Is Jalen Brunson playing tonight against Indiana Pacers? Looking at Knicks superstar's status for Game 5 (May 14)

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson will be available for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. The series heads back to New York after back-to-back losses on the road for the Knicks.

Game 4 turned into a disaster for New York. Setting aside the injuries, there are no solid excuses for them being down by 43 points in a second-round contest. The Knicks managed only 33.7% shooting from the field, 18.9% from beyond the arc and 71.0% from the free throw line.

While they collected 16 offensive rebounds, that figure is less remarkable, considering their 59 missed shots. The team is looking for a rebound from dismal performances by Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart, who are more crucial than ever.

Defensively, New York also struggled, failing to make crucial stops and allowing 121 points on eight free throw attempts. With Indiana dishing out 31 assists, it was clear that the Knicks frequently left Pacers players unchecked.

Despite leading the NBA in rebounding percentage previously, New York was outperformed in that area by Indiana on Sunday as well. DiVincenzo stood out as the only regular rotation player who managed a block.

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What happened to Jalen Brunson?

In Game 2, Brunson appeared to hobble without any contact from Pacers players, as he trailed T.J. McConnell across the defensive paint, with roughly 3:45 left in the period.

He signaled to the Knicks bench that he needed to exit as he limped up the court. Brunson departed the game with four minutes remaining in the first quarter. By halftime, the team reported that he was questionable to return due to a sore right foot.

Jalen Brunson, who had been playing through a right foot injury, struggled in Game 4. He missed 11 of 17 shots, scoring a playoff-low this season with 18 points in 31 minutes during the Pacers' series-tying rout of the Knicks.

His performance suggested more significant issues, as Brunson couldn't achieve his usual separation on shots, leaving seven of his 11 misses short of the rim. On March 3, Brunson had injured his left knee in a collision with Isaiah Hartenstein in the win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Although MRI scans showed no serious damage, he sat out the next game against the Atlanta Hawks. That followed another absence due to cervical spasms in his neck before playing the New Orleans Pelicans on Feb. 27.

Earlier in the season, Jalen Brunson also missed a game with a right ankle sprain against the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 7.