New York Knicks star center Mitchell Robinson is almost back from his foot injury at an opportune time. The Knicks are a bottom-10 team in the NBA in rebounding. They average the eighth-fewest rebounds per game with 43 RPG. New York also ranks No. 20 in points in the paint allowed per game, conceding 49.7 points.
It is evident that the Knicks need Robinson’s exceptional interior presence to turn that tide. But should the franchise elevate him into the starting lineup to remedy their weaknesses in the paint?
Would the Knicks swap Josh Hart for Mitchell Robinson as the starter?
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes argued that the Knicks need to see Robinson and All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns share the floor to determine if the two-big lineup can succeed come postseason time, saying (h/t New York Knicks on SI’s Jeremy Brener):
“Robinson will help the Knicks no matter what. They need another big body to man the paint, control the glass and help them get back to generating great second-chance opportunities via offensive boards. But his fit next to Towns in double-big looks matters more to New York’s postseason ceiling than anything else,” Hughes wrote.
“That doesn’t mean the Knicks will immediately bench Josh Hart and start Robinson if early results are promising. The team’s preferred starting lineup — with Hart next to Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and KAT — has a plus-5.9 net rating over a huge sample of minutes. That’s too good to mess with. But New York should absolutely tinker with configurations that add size, rim-protection and rebounding to its profile.”
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Knicks will likely benefit from lineups with Robinson in
Hughes makes a great point in that the Knicks’ starting lineup has too much potency to interrupt at this juncture of the season. Nevertheless, Towns has a track record of success playing next to another center. Take last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert led them to the Western Conference Finals.
An interesting dynamic could take shape once Robinson returns, as a result. New York’s struggling bench could use more offensive punch. Staggering Hart and Mikal Bridges’ minutes more with their second unit in favor of the Florida native could fix that issue and reap benefits for the Knicks’ starting lineup as well. With Robinson’s league-leading 4.6 offensive rebounds per contest last time out and his standout rim protection, the Knicks could round into championship form and thwart their foes out East.