Mitchell Robinson injury update doesn’t provide clarity for Knicks fans
It’s been nearly two weeks since Mitchell Robinson sprained his knee in the New York Knicks’ 106-104 win over the Sixers on Nov. 4. He didn’t play in the second half, which led to Tom Thibodeau rolling with a Julius Randle-Obi Toppin lineup that helped New York secure the victory.
The initial report was that the Knicks would be without Robinson for 7-10 days, but after New York’s game in Utah on Tuesday, Thibodeau said that the 24-year-old center has just started to do some non-contract work in practice.
The Knicks are in the midst of a five-road trip, and it doesn’t seem as if Robinson will be taking the court during this stretch of games against Western Conference opponents. In his absence, Thibs has started both Jericho Sims and Isaiah Hartenstein. Sims is a better defender (yet still raw) and rim protector than Hartenstein, but neither player possesses Robinson’s defensive and rebounding abilities.
Last season, Robinson played in a career-high 72 games, but he’s already missed seven games and there’s no clear timetable for when he will return. For a team that’s been struggling on the defensive end, New York has missed its starting center.
There’s no timetable for Mitchell Robinson’s return to the Knicks’ lineup
Thibodeau’s quote about Robinson’s status on Tuesday was positive, but it didn’t reveal much.
"“He’s getting better. Day-to-day. He’s making good progress though so we’re encouraged by that.”"
Remember that Quentin Grimes was considered day-to-day with a sore left foot before he finally made his debut in the Knicks’ preseason finale before then being sidelined until he made his regular season debut on Nov. 2. Considering that Robinson isn’t back to practicing fully, it could be another week or two before fans can expect to see him back on the court. New York needs to be careful about not rushing Robinson back, as we saw how that negatively affected Grimes.
In the meantime, Thibodeau should keep the second-year center in the starting lineup and give Randle and Toppin more time on the floor together. Sims has the athleticism and potential, but he still needs to develop. With Robinson out, Sims needs to take advantage of his increased playing time, and so far, he’s done just that.
