If the Knicks want to continue their dominant stretch against the Cavs and wrap things up tonight, they’re going to need another solid showing from their bigs. Specifically, Mitchell Robinson needs to keep doing what he’s been doing. Coming into the series, I felt as though the combination of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley was going to be too much, but thus far, that hasn’t been the case.
Last game, Robinson put on his best performance of the series. In 27 minutes of action, he posted a double-double — 12 points and 11 rebounds — and also added two blocks to his stat sheet. The two blocks were both clutch blocks, and his presence in the paint was felt all night. Cleveland were unable to get anything going in the post, and he simply got the better of one of the more talented frontcourts in the entire league.
Mitchell Robinson has been huge for the Knicks
Robinson has always been touted for his superb work on the defensive end, but due to injury and his size, he hasn’t been able to play as many minutes as many would’ve liked to have seen this season. Despite only playing roughly 26 minutes a game during the regular season, he still averaged 2.0 blocks per and would inhale rebounds like a vacuum. He and Hartenstein have made for a tremendous pairing this series.
If Mitch can keep controlling the paint and spreading the floor on the offensive end, this Knicks team is going to be that much better as the playoffs move forward. They don’t need him to be posting 20 points a night, but they do need him to keep opposition out of the lane and force them into making tough shots. That’s exactly what he’s done thus far, and his Game 4 performance was a fantastic game from the big fella.
Robinson may not be the biggest X-factor on the team, but he certainly is one of the most impactful. He’s also been cutting down his hacking this postseason, averaging a foul less per game. He knows these minutes are crucial for the team and wants to do everything in his power to stay on the court when it matters. Hence the reason he’s become such a phenomenal shot blocker, and also chooses to block shots with his left hand instead of going across his body.
Mitch is a key player on this team, and hopefully, tonight, he can keep showing out. If he has a few blocks, another dozen or so rebounds, that’ll be all he needs to do for this team to get another dub and say goodbye to the Cavs. Game 5 is tonight at 7:00 EST, and it’s live at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.