Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson Makes Return Against Grizzlies

Mitchell Robinson will finally take the floor for the New York Knicks.

Nov 27, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) and Memphis Grizzlies center Steven Adams (4) battle for a rebound during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images | Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks are set to welcome a big addition to their lineup.

Per ESPN insider Shams Charania, center Mitchell Robinson will be active for the first time this season as the Knicks face the Memphis Grizzlies in an interconference battle of contenders on Friday at FedEx Forum (8 p.m. ET, MSG). It'll Robinson's seventh season debut for Manhattan as he continues to carry the title of longest-tenured Knick.

Robinson has missed this entire season as he has spent the past nine months recovering from ankle woes that interrupted his sixth tour of New York. The issues first arose in December before he was able to return for the stretch run of the regular season before he was re-injured in the ensuing playoff run.

In his place, the Knicks (38-20) have placed Karl-Anthony Towns in his starting flve slot while plugging the depth with the re-signed Precious Achiuwa and since-departed Jericho Sims. Robinson also returns just as the Knicks learned that they would be missing rookie center Ariel Hukporti for most, if not all, of the regular season's remainder.

Though it stands to reason that Robinson will be on some sort of minutes restriction, New York will certainly enjoy having him back in the fold with their defensive struggle prominently on display against elite competition: New York gave up a combined 260 points to the Eastern Conference's finest from Cleveland and Boston last weekend but they found some footing with a 110-105 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.

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