Help is on the way — and not a moment too soon.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson continues to make strides in his recovery from a second surgery-inducing stress fracture in his left ankle. While he hasn’t been cleared for contact, head coach Tom Thibodeau expressed optimism about the progress the seven-footer has made.
“He’s just working individually right now. [He] hasn’t been cleared. There will be a progression, too,” Thibodeau said before Friday’s matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. “It starts with 1-on-0, which is really where he is right now, but he hasn’t been cleared for contact yet. So that will be the next phase: 1-on-1, 2-on-2, 3-on-3, 4-on-4, and then 5-on-5.”
Robinson hasn’t played since Game 1 of the Knicks’ second-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. His troubles began in December 2023 during a matchup against the Boston Celtics, when he took a “wrong step.” That led to surgery and sidelined him for more than three months. Robinson returned to play 10 of the final 11 regular-season games, only to aggravate the injury in a bruising first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. He went down for good in the playoff opener against Indiana.
Now, Robinson’s return looms large for a Knicks team that needs reinforcements on both ends of the floor.
New York ranks bottom-10 in opponent points in the paint per game, a glaring weakness for a team aiming to contend for a championship. Robinson’s elite rim protection — both in blocking shots and deterring guards from attacking the basket — could drastically improve this metric.
Rebounding has also been an issue. Despite Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart’s high motor on the glass, the Knicks sit in the bottom-10 in rebounds per game and rank 18th overall in offensive rebounding. Last season, with Robinson anchoring the paint, New York was No. 1 in offensive rebounding and fifth in total rebounding. His return could restore the team’s dominance on the boards.
Robinson also addresses a size issue that teams like Atlanta, Detroit, and Houston have exploited through physicality. Standing at a legitimate seven feet tall, Robinson brings a presence that could help New York combat the bruising style of certain opponents. Pairing him with Towns in a supersized lineup could open new possibilities, especially given the success Towns saw playing alongside Rudy Gobert in Minnesota.
“That’s obviously a possibility because we feel like Karl’s comfortable doing both, playing both positions,” Thibodeau said Friday. “So we feel like that’ll be an added weapon for us.”
Robinson’s return doesn’t just bolster the starting lineup, it adds flexibility to Thibodeau’s rotations. He could anchor the bench alongside Precious Achiuwa, providing a stronger defensive presence while Towns shifts to a scoring role for a second unit that ranks dead last in points per game this season.
However, Thibodeau said he’s focused on the present and hasn’t delved into the specifics of how Robinson will fit upon his return.
“No. Just day to day,” Thibodeau said. “I was very pleased with how he’s approached the rehab: very diligent, working hard. [He’s] doing all he can every day, working on his conditioning. So he’s done a good job. I have to focus on what we have to do with the team right now, who’s available, and preparing for each game. But he’s done a really good job.”
Robinson’s conditioning has been a focal point during his recovery. Despite the challenges of surgery on a lower extremity, he has maintained a lean frame, weighing in at 268 pounds according to a social media post on Thursday.
“He’s done a really good job,” Thibodeau said. “Obviously he’s in the pool a lot, so he’s doing that type of stuff and on a bike — the low-impact stuff — and obviously diet’s a big part of that as well. And he’s lifting, he’s doing a lot of things like that. Whatever he can do, he’s done, which is good. He’s making good progress.”
TOWNS SIDELINED AGAIN
While Robinson’s return offers hope, the Knicks are still navigating a rocky stretch without their starting center. Towns missed his second straight game Friday with a sprained right thumb, an injury sustained during a dunk attempt against the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
Towns is expected to return and play through the injury, but Jericho Sims started in his place for the second consecutive game against the Timberwolves.
For now, the Knicks must weather the storm without Robinson or Towns. But with Robinson’s progress and a measured approach to his rehab, help is on the horizon. The question is whether the Knicks can hold the line until he’s ready to step back on the court.