Knicks' Tom Thibodeau gives cryptic response to reported Mitchell Robinson timeline

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New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau gave an eye-opening response to a concerning ESPN report about Mitchell Robinson’s injury timeline. According to Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania, New York’s starting center is unlikely to get cleared until, at the earliest, late January. Originally, Robinson was slated to return from left ankle surgery in late December or early January. The Knicks’ defense and rebounding have taken a step back this season, meaning that Mitchell’s return to action is as crucial as ever.

2024 is the first year in more than two decades, New York entered the season with realistic beliefs of winning a championship. However, those expectations will not be met without a fully healthy roster. Tom Thibodeau responded to Shams’ timeline adjustment in an interview with New York Post Sports Reporter Zach Braziller.

“I haven’t heard that (Shams’ update). He’s (Mitchell Robinson) following a protocol, going step by step, and when he’s ready, he’s ready. He’s doing well; he hasn’t been cleared for practice yet. Once he gets cleared for practice, then we’ll have a better idea of a timeline. But we’re going to be patient and let him work through it. There’s a lot of steps he has to clear first.”

The Knicks need Mitchell Robinson’s physical presence on the interior

While Karl-Anthony Towns has been terrific in his first year in New York, the Knicks could really use a healthy Mitchell Robinson this season. New York led the league in rebounding rate last year at 52.6%. Despite Towns recording a career-high 13.6 rebounds per game, which is first in the NBA, the Knicks are 17th in this metric at 50.3%. The rebounding issue stood out most recently in the In-Season Tournament loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Atlanta outrebounded New York 58 to 49 overall and 22 to 12 on the offensive glass. The Knicks are also giving up more points in the paint and at a higher field-goal percentage than last year. Mitchell Robinson is crucial in quelling the physical advantage that some teams may have against New York. The veteran is one of the best offensive rebounders in the league and a great rim protector. While he might not initially start, Robinson’s presence alongside Karl-Anthony Towns in the same lineup could elevate this defense.

One of the reasons the Knicks traded for Towns was to matchup player-for-player with the Boston Celtics. However, Mitchell Robinson gives this team a versatility that many other franchises will envy. The Knicks can start the two centers together, akin to what helped the Minnesota Timberwolves build the best defense in the NBA.

It’s clear that Towns can coexist with another defensive-minded center on the floor and guard power forwards/small forwards. Minnesota even went 1-1 against the Celtics last year, winning the one matchup that Towns and Gobert were healthy for. Of course, this strategy also relies on the Knicks’ ability to fight over screens to protect their bigs from isolated matchups on elite guards/forwards. However, New York won’t be able to test this idea to its full effectiveness until Robinson returns.

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