The injury bug has bit the New York Knicks hard throughout the 2023-24 NBA regular season. Every player on the team has missed at least one game this season and they have had 25 different players take the court to this point.
One of the players who they have been without the longest is center Mitchell Robinson. Robinson last played on December 8th against the Boston Celtics. The following days, it was revealed that he had to undergo surgery on his ankle.
It was a tough blow for the Knicks, as Robinson was off to the best start of his career. He was performing at such a high level on the offensive glass, he was pulling down more boards than some entire NBA teams.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Mitchell Robinson & New York Knicks Updates
In addition to the second opportunities he was creating, Robinson was also playing at a high level defensively. His work as the team’s anchor in Tom Thibodeau’s scheme was excellent, erasing shots at the rim and playing pick-and-roll defense to perfection.
Without him in the lineup, the team’s performance suffered a little bit. Isaiah Hartenstein has done an excellent job of stepping into the starting lineup for him, but depth in the frontcourt is still a concern.
New York’s game plan isn’t capable of being executed as well with Precious Achiuwa in the middle, as he profiles better as a power forward. Jericho Sims gives solid minutes when called upon, but he isn’t impacting the game nearly as much on either end of the court.
Luckily for the Knicks, that need sounds like it could disappear in the near future. According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, Robinson went through a contact practice on Wednesday, which is a big step in his recovery process.
Participating in full contact is normally the last step a player has to accomplish before being cleared to get back on the court. Being on the West Coast trip at all was encouraging for Robinson’s outlook, as it hinted that he was nearing a return to being able to participate with his teammates.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Mitchell Robinson & New York Knicks Updates
Now, we have an official update, that he is getting very close. This jives with the report from NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, who said that Robinson should be back on the court for the Knicks before the end of the month.
If Robinson doesn’t get into the lineup on Thursday night against the Denver Nuggets, the next opportunity he would have to play is during the team’s two-game homestand. That kicks off on Saturday against the Brooklyn Nets.
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