Knicks Center Regrets Missed Opportunity

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson rued a missed opportunity amidst the ongoing Eastern Conference quarterfinal series with the Detroit Pistons.

Mar 30, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) dunks the ball during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Free throws have been anything but for New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson.

Known to struggle at the line through his New York career, Robinson rued a fruitless output in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal set with the Detroit Pistons. Robinson was 0-of-4 in narrow Knicks victory and lamented such an output after the 94-93 final.

"I worked on my free throws the whole time I was out, the whole 10 months I was out. So you think that you’re ready to go for it and I just missed," Robinson told Stefan Bondy and Zach Braziller of the New York Post. "You’re not going to shoot it well every night and also I didn’t really get a good rhythm going so … stick to what I know best and shoot the ball.”

Apr 24, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) and Detroit Pistons forward Paul Reed (7) fight for position with in the first half during game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Robinson, the Knicks' top spell option at the five, is one of the few traditional centers left in the modern Association, one primarily employed to camp in the lane, grab rebounds and reject any invaders. Unfortunately, such efforts usually coincide with a free throw percentage that leaves a lot to be desired, and that's the case with Robinson, who has hit less than 53 percent of his single attempts in a Knick uniform.

To his credit, Robinson made it a point to change that part of his game amidst a lengthy rehab for an ankle injury and mostly succeeded to the tune of a career-best success rate from the foul line at 68.4 percent (13-of-19 in 17 appearances).

He has also been a valuable tool in the Knicks' physical fight with the Pistons: Robinson has pulled in 13 offensive rebounds, tied for seventh-most among all postseason competitors despite playing only 63 minutes (including just nine in Game 4 after he labeled questionable with an illness on the pregame injury report).

“We’re going to get out there and fight," Robinson said in another report from The Post, this one from Jared Schwartz. "That’s the biggest part about it, physicality with Detroit and us. It’s something we just have to bring."

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