New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson hopes to make his season debut this week, according to ESPN. Robinson, New York’s starting center last season, underwent surgery on his left ankle in May following an injury he suffered during the 2024 postseason. He has scrimmaged in his build up to a return and is expected to do so at least one more time before taking the court again, according to ESPN.
The Knicks have largely succeeded without Robinson thus far this season, but could still certainly use his help. They entered Sunday’s action with a 37-19 record and as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. That has largely come on the strength of their No. 3-ranked offense. With Karl-Anthony Towns occupying Robinson’s old center spot, the Knicks have true five-out spacing within their starting lineup, and that has made them extremely difficult to stop.
Their defense, however, hasn’t been nearly impressive with a No. 18 ranking. Their offensive rebounding, the identity of this team over the past few years, has slipped as well. The Knicks ranked first on that front a season ago and second two years ago. This year, however, they rank 10th. These are both specialities of Robinson’s, so getting him back on the floor should unlock a great deal for New York.
That will be especially true from a lineup versatility perspective. The Knicks have been incredibly reliant on their starters this season. The five-man unit of Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson has played 806 minutes on the year. No other lineup in all of basketball exceeds 528, and no other Knicks lineup tops 120. Tom Thibodeau teams tend to rely on their starters more than most, but such a discrepancy is enormous even by his standards.
Introducing Robinson back into the mix opens doors for the Knicks to mix it up based on matchups. With him back in the fold, they could play defense-heavy bigger lineups with Robinson at center and Towns at power forward. They’ll have a far better backup center, which means a great deal as the Knicks are 7.6 points per 100 possessions better with Towns on the floor this season. A healthy Robinson is a major step towards the depth the Knicks will need to succeed in the playoffs, so getting him back now should provide a major boost for New York down the stretch.
