Knicks' Mitchell Robinson likely to miss remainder of playoffs

Mitchell Robinson, the New York Knicks' prominent center, is anticipated to be sidelined for the remainder of the team's 2024 playoff journey due to a stress injury in his left ankle. This unfortunate setback marks the third significant loss for the Knicks in their pursuit of postseason success.

The Knicks announced on Tuesday that Robinson's condition will be reevaluated in six to eight weeks, effectively ruling him out for the remainder of their playoff journey, regardless of its duration.

Robinson, who served as the Knicks' starting center for the initial 21 games of the season, underwent ankle surgery earlier, causing him to miss 49 games. Despite his return in the latter part of the season, where he provided backup support to Isaiah Hartenstein, Robinson's contributions were critical in securing the Knicks' No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

During the first-round triumph over the Philadelphia 76ers, Robinson played a pivotal role in defending Joel Embiid. However, he suffered an injury during the series, forcing him to sit out Game 4.

In the Knicks' recent Game 1 victory against the Indiana Pacers, the 7-foot center saw limited action, tallying only 12 minutes with two points and two rebounds.

The absence of Robinson compounds the Knicks' injury woes, having previously lost All-Star forward Julius Randle and key reserve Bojan Bogdanovic to season-ending injuries. As they face the challenge with a depleted roster, the Knicks relied heavily on a seven-man rotation in the preceding series and expanded to eight players in Monday's game against Indiana, yet their bench was outscored 46-3 by the Pacers.