Mitchell Robinson’s Celtics start has been uneven, but no one in Boston is sounding alarms yet.
That’s not to say the opening month has gone smoothly. Through four games, the numbers have been rough, with Boston 13.5 points worse when Robinson is on the floor entering Friday night’s NBA Cup matchup with the Chicago Bulls, according to databallr.com. The sample is tiny, which matters, but it has still been a disappointing beginning for a player expected to bring a different level of impact.
Part of this looks like a guy working his way into shape. Robinson has looked heavy moving up and down the floor, and there’s also a chance he’s managing an injury. It’s a far cry from the more explosive version teams have seen in the past.
There’s also a built-in reason Boston can afford patience. With the NBA’s best center trio, the Celtics don’t need to run Robinson into the ground.
His stints usually last just 5-6 minutes, which keeps the workload manageable. That should help his conditioning as the season goes on, while the new system should become more familiar with time.
Inside the organization, the reaction is much more upbeat than the outside noise.
"I think we are all extremely pleased with what Mitch is doing," said Tony Dobbins before Friday night's tilt at TD Garden. "Happy to have him here. And I'm going to continue to try to help him get acclimated to our system and what we're doing, but he's doing a phenomenal job."
The analytics still paint a mixed picture. Boston’s offensive rating is nearly 10 points worse with Robinson on the court, and the defense is surrendering almost four more points per 100 possessions with him in the lineup. That’s not the profile the Celtics want long term.
At the same time, there’s plenty Robinson should still be giving them. He can protect the rim at a higher level than he has shown so far, screen more effectively and do more damage on the glass on both ends.
He knows it, too.
After Boston’s season opener, a 121-113 loss to the Detroit Pistons, the former Knicks center said he played like trash. He added that he was slow to react at times and wasn’t happy with his effort, saying he wished he had competed at a higher level.
That kind of self-criticism matters. Robinson is clearly invested in getting it right, and that gives Boston confidence that this slow start won’t define his season. The first four games haven’t matched the player he’s been for most of his career, but the Celtics are betting that version is still coming.
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