New York continues to treat Mitchell Robinson’s injuries

NEW YORK – Even in the eighth year of his NBA career, Mitchell Robinson is still an enigma for New York Knicks. His 4.9 offensive rebounds per game are the most in the NBA this season, despite averaging just 19.5 minutes per game. Robinson was key to most playoff series the Knicks won in recent years. His value on the field is always clear when he is available, but his propensity for injury prevents him from consistently dominating.

Through Tuesday, Robinson had played in 33 of his team’s first 46 games. It’s a welcome change of pace from the combined 116 games he missed during 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 1 game against the Sacramento Kings back to back for New York.

“He’s going to play tonight and then he’s going to talk to the medical group and see what happens tomorrow…really just relying on the medical group to come up with a plan to be smart with him. And, you know, I usually give him my two cents on that. But a lot of it is just the long-term plan that they have for him. Managing his minutes at Madison Square Garden,” Maddy Brown told reporters at Square Garden.

The Knicks play in Toronto on Wednesday night. It’s not the first time this season they’ve played Robinson against an inferior opponent in the first game of a back-to-back, instead of a superior opponent in the second. While the center was important in 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 leading the league in offensive rebounding.

“That’s one of the goals,” Brown said when asked if the desired end result of Robinson’s workload management is a fully healthy postseason run. “Obviously, the biggest goal is just to try to make sure he’s healthy. And we’re patient with the process more than anything else.”

Knicks close Robinson over Towns again against Kings

Brown also talked before the game about how having Robinson on the court more consistently helps him get the most out of the big man, going out of his way to mention how he fits 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 I try to find the right combinations to be there on the floor with him. Both offensively and defensively,” Brown told the media before taking on the Kings.

Ironically, the combination the head coach used to close out Tuesday night’s game featured only one of those centers. For the second straight game, Robinson had a shutout for the Knicks as Towns watched from the bench. Towns fouled out after 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 an intentional choice.

The Knicks, thanks in part 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 in addition to Jaylen Brunson, Deuce McBride, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. That five-man lineup has a +26.4 net rating 23 minutes this seasonaccording to Christian Winfield of the New York Daily News.

That’s key to New York’s championship aspirations that the locker room views Brown’s late-game options as an asset over the verdict. Their ability to play Towns, Robinson, both, or neither while looking to shut down opponents is a huge asset.

Scheme versatility is an integral part of any team’s title pursuit. The Knicks’ ability to play with a five-out lineup as well as a double-big look can help them win. When the game starts, the team has to worry more about the result than the wages on the bench.