Injured Knicks Center Reaches Landmark

Mitchell Robinson hit a landmark in his potential return to action for the New York Knicks.

Dec 8, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) passes the ball during the first half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The medical news that the New York Knicks had to report on Saturday night wasn't all bad.

Things, in fact, started rather optimistically: before dealing with OG Anunoby's non-contact pain that forced his departure from the second half of what became a 128-112 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers, head coach Tom Thibodeau revealed that center Mitchell Robinson inched toward a new landmark when it comes to his return from a lasting ankle injury.

“Everything has gone very smoothly in terms of the rehab. So the next step will be the clearance for regular contact,” Thibodeau said in the lead-up to the anticipated interconference tilt, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. “The controlled contact, you know what’s coming. So you can brace yourself for it. So once you get out of that, where you’re just playing and reacting, that will be the next step. He’s pretty close.”

Robinson's metropolitan fate has been an eternal talking point in this rollercoaster season, one where trading him and keeping him around for a seventh season in blue and orange has gained equal support. The potential loss of Anunoby's defensive firepower may force the hand of the former party, even if Robinson stands as the Knicks' most attractive asset on their current ledger.

While far from anything concrete, Thibodeau's latest update is perhaps the most optimistic he has had for Robinson at any point this season. The Manhattan staple has not played since the Knicks playoff run last spring, dealing with ankle woes that ate away of his sixth metropolitan tour. Karl-Anthony Towns has taken his place in the Knicks' starting five while Precious Achiuwa has been the top spell option.

Even with this latest landmark, however, it's still extremely unlikely that Robinson plays before the trade deadline: the Knicks' last two games before Feb. 6 consist of a back-to-back that begins on Monday at home against Houston (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/NBA TV) and a Tuesday visit to Toronto.

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