New York Knicks: Next steps in Mitchell Robinson’s development
By Adam Kester
Mitchell Robinson’s development: 1) Improved screens
People who watch Knicks games will immediately see how dangerous Mitchell Robinson is as a pick-and-roll man. There might not be a single player in the NBA who is a more efficient pick and roll man scorer than Robinson.
Robinson’s ability to catch just about any pass thrown his way is what has helped him have the highest field goal percentage in NBA history this season. He already has great awareness of the proper timing to roll to the rim, and that combined with his freakish athleticism is what makes him a nightmare to guard in the pick and roll.
However, screen-setting is not just about the pick and roll game. Modern NBA offenses are filled with various types of screens on-and-off the ball that put stress on defenses. Back screens, drag screens, hammer screens, elevator screens, there is no shortage of plays drawn up that involve different kinds of on and off-ball screens. This is an area where Mitchell Robinson can potentially have a major impact.
The NBA has a statistic called “screen assists” that tracks screens which directly lead to scoring play for your team. Robinson currently ranks 40th in the league in screen assists per game.
The current five leaders in screen assists per game are Domantas Sabonis, Rudy Gobert, Bam Adebayo, Nikola Vucevic, and Steven Adams.
These players are not only adept at creating screens in pick and roll situations, but they can use off-ball screens to create space for shooters. When big-men like Robinson can use their frame to block off perimeter defenders chasing shooters around the court, it can create a ton of confusion for a defense.
Of course, the Knicks offense as a team ranked near the bottom of the league, so all of the blame can’t be on Robinson. With that said, there are plenty of times where you will see Robinson attempt a screen but treat it as a more of a rub. He will lean into players as opposed to establishing a firm base.
If Robinson can continue to grow his knowledge of when and where to screen, it will only have a net positive impact for the Knicks’ offense as a whole.