Is Jalen Brunson playing tonight? Latest Injury update for Magic vs. Knicks

The New York Knicks and Orlando Magic will face off in Madison Square Garden on Friday night in a battle for fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

With these two teams separated by half a game in the middle of the East and the regular season beginning to wind down, this game could have ramifications on the playoff picture and who has home-court advantage in the first round of the postseason.

After being the hottest team in January, the Knicks have lost eight of their last 11 games. New York has been ravaged by injuries, with three starters out of the lineup for an extended time (Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson), and All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson has missed the last two games after suffering a left knee contusion against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Mar. 3 less than a minute into the game.

Brunson avoided what initially appeared to be a scary injury that could keep him sidelined for the foreseeable future, but when will he return to the court? Will he be out there when the Knicks play against the Magic?

Is Jalen Brunson playing tonight? Latest injury update

Listed as questionable on the NBA’s official injury report, Brunson has a shot to suit up against Orlando. Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said that the All-Star floor general went through “most” of practice on Thursday, which is a good sign for his availability sooner than later and possibly for Friday night.

Averaging 27.2 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting 40.7 percent from beyond the arc, Brunson’s health is critical for the Knicks ahead of a crucial contest against the Magic. New York is 1-4 in the five games their star guard has missed this season.

The game will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET, and all eyes are on whether the Knicks will have Brunson.

UPDATE: It's official! Brunson is slated to start for the Knicks, marking his return to action.