Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau believes Mitchell Robinson will be back soon after All-Star break
The Knicks' Mitchell Robinson looks on during a timeout in the second half of an NBA game against the Heat at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 2. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
PHILADELPHIA — Mitchell Robinson’s thumb surgery will keep him out until after the All-Star break, but Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau seemed optimistic that the layoff won’t last too long beyond that.
“The medical has said that he’s coming along as expected,” Thibodeau said. “But he’s ramped up pretty good right now.”
Robinson broke the finger on Jan. 18 but recently has been able to shoot, the center said Friday. He hasn’t progressed to contact and is wearing a removable brace. He was averaging 7.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks this season after signing a four-year, $60 million extension last summer.
There’s “a little bit” of discomfort, he said, though he’s not in pain. “I got a little splint thing that I got to put on to work out and stuff,’’ said Robinson, who added that he’ll have to get used to it because when he starts to play, he’ll play in it.
The pain, he said, “was instant. It was a feeling like damn near two years ago [when he fractured his hand against the Wizards]. The same thing happened. Same team. Same half. Same spot on the court. That’s just crazy.”
No hard feelings
The Cam Reddish experience officially came to a close Thursday when the Knicks traded the former first-round pick to the Trail Blazers as part of the deal that brought Josh Hart to New York. Reddish hadn’t played for the Knicks since Dec. 3, but Thibodeau said there was no problem between the two.
“I don’t know if it didn’t work,” Thibodeau said. “I just think there were some good moments, some moments that probably could’ve been better, and that’s part of the league. Sometimes you need a change.
“Overall, I didn’t have any problems with Cam. We wish him well, and same thing with Arch and Svi [Ryan Arcidiacono and Svi Mykhailiuk, both part of the trade]. All three are good guys and we felt we had an opportunity to improve our team, and that’s why we did what we did.”
Rose OK with staying
Derrick Rose said he wasn’t disappointed to not be moved despite not playing since Dec. 31. “I’m still locked in with the team, talking to the guys, mentoring,” he said, adding that he hasn’t thought about asking for a buyout.
Asked if he is happy, he replied: “I mean, why? I’m looking mad on the bench or something? . . . If I was mad or something, I wouldn’t be able to hide it. So I would just say [I'm the] same.”
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
