Things aren’t getting any easier for the already shorthanded New York Knicks, as they’ve lost Mitchell Robinson for the rest of the playoffs with an ankle injury.
Shams Charania of The Athletic was first with the news on May 7.
Robinson followed up the news with a pair of tweets, albeit one incredibly ominous message.
His first tweet was packed with emotion.
“This is so (expletive) up dawg,” Robinson tweeted. “Like I don’t even know what to say right now !”
And his second, one can only assume, was an indirect, direct shot at Philadelphia 76ers‘ star Joel Embiid.
“This is not over over!” he tweeted on his private Twitter account. “I WILL SEEK REVENGE.”
Robinson re-injured his ankle in New York’s first-round series against Philadelphia in a controversial collision with Embiid.
Winfield: Robinson Aggravated Ankle vs. 76ers
Kristian Winfield of the New York Post followed up the reports of Robinson’s injury with some additional insight.
“Robinson had tests run on his surgically repaired left ankle late this afternoon,” Winfield tweeted on May 7. “He aggravated his injury in the 1st round vs PHI and was limited last night against the Pacers. Robinson is not expected to undergo another procedure and will rehab. Tough blow for Knicks.”
That would indicated that there is a possibility Embiid’s flagrant play in Game 3 could have resulted in Robinson being sidelined.
Robinson, who was ruled out for Game 4 in that series, fired a similarly ominous message on his Snapchat story on April 29.
“(Expletive) around and find out,” wrote the longest tenured Knick.
Given his tweets, it’s not an exaggeration to think the Knicks’ center feels Embiid is partly responsible for his latest setback.
His vow for revenge implies he’s blaming someone, and the Philadelphia star represents the most likely party.
It’s the latest injury in a New York season that’s been riddled with them. And the latest challenge for a Knicks team that didn’t need any more as they advance further into the playoffs.
Add the frustrated Mitchell Robinson to an ongoing list of players lost to injury that includes Bojan Bogdanovic and Julius Randle.
“Next man up” has been the New York Knicks mantra all season long.
But they’re running out of bodies.
Precious Achiuwa Bound for Larger Role
Despite losing Robinson, don’t look for head coach Tom Thibodeau to up his seven-man rotation in Game 2.
The only difference will be Precious Achiuwa who filling the backup minutes behind starting center Isaiah Hartenstein, instead of Robinson.
That’s what Thibodeau did in Game 4 against the 76ers, and with another stretch five on the Indiana Pacers in Myles Turner, it’s unlikely he does anything different.
Achiuwa represents an x-factor for New York, as was on full display in that April 28 Game 4 win.
He lead the team in plus/minus (+11) despite scoring just 1 point in 19 minutes played.
Achiuwa’s defense helped the Knicks to a suffocating fourth quarter effort against Philadelphia, and ultimately a victory.
He finished the game with 1 point, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 blocks.
Achiuwa couldn’t replicate the effort in New York’s Game 1 win over Indiana. He grabbed 1 rebound in 4 minutes.
But that was before Mitchell Robinson went down. Circumstances have changed.
Now, he’ll be tasked with stepping up once again in Game 2 against the Pacers. And in Game 3, and Game 4, and so on.
As far as the New York Knicks make it won’t be contingent upon Precious Achiuwa.
But his new role is as crucial as anyone not named Jalen Brunson.
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