Knicks' Isaiah Hartenstein has done the job filling in for an injured Mitchell Robinson
Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein collects a loose ball before passing to guard Donte DiVincenzo in the second half of an NBA game against the Nuggets on Thursday in Denver. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
DENVER — As the Knicks readied to fly home on Friday, there were only 13 games left on the regular-season schedule. Still, there was uncertainty about which pieces Tom Thibodeau would have at his disposal for the run to the postseason.
OG Anunoby returned to action last Tuesday, but after appearing in three games, he was back in New York resting his surgically repaired right elbow. Julius Randle has been working out on the court but still is no closer to a full-contact test for his dislocated right lshoulder. Mitchell Robinson returned to practice on Wednesday but had no clarity on when doctors will clear him to play.
For Randle, perhaps the most important piece missing, the Knicks seem intent on waiting as long as possible to allow him to strengthen the muscles around the shoulder — and crossing their fingers that there is no setback.
“Just working out. That’s all,” Thibodeau said. "The thing is, you can only control what you can control. For him it’s just work out each day. He’s trying to strengthen the shoulder area. Do that.
"So his focus is the rehab. Some days have been better than others. Just keep working at it. You never know when it turns. That’s the way we have to approach it.”
The Knicks have managed to navigate through the injuries, putting together a 41-28 record. They are a half-game behind the Magic for fourth place in the Eastern Conference and 1 1/2 games behind the third-place Cavaliers, who also are dealing with a rash of injuries.
While Jalen Brunson has carried the heaviest load (although Josh Hart’s minutes count could provide a strong argument), one key to getting them this far has been the play of Isaiah Hartenstein, who took over the starting role in place of Robinson.
As a starter this season — a role Thibodeau hinted he will remain in when Robinson returns — Hartenstein is averaging 7.9 points and 9.9 rebounds. He had 20 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots while trying to combat Nikola Jokic on Thursday night.
But more than numbers, he has found his fit. He's able to provide a low-budget version of what the Nuggets do with Jokic, helping to orchestrate an unselfish ball-sharing game as he grows more and more accustomed to playing with Brunson.
“It’s similar. I mean, the difference is they’ve got Jokic,” Hartenstein said of his former teammate. “So that’s something different. I think we’re definitely playing more together now and that’s been something cool to see, especially in these recent games, just how the ball's moving. Everyone’s touching the ball.
“Time together. Guys gain more trust, kind of knowing, getting that connection, especially Thibs has been doing a good job featuring me more. That’s just getting more chemistry, and I think we can be even better than that. We’re on a good path. We had a great road trip. If you asked us before the road trip if you’d be happy being 3-1, I think we would.”
It took Hartenstein a while to find his place, and coincidentally, the ascension arrives with him scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after the season, but he has provided something the team needs. Hartenstein isn't quite the defender that Robinson is, but he is a connector on offense.
“I tell everyone in the NBA you always have to sacrifice,” Hartenstein said. “Before, especially when we had Julius, we had all those guys, I had a kind of different role. Now I’m playing how I’m used to playing.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
