Guess who’s back?
Mitchell Robinson got the start against the Philadelphia 76ers in Karl-Anthony Towns‘ stead, totaling 21 minutes on his 27th birthday.
April 1: Final
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Robinson eclipsed double-double measures, finishing the night with 14 points and 14 rebounds on 5-of-9 shooting from the field (55.6%), along with two blocks and a steal, with a +6 rating.
After a controversial ankle injury in last year’s postseason series against the 76ers ended his 2023-24 campaign, Robinson put together the best game of his return to the court on Tuesday night.
The result? A confident and commanding 105-91 win.
“I thought he [Robinson] gave us great minutes,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters following Tuesday’s victory. “I think his rhythm is really coming around, so we got to continue that, but defensively, his presence is always felt.”
Robinson, 27, is the longest-tenured Knick. The seven-footer was selected in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft and has spent all seven of his seasons in New York.
Throughout his NBA career, Robinson has played in 334 games (197 starts), averaging 24.1 minutes per game, 7.8 points, and 7.8 rebounds on 70.1% shooting from the field.
Tuesday night’s game was just his 13th of the season, as he continues ramping up in his return to play.
Robinson is known for his glass-cleaning ability. He averaged 9.4 rebounds per game during the 2022-2023 season, 8.5 during the 2023-2024 season, and 7.8 throughout his entire NBA career.
“He gave us a dominant rim presence on defense,” Josh Hart said of Robinson following Tuesday’s win. “He’s a huge piece of what we’re doing. It’s great to have him back out there.”
With the playoffs quickly approaching, Robinson is a key addition to the Knicks’ rotation, providing value not only as a scorer but, more importantly, as a rebounder, an area where the team has struggled, ranking 24th in the NBA in rebounds per game.
New York’s next matchup is with the Cleveland Cavaliers, its fourth and final this season. The team will look to avoid being swept by the Eastern Conference rivals, and it will likely be without Robinson, who has yet to be cleared for play in back-to-backs.
Tip-off for the April 2 matinee is scheduled for 7:00 pm ET.
