Knicks' Thibodeau Jokes Jalen Brunson Just 'Changed His Shoes' After Scary Injury

New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau gave his thoughts on star Jalen Brunson briefly leaving the team's first-round playoff matchup with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday due to an apparent leg injury.

"Yeah, I think he changed his shoes," Thibodeau joked with reporters after the game.

Near the end of the third quarter, Brunson got tangled with Pistons guard Dennis Schröder after committing a turnover as both players attempted to secure the loose ball.

He went to New York's locker room before entering the game once again early in the fourth quarter.

The Knicks trailed by four points when he exited the contest, but came back to secure a 94-93 win.

The two-time All-Star finished with a game-high 32 points on 13-of-26 shooting, which included 15 points following his return in the fourth quarter.

Brunson also dished out 11 assists and pulled down five rebounds, connecting on four of his seven attempts from behind the arc.

New York trailed by 10 points with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, but stormed back to earn the victory.

The 28-year-old previously missed 15 consecutive games from March 7 through April 5 due to an ankle sprain.

Brunson was able to return before the start of the playoffs, but admitted that the injury was still affecting him.

He said that "you're never 100 percent" heading into the postseason during his Roommates Show podcast on April 18, but was still feeling good.

Brunson averaged 26.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and a career-high 7.3 assists per game on 48.8/38.3/82.1 shooting splits during the regular season.

He's elevated his output in the playoffs once again, recording 33.3 points and 8.8 assists per game in four first-round matchups with Detroit.

Brunson has been crucial for New York's offensive production, as his 33.6 usage rate in the postseason is the fourth-highest among players averaging at least 15 minutes per game (via NBA.com).

While he departed Sunday's clash with Detroit for a short while before eventually returning, Thibodeau didn't appear to be seriously concerned about his availability moving forward.

The Knicks now lead the first-round series 3-1.