During Monday's exhilarating 108-105 win over the Hawks, New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson was seen limping and grimacing with discomfort on multiple occasions, especially after taking a hard fall following a put-back attempt during the late stages of the third period.
Though the veteran was not listed on the injury report coming into the contest, considering his extensive injury history throughout his eight years in the association, any visible signs of impairment from him are enough for any fan to automatically jump to doomsday conclusions.
Fortunately, any fears that may have stemmed from Robinson's on-court appearance can likely be put to rest following The Athletic's James L. Edwards III's recent X post regarding the matter, as he revealed he had spoken to the big man, who told him "he just tweaked something" and was "fine."
Knicks fans can take sigh of relief as Mitchell Robinson says he's 'fine'
Any news of Robinson staving off an extensive chomp from the injury bug is great news. Of course, having it following up a masterful performance like the one he put forth against Atlanta makes it all the more joyous.
Despite playing through a bit of lower-body discomfort and being used off the pine, the 28-year-old still served as one of the most impactful players on the hardwood.
While logging sub-20 minutes, Robinson dropped an impressive stat-line of eight points, 12 rebounds (four of which came on the offensive end), two steals, and three blocks while registering in with the third-highest plus-minus on the Knicks at plus-four.
Simply put, this was merely just another triumphant example of how effective the big man is when he's available for New York.
From his elite board gobbling abilities that lead to a plethora of second-chance opportunities, to his ferocious defensive chops that find him swatting 2.9 shots per 100 possessions this season, Mitch is the kind of hustle-and-bustle player that can help swing a game's momentum all on his own.
Even Mark Daigneault, coach of the reigning champion OKC Thunder, admitted to such a fact just a few short weeks ago.
Without question, a healthy Mitchell Robinson is the biggest X-factor on this title-hopeful New York Knicks team.
Whether he's used in a starting fashion as he was during Friday's blowout over the Chicago Bulls, or as a reserve like he was in Monday's down-to-the-wire showdown against the Hawks, the big man somehow always finds a way to make his presence felt.