The applause was thunderous when Mitchell Robinson was announced as a starter to the Garden crowd for the first time in this year’s playoffs.
Despite being initially listed as questionable for Thursday night’s game due to a knee contusion from Game 4, Karl-Anthony Towns impressed with 24 points. His performance, along with crucial contributions from Robinson, helped the Knicks stay in the playoffs with a 111-94 win in Game 5 at MSG.
Robinson stepped in for Josh Hart in the starting lineup, playing alongside Towns for the two middle games in Indiana. He recorded six points, six rebounds, two blocked shots, and one steal over 20 minutes on the court.
Robinson’s defensive prowess shone during key Indiana possessions in the third quarter. He blocked a drive by Tyrese Haliburton, stopped Thomas Bryant with another block, and intercepted a pass from Andrew Nembhard, sparking a 10-0 run and securing a 72-52 advantage.
Robinson also scooped up an offensive rebound for a put-back during that sequence.
Asked before the game about sticking with the same lineup for a third straight game, coach Tom Thibodeau replied, “It’s just matchups and what’s going on in the game. Sometimes it’s impacted by foul trouble as well.”
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To wit, Towns netted 13 points in the second quarter to register 17 and 10 boards by halftime, but KAT picked up his fourth foul with the Knicks up 72-52 with 6:24 left in the third.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle attempted to take advantage by intentionally fouling Robinson with the Hack-a-Mitch strategy employed by the Pistons and the Celtics in the first two rounds.
Robinson has shot just 22-for-56 (39.3 percent) from the stripe in 17 postseason appearances this spring.
Robinson missed two free throws with 4:17 left in the quarter, and he was replaced by Precious Achiuwa due to Towns’ foul trouble.
Achiuwa chipped in a bucket in traffic during a 12-0 run that helped stretch the lead to 17 entering the final period.
Robinson has logged fewer minutes than Hart in each of the three games since the switch by a sizable average of 12 minutes.
