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Knicks continue Mitchell Robinson’s injury management in hopes of healthy playoff run
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- Knicks continue Mitchell Robinson’s injury management in hopes of healthy playoff run
Knicks continue Mitchell Robinson's injury management in hopes of healthy playoff run appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
NEW YORK – Even in the eighth year of his NBA career, Mitchell Robinson is still an enigma for the New York Knicks . His 4.9 offensive rebounds per game are the most in the NBA this season, despite him averaging just 19.5 minutes per game. Robinson has been key to most of the playoff series the Knicks have won in recent years. His on-court value is always clear when he's available, but his injury proneness holds him back from consistent dominance.
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Through Tuesday, Robinson has played in 33 of his team's first 46 games. It's a welcome change of pace from the 116 total games he missed over the course of the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. It's also, in part, a result of the team's plan to keep Robinson as healthy as possible for the playoffs. Head coach Mike Brown reaffirmed that ahead of Tuesday night's game against the Sacramento Kings , the first leg of a back-to-back for New York .
"He's gonna play tonight, and then talk to the medical group and see what happens tomorrow…really just, leaning on the medical group to figure out a plan to be smart with him. And, you know, I'll usually give him my two cents on it. But a lot of is, just the long-term plan that they have for him. Managing his minutes," Brown told reporters at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks play in Toronto on Wednesday night. That isn't the first time this season they've played Robinson against an inferior opponent in the first leg of a back-to-back, instead of a superior opponent in the second. While the center was important to Tuesday's 103-87 win over the Kings, the Raptors' size demands Robinson's presence. Brown says this is simply part of the plan for the league's leading offensive rebounder .
"It's one of the goals," Brown said when asked if the desired end result of Robinson's load management is a fully healthy postseason run. "Obviously, the biggest goal is just to try and make sure that he's healthy. And we're patient with the process more than anything else."
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Knicks close with Robinson over Towns again vs. Kings
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Brown also spoke before the game about how Robinson getting on the court more consistently helps him get the most out of the big man, going out of his way to mention his fit with starting center Karl-Anthony Towns.
"Having him available helps us get a better feel for how to use him. And, obviously, if he's going to play 27 minutes a game, that means he and KAT have to be on the floor together . So trying to find the right combinations to be out there on the floor with him. Both offensively as well as defensively," Brown told media before going against the Kings.
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Ironically, the combination the head coach closed Tuesday night's game with only included one of those centers. For the second straight game, Robinson closed for the Knicks while Towns looked on from the bench. Towns fouled out of last weekend's close win over the Philadelphia 76ers , leaving Brown to close with Robinson. At the end of Tuesday's game against the Kings, it was a deliberate choice.
The Knicks, in part due to Towns' 17-point, 11-rebound, 4-assist performance, led 82-78 with 6:51 left in the fourth quarter. That's when Brown opted for Robinson's defensive presence alongside Jalen Brunson , Deuce McBride, Mikal Bridges , and OG Anunoby . That five-man lineup has a +26.4 net rating in 23 minutes this season , according to The New York Daily News' Kristian Winfield.
It's crucial for New York's championship aspirations that, within the locker room, they view Brown's late-game options as an advantage as opposed to an adjudication. Their ability to play Towns, Robinson, both, or neither as they look to close out opponents is a major strength.
Scheme versatility is integral to any team's pursuit of a title. The Knicks' ability to play "five-out" lineups as well as "double-big" looks can help them win games. Once a game starts, the team needs to be more concerned with the score than the salary on the bench.
Related: Karl-Anthony Towns' blunt response to crunch-time benching in Knicks vs Kings
Related: Why DeMarcus Cousins called Russell Westbrook-Karl-Anthony Towns play 'unacceptable'
