The Knicks didn’t have Mitchell Robinson for the ultimate six video games of final yr’s postseason.
On Saturday evening, he confirmed his worth.
The 7-footer got here off the bench to notch six factors, six rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 18 high quality minutes because the Knicks rallied for a 123-112, Sport 1 victory over the Pistons on the Backyard.
Coach Tom Thibodeau used Robinson and Karl-Anthony Cities collectively at one level within the first half, and it labored nicely.
“The dimensions, I feel, is nice,” Thibodeau mentioned. “I assumed Mitch throughout that stretch made some actually good defensive performs, within the fourth, too. The steal that he had, the sport was fairly tight, and that was a giant play. He makes performs like that. That helps encourage the workforce, ignite the workforce. These are nice hustle performs, so defensively, I feel he was excellent.”
Coming off left ankle surgical procedure, Robinson appeared in simply 17 regular-season video games.
However no one will keep in mind that if he can produce like he did Saturday.
The Knicks had been actually at full power because the playoffs obtained underway.
Rookie Ariel Hukporti — whom the Knicks drafted within the second spherical with the No. 58 choose final yr — was out there for Sport 1.
It was the primary time Hukporti was out there since Feb. 26 after present process surgical procedure to restore a torn meniscus in his left knee.
He suffered the harm throughout his first and solely profession begin — a 110-105 win over the 76ers.
He didn’t seem within the series-opening victory over the Pistons.
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The 7-footer performed sparingly previous to the harm, however at instances served as a helpful and bodily large physique off the bench.
That would turn out to be useful in opposition to a tricky Pistons workforce if Cities, Robinson or Treasured Achiuwa want a break or get into foul bother.
Hukporti performed in 25 video games within the common season, averaging 1.9 factors and two rebounds per sport.
“It’s simply been a gradual buildup, so he simply obtained cleared,” Thibodeau mentioned.
In warmups, Josh Hart was sporting a Jazz Chisholm Jr. Yankees basketball jersey. It is going to be given out to Yankees followers on Could 2.
Hart is a giant Yankees fan.
He’s the great-nephew of Yankees legend Elston Howard, the primary African-American participant in Yankees historical past and a 12-time All-Star.
