ATLANTA, GEORGIA – FEBRUARY 15: Immanuel Quickley #5 of the New York Knicks reacts after a three-point basket against the Atlanta Hawks with Jalen Brunson #11 during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena on February 15, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) ** OUTS – ELSENT, FPG, CM – OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)

PUBLISHED: March 7, 2023 at 5:56 p.m. | UPDATED: March 7, 2023 at 5:56 p.m.

Before another game without the injured Jalen Brunson, coach Tom Thibodeau expressed confidence in Immanuel Quickley and the Knicks’ depth continuing their nine-game winning streak.

“We have more than enough to win,” Thibodeau said.

Brunson was ruled out of Tuesday’s contest against the Hornets because of a sore foot, the same injury that sidelined the point guard in Sunday’s double-OT thriller over the Celtics. Thibodeau, who is Bill Belichick-ian in his lack of injury updates, wouldn’t provide a timetable but said Brunson will travel with the team on its four-game road trip that begins Thursday in Sacramento.

“I leave that up to the medical staff and the player,” Thibodeau said. “To me, I know he’ll play if he can play and if the medical people and he feels that he needs another day, then we give him the day.

“We love our depth. The next guy, get in there and get it done.”

Quickley, who dropped a career-high 38 points against the Celtics, started at point guard Tuesday with Miles McBride as the backup. Thibodeau said he didn’t expect much more defensive pressure applied to Quickley after his breakout against the Celtics.

“It’s not like he just came out of nowhere. I think he was part of everyone’s defensive plan,” Thibodeau said. “I think (Quickley’s offense in Boston) was part of the flow of the game, too. It was an up-and-down game. Whatever it is that he sees, whether it’s a drop coverage or a switch coverage or usually when a guy gets going like that they’re going to blitz or they’ll go fire. Whatever it is that they do, if they put two onto the ball, read that and that’s easy offense. Get off the ball, don’t fight the double team. Get off the ball, everyone get to their space and play off that on the backside and get really good shots from that.”

Still, Hornets coach Steve Clifford said Brunson’s creates a domino effect that negatively impacts the Knicks, no matter how well Quickley plays.

“I think they’re a lot different because you don’t have both of them,” Clifford said. “It’s not one or the other. Forty-eight minutes is a long time. So it does impact their depth. He was great the other night (in Boston). He started off well. And then the end of the game and overtime. He had that stretch where he scored seven straight points and he’s played like that in stretches like that before. I would say Jalen to coach against is obviously one of the two guys you concentrate. But certainly Quickley is capable of a big night and they have other guys, too.”

The Knicks entered Tuesday with a 3-2 record without Brunson, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Month.

()