Knicks Injury Report: Mitchell Robinson Return Timeline Brings Shock To New York’s Title Hopes

After a hard-fought battle against the Indiana Pacers last night, the New York Knicks somehow came out on top, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. Now, trying to protect their home court again, the Knicks will take on the Pacers tomorrow in Game 2. Because of his seven-foot frame and defensive abilities, Robinson has been a vital part of the Knicks’ success. However, serious concerns are looming around their chances of winning as their star Center Mitchell Robinson finds himself on the injury report yet again, and this time for a significant amount of time.

Initially, out for just Game 2 for left ankle injury management, a shocking update on Robinson’s injury reveals that he will miss at least six to eight weeks of action because of the reaggravated ankle injury. With that, his 2023-24 campaign has come to an abrupt end, further hurting the Knicks’ dream to win a Championship. Averaging over five points, while grabbing nearly nine boards every night and getting over one block each game, the Knicks will miss a key player. Unfortunately, he had reaggravated the same ankle last night that put him out of action for over three months after he underwent surgery in December.

Despite returning ahead of his timeline, in March, Robinson’s performance since his return had declined significantly. Moreover, he suffered another injury scare during the first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. In a controversial play during Game 3, Joel Embiid intentionally pulled Robinson down by grabbing his ankle to stop him from getting an easy layup.

However, unlike what fans believe, Embiid’s controversial move might not be what has caused Robinson’s season-ending injury. According to Sports MD Brian Sutterer, stress reaction happens gradually over time rather than from a single instance.

After that game, Robinson was spotted wearing a walking boot because of the bad ankle and missed the following game of the series. Playing through the injury basically since his return has finally taken a toll on the seven-footer and eventually led to his season-ending early. In his last game yesterday, Robinson only played for twelve minutes and scored just two points.

Can the Knicks beat the odds despite multiple injuries?

Now that Mitchell Robinson is out for the season, he joins Julius Randle and Bojan Bogdanovic. The Knicks will have to play without these names for the rest of the playoffs. As he’s been missing time since late January because of the dislocated shoulder, Randle decided to repair it surgically last month. Now, he’ll be reevaluated in five months. As he once played at an All-Star level, it took the Knicks a lot of adjustment to get back on track in Randle’s absence.

Meanwhile, Bogdanovic underwent left foot surgery this month, ending his season as well. Like Randle, Bogdanovic was also having a great season before the injury, averaging over twenty points and shooting over 41% from the three-point line all year. Notably, losing an All-Star and a sharpshooter, the Knicks have not let it affect the playoff success.

After showing the reigning MVP the door, the Knicks are now looking to eliminate a young Pacers squad to reach their first Conference Finals in this century. With Robinson out, Isaiah Hartenstein will have to take on more responsibility, which he did brilliantly the last time he was injured.

While there’s no shortage of hope, do you think the Knicks can keep their Championship dream alive?