"Reaves is a dirty player" - NBA fans react to Jalen Brunson suffering concerning injury in OT loss to Lakers
On Thursday, Jalen Brunson got hurt during a crucial moment of the thrilling New York Knicks-LA Lakers showdown in Crypto.com Arena. In the aftermath, fans went on social media to post their reactions, including some jabs at one Lakers player in particular.
With the Lakers up 107-105 under two minutes to go in overtime, Brunson attempted to go coast-to-coast after picking up a defensive rebound. Standing in his way underneath the rim was Austin Reaves, and in the layup attempt that ensued, Brunson ended up stepping on Reaves' left foot.
Though the Knicks guard gutted it out to take his free throws, the impact of his apparent leg injury caused him to head to the locker room for the remainder of the game. Even as the Lakers picked up the 113-109 OT win, netizens posted their reactions as they processed what happened to Brunson:
"Reaves is a dirty player," one netizen tweeted.
"Idk how he got up after that. Hope he’s alright," another netizen tweeted.
"Hate this for Brunson. Dude is a baller. I wish him a speedy recovery," another netizen added.
"Back of the ankle... hope it's not Achilles," another netizen said.
Notably, some online users took a less sympathetic tone towards Brunson:
"That wasn’t even a foul lmfao," one user observed.
"Injured himself frm flopping into ppl," another user said.
The All-Star guard had 39 points, four rebounds, and 10 assists when he left the game. Now, the NBA community is waiting for the official medical report on Brunson's injury.
Jalen Brunson on New York Knicks' record against other top teams: "We got to wake the hell up"
Brunson's importance to the Knicks is not only seen in the numbers that he contributes but also in his leadership skills on and off the court.
In a clip posted last week on the official X account of "The Roommates Show," Brunson spoke to podcast co-host Josh Hart about the Knicks' 0-7 record against top teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics:
"The amount of times we've been embarrassed on national television — that should ring a bell," Brunson said in the clip. "We got to wake the hell up."
It will be interesting to see how Brunson continues to challenge his teammates as he potentially misses a number of games.