Mitchell Robinson is one of the early bright spots for the New York Knicks, but a bum ankle is jeopardizing his homecoming to New Orleans.
No one knew Mitchell Robinson would be this good, this soon. The second-round pick came into the league with tons of upside, but he was seen as a project who would need a few years before he was ready to make an impact for the New York Knicks. So far, everyone who predicted a slow progression for Robinson was wrong (myself included).
Now the rookie center is a fixture in the starting lineup and he’s quickly becoming a fan favorite. Knicks fans held their breath on Wednesday night when Robinson suffered an ankle injury that ended his night prematurely. Robinson is probable for the team’s Friday night game against the New Orleans Pelicans according to Chris Iseman of NorthJersey.com
“We held him out today,” Fizdale said to Iseman. “We wanted to try to give it as much rest as possible. Like I said, that’s why I didn’t try to bring him back the other night. I thought it was important to have him for a full game than just a couple more minutes in that game.”
Fizdale is playing it safe with his rim-protecting center. Robinson dealt with an ankle issue that limited him early in the year. It doesn’t sound like he’s dealing with a major issue this time around, but Fizdale and his staff are being cautious with the rookie regardless.
That being said, Robinson is a native to the area and he’d love to play in front of friends and family in New Orleans. Moreover, this will be Robinson’s first opportunity to play against Anthony Davis — a player he trained with during the offseason and hopes to emulate one day. As a result, expect to see an energized Robinson in the lineup.
