The New York Knicks losing to the Detroit Pistons 122-102 on Wednesday night marked yet another defeat in what’s quickly becoming a lost season. However, the most significant loss on the night was center, Mitchell Robinson, who left the contest 7:55 minutes in due to a concussion.
Robinson caught an elbow to the head by Pistons forward Markieff Morris, sending him to the ground. The consensus is that the second-year man received a concussion and is now going through the league’s protocol.
The Knicks travel to Dallas in two days to face off against Kristaps Porzingis and the Mavericks, an enticing showdown that will feature the past and present for New York. They will need every player available if they’re to compete against Dallas on Friday night.
What will the New York Knicks do if Mitchell Robinson can’t play?
If Robinson is unable to play in the coming days, the Knicks will feature Bobby Portin in a starting role at center. Over seven games, Portis has earned a .435 field goal percentage and is hitting .333 from downtown, plastered by a fantastic comeback performance against the Chicago Bulls, as he hit three tres from beyond the arch.
Realistically, the Knicks are not prepared to face off against a team like Dallas in any sense of the word. They have struggled on both sides of the ball as head coach David Fizdale claws and scratches at the starting lineup to find the right mesh of players. His inability to find a consistent grouping who can play well together is becoming distraught. Eventually, the Knicks will have to settle on a core five with rotational players, but it seems Fizdale is not 100% certain he has the right guys to fit his mold.
While there is a lack of talent present at certain positions, the Knicks’ absence of competitiveness is not building any appeal for big-name free agents to take their talents to New York in 2020.