The New York Knicks rely on a number of contributors within their starting lineup.
While names like Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson provide most of the scoring, there is one player that is one of their most important.
That is Mitchell Robinson.
Robinson provides value on the court beyond just offense.
The Knicks’ win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night showed just how big of a difference he can make.
Mitchell Robinson tonight
10 Points
18 Rebounds (8 Offensive)
2 Blocks
50% FG pic.twitter.com/J7boJIBGIO— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) January 7, 2023
Before fouling out late in the fourth quarter, Robinson totaled 10 points and 18 rebounds.
This helped give the Knicks a slight edge in the game’s rebounding totals.
Robinson also made his presence known defensively, registering two blocks and helping to lock down the paint all night.
This was reflected in the Raptors scoring, as their front court struggled to score.
Their leading scorer, Pascal Siakam, was limited to just 18 points after scoring 52 in their first matchup earlier in the season.
OG Anunoby was held to just 13 points as well, a big factor in the Knicks win.
This all reflects how important of a role Robinson can play for the Knicks this season.
Robinson provides a defensive edge in the paint that other teams may lack, especially in the playoffs.
With the resurgence of Randle, and the improved scoring from Brunson and RJ Barrett, there is little offensive focus on Robinson.
Something we didn't see much of from Mitchell Robinson before this season: Sealing for guards in the paint. It's one of the ways he can help create spacing for guards on drives pic.twitter.com/vKpD2V4y98
— Ariel (@APachecoNBA) January 7, 2023
This allows him to patrol the paint and force teams to score from outside.
If the Knicks are also able to add another defensive minded wing at the trade deadline, this would allow them to become a well-rounded team that is hard to score on.
However, Robinson sits at the center of this and his importance for the Knicks can’t be understated.
