While the New York Knicks have been enjoying an excellent season and have established themselves as a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference, they have had a number of key injuries.
Starting power forward Julius Randle and starting center Mitchell Robinson have both been out for several weeks with a shoulder and ankle injury, respectively.
In addition, OG Anunoby, a 3-and-D wing they acquired prior to the trade deadline, is recovering from an elbow injury.
Tim Bontemps of ESPN asked Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau if Robinson could be the first of the three to return to game action, and Thibodeau gave a positive response.
When I asked Thibodeau if the assumption that, from his description of things, Robinson could return first was correct, he smiled and said, “assuming your assumption is correct.”
Either way, encouraging news for the Knicks, as Robinson has been out since December 8. https://t.co/okAjOjSPQa
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) March 25, 2024
In six NBA seasons, Robinson hasn’t become a scoring threat, but his rebounding, defense, and physicality have become factors in New York’s rise from a laughingstock to a playoff team.
In 21 games this season, he has averaged a career-high 10.3 rebounds a game for a Knicks team that is 42-28.
The Knicks want to finish third in the East in order to avoid the Boston Celtics, owners of the best record in basketball, in the second round of the playoffs.
For the first time in a long time, they have a clear identity — they win with a suffocating defense and by slowing down the pace and mucking up the game.
They entered Monday ranked seventh in defensive rating, and they lead the NBA in offensive rebounding percentage and overall rebounding percentage, even though Robinson has been out since early December.
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