Knicks center Mitchell Robinson helped New York extend its postseason in a 111-94 Game 5 victory over Indiana on Thursday night, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post.
Robinson has been starting in the stead of guard Josh Hart since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. That said, Hart is still playing starter’s minutes, even as the team’s new sixth man, averaging 12 MPG more than Robinson.
“It’s just matchups and what’s going on in the game,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said of his decision to keep Robinson in as a starter. “Sometimes it’s impacted by foul trouble as well.”
Robinson logged six points, six boards, two blocks and a steal in 20 minutes of action. Beyond the statistics, Robinson’s defense against Indiana helped the Knicks build out a 20-point lead midway through the third quarter.
Next season, the 26-year-old will be on an expiring $13MM deal. His health has been an ongoing question mark throughout his pro career, but his defensive upside could make him an intriguing asset for rival teams.
There’s more out of New York:
- Knicks reserve guard Cameron Payne has fallen out of New York’s rotation even as Thibodeau has built out his bench rotation to include veterans Landry Shamet and Delon Wright, notes Jared Schwartz of The New York Post (subscriber link). Payne had suited up for all of New York’s first 14 playoff bouts, averaging 7.2 MPG. He has now been a healthy scratch in each of the Knicks’ last three games. Payne, on an expiring veteran’s minimum contract, may be playing himself out of a future in New York.
- On the brink of elimination, the Knicks now live to fight another day after shellacking Indiana in Game 5. Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link) supplies his report card, awarding All-Star guard Jalen Brunson an A for his 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting from the field. “I’m just very proud of what we did,” Brunson said, per SNY.tv (Twitter link). “Now, we’ve just got to replicate it in the first quarter of next game and then continue to build on that.”
- The Knicks’ aggressive defense proved critical in stopping the best efforts of the Pacers’ best player, All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton, notes Schwartz in another piece. Haliburton notched a turnover-free 32-point, 15-assist, 12-rebound triple-double in Game 4. All-Defensive swingman Mikal Bridges served as Haliburton’s primary defender in Game 5. Haliburton didn’t connect from the floor until the third quarter. The two-time All-Star shot just 2-of-8 from the floor to finish with eight points. Robinson’s versatile defense proved crucial against the Pacers all over the floor. Shamet and Wright chipped in defensively, too.