Villanova in the Pros: Jalen Brunson Back Healthy

Although Villanova Wildcats alumnus Jalen Brunson missed the New York Knicks’ Wednesday, Jan. 1 win over the Utah Jazz due to calf soreness, the point guard, now in his seventh NBA season, returned to the court on Friday, Jan. 3. Brunson played 40 minutes and dropped 22 points with nine assists in the New York Knicks’ 117-107 road loss to Oklahoma City. In other encouraging news, Brunson hasn’t appeared on any Knicks’ injury reports since being ruled out during warmups ahead of the game against the Jazz.

The Knicks took a double digit lead against the Thunder, the best team in the NBA this season with a 29-5 record, with just over a minute to go in the third quarter when Mikal Bridges, another two-time NCAA champion with Villanova, drilled a three-pointer. They came undone in the fourth quarter, however, seeing their win streak come to an end. Bridges contributed 24 points, leading the Knicks, while fellow Wildcats alumnus Josh Hart put up 19 points with seven rebounds.

Knicks Start to Slide

As a further testament to Brunson’s improved health, he took the court again on Saturday, Jan. 4 in the second half of a back-to-back for the Knicks, scoring 33 points with eight assists in 33 minutes. Bridges added 18 points, while Hart served as a facilitator, letting Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns handle the scoring while he put up a 16 rebound, 10 assist double-double.

Nevertheless, the Knicks lost their second game in a row, falling 139-126 to the Chicago Bulls after coming out flat in the third quarter. This marks the first time the Knicks, who sit third in the Eastern Conference with a 24-12 record, lost consecutive games since early November.

They’ll look to get back on track on Monday, Jan. 6 when they host the Orlando Magic at 7:30 p.m.

Elsewhere in the NBA, former Villanova Wildcat Jalen Duren put up a 14 point, ten rebound double-double for the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 3. Cam Whitmore, meanwhile, played a season high 34 minutes for the Houston Rockets that same day. While he didn’t get the start — a point of contention, per his postgame comments following Houston’s Jan. 1 win over Dallas — Whitmore played more minutes than all but one Rockets’ starter, scoring 11 points with six rebounds on a rough shooting night against the reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics.