Hornets tight end Jalen Brunson lands on the Knicks’ injury report

Jalen Brunson couldn’t avoid the injury report for Saturday’s home game against the Pistons.

Brunson, who sat out the final 14-plus minutes of Thursday’s win over the Hornets after crashing hard to the floor in a collision in the third quarter, has been listed as questionable with a lower back contusion.

Tom Thibodeau said after Thursday’s game that the All-Star point guard “could have gone back in” after returning to the bench midway through the fourth quarter.

But there was no reason to put Brunson back in the game with the Knicks up by more than 20 points.

Brunson, who has started all 22 games this season, said after the game that he felt “awesome” but would wait to see how he did on Friday.

Brunson was also listed as questionable for the Knicks’ November 13 game against the Bulls, but he played and scored 24 points with eight assists in 34 minutes.

With the return of Precious Achiuwa against the Hornets, backup center Jericho Sims played just three minutes — all in the first half — without a point.

Sims has appeared in all 22 games this season with one start, averaging 1.9 points and 4.0 rebounds in 13.2 minutes per game.

Asked if Sims will now be a situational player with Achiuwa’s return, Thibodeau said, “No, I didn’t like the energy of the group, so we just started looking for something to get us going. He’s got to make sure you getting things done out there.”

Cam Payne has been listed as questionable after missing Thursday’s game with left elbow fluid, a condition in which the elbow joint swells due to a buildup of fluid.

“We’ll see where he’s at (Friday),” Thibodeau said Thursday night. “Deuce (McBride) has been great, but I like having the bench with Deuce and Cam together. It gives us a great spark and enormous energy. I think what Precious will add to that (second unit) group will be even more speed and athleticism.”