Getty Joel Embiid and Mitchell Robinson squaring off during Game One on April 20.
Death, taxes, and Mitchell Robinson sending ominous messages on social media. Currently sidelined with a left ankle injury, the New York Knicks‘ center is as active as ever off the floor.
Robinson was injured in Game 3 against the Philadelphia 76ers, when Joel Embiid fell onto his left ankle in the second quarter. He missed Game 4, and looks unlikely for Game 5.
Joel Embiid injures Mitchell Robinson uninentionally in a game he should have already been ejected in when he…intentionally tried to injure Mitchell Robinson
Meanwhile, he’s active on social media, posting an explicit, ominous message on his Snapchat story on April 29.
“(Expletive) around and find out,” wrote the longest tenured Knick.
It’s unclear who Robinson is referring to, if anyone. He’s historically used social media to voice his dissonance with the team or clap back at fans after criticism during a rough stretch.
His recent run in with Embiid has been the subject of controversy, and Robinson’s yet to voice his opinion on the matter. It’s equally possible he’s referring to the reigning MVP.
Embiid Accused of Playing Dirty Against Knicks
Embiid’s foul on Robinson was ruled a Flagrant One, not a Flagrant Two, which would have warranted ejection from the game.
Asked about the controversial play postgame on April 25, Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo didn’t hold back.
“It was dirty,” DiVincenzo told Stefon Bondy of the New York Post. “It was dirty.”
Robinson hobbled his way through the remainder of the first half, before being ruled out for the second half.
When talking with Bondy and reporters postgame, Josh Hart didn’t take as direct a shot at Embiid as DiVincenzo. But he did acknowledge the recklessness of the play.
“We’re just happy Mitch didn’t get a serious injury on that” Hart told Bondy. “I’m all for tough fouls, tough, playoff fouls, but that’s something that can put a guy out for a significant amount of time. So we’re lucky he didn’t get seriously hurt during that time.”
Isaiah Hartenstein told SNY after the game that Embiid’s Flagrant 1 play didn’t belong on a basketball court.
“It’s not a basketball play,” Hartenstein told reporters.
Robinson was out for 50 games in the regular season before returning to play 10 of New York’s last 11 games to close out 2023-2024.
He’s listed as questionable for Game 5 with left ankle as his designation.
Up 3-1 over the 76ers, and playing on their home court, it’s unlikely the Knicks will press Robinson to play if he’s not up for it.
The odds are in New York’s favor.
3-1 Leads Are Among the Safest in Sports
According to Land of Basketball, of the 281 teams to take a 3-1 lead in the NBA playoffs, only 13 have given it up and lost the series.
The Denver Nuggets are the last team to do so in the first round, when they came back to win their series over the Utah Jazz.
Land of Basketball says 168 of those series finished in 5 games, 78 finished in 6 games, and just 22 finished went to 7.
Game 5 will take place on New York’s home floor at Madison Square Garden, where they boasted a 27-14 record in the regular season, according to Basketball Reference, and a 2-0 record in the series against the 76ers.
And with Jalen Brunson playing like he is, you’d be hard pressed to find an even cautiously optimistic 76ers fan ahead of Game 5.
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Sidelined Knicks Center Posts Cryptic 5-Word Message on Snapchat