The center Mitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks will miss eight to ten weeks and require ankle surgery, the team announced. On December 8, Robinson played just eighteen minutes of a game against the Boston Celtics when he suffered an ankle injury. Robinson had X-rays taken after the injury, which happened in the first half of that game, but Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said the results were negative. Robinson then participated in just a few minutes of the third quarter before sitting out the entire fourth.
After the game, Thibodeau assured reporters that Robinson was “fine,” and the center for the Knicks also expressed his belief that he would be alright. Robinson said, ‘It’s not crazy at all. “Think I took a wrong step maybe.” But it’s obvious that the problem didn’t get fixed, and Robinson will miss a significant amount of time once more. Robinson, who was enjoying a fantastic season with the Knicks up until this point, is unfortunate to have suffered this setback. He was averaging 10.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.3 blocks, and 6.2 points per game. Despite the low counting stats, Robinson has an impact that goes beyond the score.
The Knicks’ offensive rebounding rate increases by 3.8% when Robinson is on the court. The former second-round pick averages more than five offensive rebounds per game. In addition to leading the league in offensive rebounding, he has been unstoppable on the offensive glass, and his defensive presence is crucial to New York’s ninth-ranked defense. Because of Robinson’s rim protection, the Knicks are less likely to have opponents try to score inside, which is why they are sixth in the league in opponent points in the paint. The Knicks, who score 16.7 points per game, are third in the league in second-chance opportunities thanks to his offensive rebounding.
Although Robinson’s absence will create a big hole in New York’s starting lineup, the Knicks are sadly accustomed to playing without him. Due to injuries, the six-year center was only able to play in 58 games the previous season. Isaiah Hartenstein and Jericho Sims will have to fill in for him if he is out for at least two months.
While they can both have an impact, none of them can fully replace Robinson. If the Knicks don’t want to see a big decline in performance without Robinson in the lineup, it will be up to the other players in the starting lineup to step up and fill in for him, particularly on defense.
