Jan 15, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) stands for the National Anthem before the start of the game against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports
NBA: New York Knicks at Detroit Pistons
(New York, NY) — This was a Snapchat that Mitchell Robinson–at the time struggling to find his place in the Knicks rotation–posted in March:
“Tired asf of just being out there for cardio fam like I want to play basketball to really just wasting my time and energy.”
My oh my, how times have changed.
New York beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1 on Wednesday night to advance to the second round of the NBA Playoffs for just the second time since 2000. And while Jalen Brunson rightly received plenty of praise for how he has blossomed in the Big Apple, Mitchell Robinson’s impact in the deciding game could not be ignored: 13 points, a whopping 18 rebounds (11 offensive), and three blocks against an Evan Mobley-Jarrett Allen frontcourt?
Incredible.
Shaquille O’Neal said Robinson was “out there like Moses [Malone].” His teammate Josh Hart said “He [Robinson] showed this series why he’s one of the best bigs in the league.” And they aren’t wrong about how vital his presence was. In the Cavs series, Robinson limited Cleveland to 46.2% shooting when within six feet of the basket—more than 24 percentage points beneath their regular season mark.
With New York making some serious noise, Mitchell Robinson is one of the most impactful Knicks on the roster. A far cry from earlier this year.
