Getty Mitchell Robinson defends Bobby Portis.
The New York Knicks look to finally be getting healthy after dealing with plenty of injuries throughout the last two months. Mitchell Robinson was injured earlier in the season, sustaining an ankle injury against the Boston Celtics on December 8, 2023. The center underwent surgery and looks to be making his return sometime in the near future.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau provided an update on Robinson, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic.
Tom Thibodeau said Mitchell Robinson can run and jump now and is not doing contact “but that should be coming soon.”
Thibodeau didn’t give a timetable for his return, but hearing that he can run and jump is an important step in his recovery.
The Knicks miss Robinson, who will play a big role in their pursuit of an NBA championship.
The Knicks Are Finally Getting Healthy
OG Anunoby is warming up with the intent to play on March 12 against the Philadelphia 76ers, a promising sign that he should return.
Robinson will still need to ramp up, but any update is a good one at this point.
Ian Begley of SNY reported the latest on Julius Randle.
“Julius Randle hasn’t been cleared yet for contact, and there is some concern about why it is taking so long”
“Julius Randle hasn’t been cleared yet for contact, and there is some concern about why it is taking so long”
@IanBegley with the latest on Randle, OG Anunoby, and the rest of the Knicks’ injuries: t.co/qX0ZRPBgG8
Randle’s update wasn’t as ideal as the others, but the Knicks still have about a month before they worry about him missing games in the playoffs.
Thibodeau Will Have to Change the Knicks’ Rotations
While the New York Knicks dealt with all of these injuries, other players have had to play completely different roles. From position changes, usage changes, and playing significantly more minutes, Knicks players have had to step up in multiple ways in recent months,
With Anunoby set to return, Thibodeau gave his thoughts on what’s going to change moving forward to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
“The game tells you what you need,” Thibodeau said.
“As you move forward, you need everyone. Ideally, you have everyone, that’s the goal. If you have a full roster, you’re asking guys to sacrifice. We’ve asked that all year. That doesn’t change. Put the team first. That doesn’t mean you’re less valuable to us. Everybody on the roster is valuable to the team.”
With a full roster, the Knicks are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. That was on full display in January when they posted a 15.8 net rating and a 14-2 record.
Josh Hart has seen a big change in his play, having to play 40-plus minutes on most occasions. He spoke to Bondy about what it means to have Anunoby coming back.
“We’ll see. My job is to come out there with energy and do the little things. And that’s what I’m going to try to do,” Hart told The Post. “He’ll come back, and obviously he’ll play big minutes and my minutes will go down.
“But my job is to go out there and have energy, contagious energy, be aggressive in my spots. And just be that glue guy, that utility guy, who lets people go out there and play their game.”
It’s an exciting time for the Knicks as they finally get healthy after a long few months.