Mitchell Robinson's imminent return a big relief for Knicks
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson dunks against the Nets in the first half of an NBA game at Madison Square Garden on April 12, 2024. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
GREENBURGH — How much do the Knicks miss Mitchell Robinson?
In the wake of back-to-back ugly losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau was downright frank about the impact Robinson’s ankle injury has had on the team this year.
“Mitch was projected to be the starting center. That means we’ve gone 50-something games without our starting center,” Thibodeau said Tuesday after Robinson practiced fully with the team. “I think guys have done a really good job stepping in. Could we do better? I always believe we could do better.”
Robinson, who underwent offseason surgery on his left ankle, was originally expected back in December. His rehabilitation, however, has been slower than anticipated and it wasn’t until Wednesday of last week that he was practicing fully with the team.
The good news is that Robinson has now participated fully in multiple practices and scrimmages, and he appears to be on the cusp of returning. Though Robinson was ruled out for Wednesday’s game against the swooning 76ers, ESPN has reported that he will be back this week. Thibodeau described Robinson as “active, very active” in Tuesday’s practice.
It couldn’t be soon enough for Knicks fans.
In a sheer sign of how desperate fans are for a shake-up, everyone seems to be looking for a deeper meaning in every team update on Robinson. Thibodeau’s word choice Tuesday — referring to Robinson as “our starting center” — set off a minor social media firestorm with red-hot conjecture on who would be moved out of the starting lineup when Robinson returns. (The consensus was Josh Hart, for what it’s worth.)
Truth is it is very unlikely that Robinson will step into a starting role. Considering how fragile the 7-footer has been over the course of his career, the Knicks need to manage his workload, and there is no way he will be playing starter’s minutes. The Knicks likely will use him in relief of Karl-Anthony Towns at first and then eventually work him into a two-big lineup alongside Towns that they will use against certain opponents.
Thibodeau’s use of the words “our starter” seemed simply his way of underscoring the fact that the Knicks have been undermanned all season. Much has been made recently about the Knicks not being in the same league as Cleveland and Boston, the two teams that outscored them by a combined 50 points on Friday and Sunday.
With the losses, the Knicks are now 0-3 against Boston and 0-2 against Cleveland. What’s more they are 0-7 against the top three teams in the NBA — Cleveland, Boston and Oklahoma City.
The Knicks have struggled against dominant frontcourt players like Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley and Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis. A healthy Robinson certainly would have helped.
“Mitch is an elite pick-and-roll defender, an elite rim protector, an elite offensive rebounder. Those are things that, you know, are critical,” Thibodeau said.
Robinson certainly let his presence be known in Tuesday’s practice, according to Cam Payne. The Knicks guard recalled how Robinson had come out of nowhere to block a shot he thought was surely going in.
“I was like, ‘I normally get that,’ ” Payne told reporters after practice. “He was like, ‘No. I’m back.’ ”
This is the type of stuff fans are dying to see again. Robinson hasn’t appeared in a game since playing 12 minutes in Game 1 of the Knicks’ second-round playoff series against Indiana last year. Robinson first injured his ankle in December 2023 and missed 50 straight regular-season games. He then re-injured the ankle in Game 2 of the Knicks’ first-round playoff series against the 76ers.
Towns, who was traded to the Knicks in the preseason, is looking forward to playing his first game with Robinson, whenever that happens.
“Money-making Mitch is good. I think that we’re going to be very fortunate that his presence out there is going to be a huge benefit to our team,” said Towns, who is listed as questionable against the 76ers. “And he brings a lot to us on the locker room side. It’ll be great to have him lace up his shoes and be on the court with us.”
Whether he’s the starting center or not.
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
