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Knicks' Mitchell Robinson Sends Message After Another Slow Start

Mitchell Robinson did not hold back after the New York Knicks' ugly win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Jayesh Pagar|
Mar 3, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) during a break in the action against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Mar 3, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) during a break in the action against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The Brooklyn Nets walked into the last game with 17 wins and nothing to lose. The New York Knicks barely noticed, and that was the problem.

A 93-92 final against a team that is sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference standings should raise red flags for a contending team like the Knicks.

Instead, it took a technical foul from a backup center and a shove from one of the quietest players on the team to snap the Knicks back to reality.

Robinson Wasn't Moving

When Nets rookie Nolan Traore appeared to undercut him on an alley-oop in the second quarter, Robinson stood over Traore, earned a technical foul for taunting, and had zero regrets.

"Yall saw that s--t bro. It ain't even a need to speak on it right now," Robinson said. "It is what it is. I don't even wanna talk about that s--t."

Towns backed him. "I've seen Mitch have moments, but I think today was one of those days where you've gotta protect yourself. We need him. We need him on this team. We need him available and healthy," as per Kristian Winfield of the NY Daily News.

This does not stop here. We have all seen OG Anunoby. He is a quiet, shy and simple guy. He rarely speaks and rarely shows emotion through physicality, but today his aggression was on a different level.

The Real Issue Robinson Called Out

Well, this is the problem we have already talked about, and we have covered it extensively: the New York Knicks wasting their first two quarters and starting way too slow.

"[The Nets] brought the fight to us. We can't just look at their record and just say, 'Alright, we're gonna whip their a--.' We've just gotta be better all together, and until we figure that part out, it's gonna be a long road." Robinson said.

The numbers back Robinson up. Across four recent losses, the Knicks' starting five posted a combined first-quarter plus/minus deep in the red, gifting opponents comfortable leads before the bench even checked in.

Brunson managed only two points in the first quarter, shooting 1-for-5 against OKC. KAT also had the same points as Brunson, and Hart had a tough time shooting, attempting four shots and missing all of them.

Brooklyn winning the first quarter 22-14 was no exception; it was just the same story, with a new opponent. ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌

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Jayesh Pagar
JAYESH PAGAR

Jayesh Pagar is currently pursuing Sports Journalism from the London School of Journalism and brings four years of experience in sports media coverage. He has contributed extensively to NBA, WNBA, college basketball, and college football content.

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