3 New York Knicks that Must Step Up in the Absence of Julius Randle

New York Knicks: Player #2 — Mitchell Robinson

After struggling for most of the season, Robinson has quietly been thriving as of late. Over his past seven games, the big man is averaging 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 83% from the field.

For the next few matchups, Robinson must now focus on his rebounding more than ever. Even in his down year, Julius Randle is still one of the better rebounders in the NBA and is a major reason why the Knicks rank as the 12th best rebounding team in the league.

Toppin is excellent offensively, but his rebounding is inconsistent as he’s often looking to sprint behind the defense in transition rather than crash the glass. This isn’t a bad thing, as those transition opportunities often end up in easy buckets.

However, that means Robinson needs to perfect his ability to box out and secure missed shots as he’ll be getting significantly less help without Randle. One positive indicator is that Robinson is currently averaging 11.7 rebounds which includes 6.8 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes this year, which is a career-high for the 23-year old.

If he can average double-digit rebounds while Randle is out, it would significantly improve the team’s chances of winning games.