was helped to the locker room.
Haliburton appears to be part of an ominous trend.
“If Haliburton did indeed tear his Achilles, that would be the 8th Achilles tear of the season,” In Street Clothes’ Jeff Stotts posted on X on June 22. “The previous high was 5 (14-15). The total doesn’t include Thanasis Antetokounmpo who tore his in the offseason or prospect Jalon Moore who was injured in a recent pre-draft workout.”
For Bruson and the Knicks, it is an unfortunate reminder of just how injuries have derailed them in the past.
Jalen Brunson, Knicks Know Pacers’ Pain
GettyJalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks walks across the court before Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Second Round Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers.
Brunson has never torn his Achilles. But a fractured hand limited him in Game 7 of the 2023-24 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The Knicks watched as the Pacers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the eventual champions, the Boston Celtics. Brunson still logged 29-plus minutes in that fateful Game 7 Knicks loss.However, he was inefficient, shooting 6-for-17 en route to 17 points.
He did dish out 9 assists, but it was not enough. Notably, Celtics star Jayson Tatum also tore his Achilles this postseason.
Brunson dealt with calf and then later ankle injuries this past season with the Knicks. He appeared in 65 games in 2024-25, his fewest since the 2019-20 season with the Dallas Mavericks, which was his second season in the league.
Jalen Brunson, Knicks Can Benefit From Eastern Conference Injuries
The news on Haliburton, combined with that on Tatum and Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard, has put Brunson and the Knicks in a different light in the Eastern Conference hierarchy.
Brunson and the Knicks finished third in the East last season, going 34-18 in their conference matchups. However, they were 19-23 against opponents with winning records. That includes a 2-1 mark against the Pacers and an 0-4 sweep at the Celtics’ hands.
Haliburton and Tatum could miss most, if not all, of the 2025-26 season.
The Knicks, who decided to fire head coach Tom Thibodeau this offseason, have yet to hire his replacement.
That is a critical next step as they head into the offseason with various rumors swirling about the direction of the roster. Well, they know the Celtics are looking to shake things up, and the Pacers could join them, albeit on a much smaller scale.
Next season could be the Knicks’ best opportunity to take the No. 1 seed in the East.
That would at least secure home-court advantage in the playoffs. The Knicks were 9-3 entering this postseason, where they went 4-4.
