Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson to Miss 6-8 Weeks Due to Stress Injury in Left Ankle

Following a great Game 1 victory over the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks were immediately hit with bad news. Center Mitchell Robinson will miss 6–8 weeks due to a stress injury in his left ankle, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported. The Knicks, who were already undermanned, lost yet another key rotation player, resulting in another major hit to the weapons at their disposal.

New York started their postseason run without their All-Star forward, Julius Randle, due to a shoulder injury which required season-ending surgery. In their first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers, trade deadline acquisition, Bojan Bogdanovic, suffered a foot injury which required season-ending surgery. The injury to Robinson adds to the long list of key players that the Knicks won’t have for their playoff run.

During the postseason, Robinson has been a dependable defender and rebounder for the Knicks.

Robinson played at least 15 minutes in each postseason game besides Game 1 against the Pacers before exiting due to an ankle injury. He had a positive net rating in every game during the series against the Sixers, including a +20 in Game 1, in which he finished with eight points, four blocks, and 12 rebounds.

The absence of Robinson is a huge hit for the Knicks, especially in regards to their their bench.

New York’s Second Unit is Extremely Thin Following Robinson Injury

Knicks haven’t been the deepest team, but suffered a huge blow to their bench

The one thing that was evident following Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers was the disparity in bench points. New York isn’t known as a team that plays deep into their rotation, but the difference in production was quite glaring.

Indiana outscored New York 46-3 in bench points. Without Robinson, it leaves the Knicks thin at the backup center position. During the first-round series against the Sixers, Robinson didn’t suit up for Game 4, which resulted in Precious Achiuwa filling in the void.

Achiuwa was sensational despite finishing with just one point, but was great defensively with four blocks and 12 rebounds. He led all players in net rating with a +11 in 20 minutes of action. It’s to be expected that he will receive an increase in role to replace the production of Robinson.

This will be a key development to keep track of considering Pacers center, Myles Turner, has been exceptional this postseason and is coming off of a team-high 23 points on 50 percent shooting in Game 1. The Knicks will have their hands full without Robinson, but adjustments will be needed to win this series. New York will be able to defend their home court on Wednesday, May 8 at 8 PM ET.

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