Knicks Analysis: Just how big is Mitchell Robinson’s impact?
By Adam Kester
The New York Knicks have been trying to keep the ship afloat with Mitchell Robinson out of the lineup. The team has suffered back-to-back painfully close losses to the two best teams in the Eastern Conference and now find themselves 1 game below .500, but still very much in the playoff picture. They have been notably shorthanded lately, with Elfrid Payton, Derrick Rose, Austin Rivers, and Mitchell Robinson all recently missing multiple games. Luckily for the Knicks, Robinson may be back in the lineup soon.
Tom Thibodeau announced that Robinson will resume practicing this week.
Tom Thibodeau said Mitchell Robinson has progressed to being cleared for practice. He’ll be able to take contact in practice. That’s the next step to clear before for Robinson’s return to the court.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) March 17, 2021
It may be a week or so before Robinson returns to actual NBA action, but it’s a good sign that he’s about to be back to practicing with contact. The Knicks have been able to take advantage of some weaker opponents and teams missing their star players, but they’ll need to up their game if they want to continue and make a playoff push.
Upon losing Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks have asked Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson to play increased minutes in his absence. Noel has performed admirably, particularly as a rim protector, but there are clearly reasons as to why he doesn’t typically command a large role on an NBA team. There aren’t many teams who can plug and play someone to replace a starting center and suffer no dropoff in play, so it’s to be expected.
Even with Robinson’s improved play this season, his positive impact doesn’t always show up in the box score or gain as much recognition as it should. Make no mistake, Mitchell Robinson is a vital part of the Knicks’ success.