In just his third game of the season, Mitchell Robinson dominated in limited minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves. In doing so, he reminded everyone that he's able to turn the New York Knicks into a matchup nightmare for all sorts of teams across the association.
While going against Minnesota's twin tower frontcourt, Robinson put up a very impressive performance. He logged nine offensive rebounds, three blocks, and had near perfect efficiency shooting the ball. Mitchell made four of his five shot attempts, and perfectly controlled the game without needing a lot of touches. He turned missed shots into second chance points and momentum plays.
When Robinson is this active, New York's entire offense changes. It becomes positively relentless and bruising in a way that most opposing teams aren't going to be able to match. Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert form one of the toughest interior fronts in basketball, but Robinson looked by far like the most impactful big guy on the floor.
Mitch's effort on the glass kept possessions alive and broke the Timberwolves' rhythm on defense. He sent a clear reminder to everyone watching: that when he's healthy, there are not many centers who are able to physically hang with him for an entire game.
Mitchell Robinson is a walking mismatch
Robinson is essentially a walking mismatch due to his blend of size, verticality, and timing. He forces the opposition to adjust their rotations simply because they're not able to keep him off the offensive glass. On defense, his mobility makes him very disruptive as he's able to deter drivers, contest shots, and switch out onto wings where necessary.
The Knicks very obviously feed off of his presence. Every time Robinson crashes the boards or blocks a shot, the energy of the team rides right along with him. It's this kind of game that shows what he's truly capable of when healthy. He's the type of defensive anchor who can change games just with his hustle and rebounding.
If he's able to remain healthy for most of this season, New York's frontcourt instantly becomes one of the hardest matchups in the Eastern Conference. Mitchell Robinson gives the Knicks a competitive edge that can't be captured by analytics alone.
Championships are won by the stars. But it's the role players like Robinson that do a lot of the work behind the scenes and make their star teammates' lives easier. Performances like this one show why New York can hang with anyone when he’s locked in.