Getty Mitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks celebrates his dunk in the first half against the Brooklyn Nets.
Mitchell Robinson delivered another meme-worthy retort to a reporter’s question following the New York Knicks‘141-136 loss to the Indiana Pacers for their final game of the regular season.
Robinson clapped back at New York Daily News Knicks beat reporter Stefan Bondy over a question about going up against the Cleveland Cavaliers frontcourt tandem of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
He lost it when he heard the words “two legitimate big men.”
“We got two of them, too,” Robinson snapped back. “Really, we got three.”
The Knicks have two of the best rebounding frontcourt tandems in the league in Robinson and Julius Randle, combining for 19.4 per game. They also have Isaiah Hartenstein, one of the best backup big men in the league this season.
Robinson was not having it when Bondy tried to follow up, “I mean the starters…”
“What [do] you mean? We [are] good. We [are] straight, too,” Mitchell said. “What you talkin’ about?”
🤣
Stef Bondy on the Cavs: “When you play a team like that, that has 2 legitimate big men…”
Mitchell Robinson: “We got 2 of em too. Really we got 3”
Bondy: “I mean…starters”
Mitch: “What you mean? We good. We straight too! What you talkin bout?”
Bondy: “…But is it…
Robinson’s funny antics during his postgame pressers always lighten up the mood.
Last year, his “Berman, relax!” reply to former New York Post’s Knicks beat reporter Marc Berman went viral.
#Knicks Mitchell Robinson wanted reporter Marc Berman to relax a bit after hearing his question at yesterday’s press conference. 😂
The 25-year-old Robinson is looking forward to his NBA Playoffs debut after a fractured right foot robbed him that chance in 2021. Without Robinson, the Knicks bombed out in five games against the Atlanta Hawks.
“This will be my first time, so I’m excited,” Robinson said.
On top of his rebounding and defense, Robinson hopes to make a difference as a communicator, a role that he relishes doing with Immanuel Quickley.
“There’ll be more communication really [to] make sure our guys [are] in the right spots,” said Robinson, who anchors the backline of the Knicks’ defense.
Knicks Start Playoffs Preparation
The Knicks started their preparation for the Cavaliers with the coaches mapping out their game plan on Monday.
Their first-round series against the fourth-seeded Cavaliers will begin on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Cleveland.
“[Monday], we’ll dig in and then lay out the plan, and then just get ready to go day by day. So this is the way we approach it,” New York coach Tom Thibodeau said after the Knicks wrapped up their regular-season schedule with a 141-136 loss to the Indiana Pacers last Sunday.
The Knicks have won their last three meetings but the Cavaliers’ lone win was the only game which featured both teams’ frontcourt players. Cleveland won 121-108 with Allen and Mobley combining for 22 points and 20 rebounds. Robinson and Randle only had 19 points and 16 rebounds combined.
RJ Barett Has Confidence in Knicks’ Depth Ahead of Playoffs
RJ Barrett is Richard Jefferson’s pick as the series wildcard for the Knicks.
The Knicks’ third-leading scorer fell short of making him, Randle and Jalen Brunson as the first trio in team history to average 20 points when he scored only 18 against the Pacers in the final regular-season game. He needed 44 points entering the contest.
But if there’s one thing he can glean on from his up-and-down season, where his role was greatly reduced by the arrival of Jalen Brunson and the emergence of Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes, is their depth.
“This season just taught me how many good players you can have on a team,” Barrett said, “and it still works, and everybody’s still effective.”
“That’s something that is great,” Barrett added. “It feels good to be just on this team with so many players who can play well on any given night and bring anything to the table. I think it makes our team just so deadly. That’s what I take from the season, and just like continuing to stick with it.”