Jalen Brunson officially will find out Thursday night, but it’s hard to fathom the Knicks’ breakout point guard not being named to the first All-Star team of his career.
Brunson is averaging career highs in points (26.8), assists (6.5) and 3-point percentage (42.2 percent) in his second season in New York, and he was even better (28.9 and 7.7) in the first two categories during 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 select media members.
Brunson also was deserving of selection last season after signing a four-year contract worth $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 should be in consideration again this year — 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 when they returned to the Garden on Jan. 20 for the first time since a late-December trade to the Raptors.
Former Knicks forward Obi Toppin likely will receive a similar welcome Thursday night in his return to MSG with the Pacers.
“I would think,” Tom Thibodeau said. “You never know until you get out there, but he was a very popular player here. We loved having him. I think there’s always an appreciation for former Knick players that come back and the fact that he’s from the area. 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, along 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 removed from Tuesday’s loss in Boston in the third quarter after he’d missed 10 of the previous 11 games, finishing with 13 points and 10 assists in 22 minutes.