The Knicks are starting to unlock something that's been hiding in plain sight: Mitchell Robinson’s vertical gravity. For most of the season, New York hadn’t fully tapped into the lob threat their big man brings to the table. But over the past couple of weeks, there’s been a noticeable shift - and it’s giving the offense a jolt right when they needed it.
Robinson has quietly turned up the volume on his offensive contributions. He’s recorded three or more made field goals in six of his last seven games, including a 12-point, 14-rebound outing in just 19 minutes against Dallas. That was followed by a strong defensive performance in Philadelphia, where he helped hold Joel Embiid scoreless in the third quarter - no small feat - while continuing to pressure the rim on the other end.
The numbers back it up: Robinson’s scoring average has climbed from 4.9 points per game on the season to 6.9 over his last seven. It’s not an explosion, but it’s a sign of a team starting to recognize that their center can do more than just clean the glass and protect the paint - he can finish plays too, especially when he’s rolling hard to the rim.
“Ehh. A little here and there,” Robinson said when asked if he’s felt more involved offensively.
“But I tell them when we’re watching film, look here: I’m wide open. Throw it to me.
I do a lil dirty work so reward me. That’s kinda how that is.”
That “dirty work” is what’s always defined Robinson’s game - the relentless pursuit of offensive boards, the rim protection, the hustle on 50/50 balls. But now, he’s getting a few more chances to eat off the pick-and-roll, and it’s making a difference. Head coach Mike Brown acknowledged that when teams get physical at the point of attack, Robinson’s speed and verticality can flip that pressure right back on the defense.
“Whoever’s guarding Mitch is aggressive,” Brown said. “And so if teams keep stepping up and trying to be aggressive on the ball screens, Mitch has to get out quick and he’s gotta look for it at the rim.”
That’s starting to happen. Through the early part of the season, Robinson had more unassisted field goals (36) than assisted ones (32), which tells you most of his scoring came off second-chance efforts - putbacks, tip-ins, and unassisted layups.
No surprise there, considering he leads the league in offensive rebounding rate. But over the last seven games, he’s registered seven assisted field goals, a clear sign that the Knicks are starting to seek him out more intentionally in the flow of the offense.
Josh Hart, never one to sugarcoat things, admitted the team should’ve been doing this all along.
“He can set good screens and obviously is a lob threat,” Hart said. “So we’ve got to make sure we utilize that. When you utilize that, then you cause some of that indecision in terms of the ball handling, the ball screen and the communication, and that allows the ball handler to get downhill.”
That indecision Hart’s talking about? It’s the kind of thing that makes a good pick-and-roll deadly.
When defenders hesitate - even for a second - that’s when the lob window opens or the ball-handler gets a clean lane to the rim. Robinson’s presence forces defenses to make tough choices, and the Knicks are finally starting to leverage that.
Still, Robinson knows where his bread is buttered. He’s not out there demanding post touches or calling for isolations.
His game is built on effort - the kind that doesn’t always show up in the box score but wins possessions. He’s averaging nearly five offensive rebounds in under 20 minutes per game, which translates to a staggering nine per 36 minutes.
That’s elite territory, and it’s part of why he’s earned a team-high six Defensive Player of the Game honors this season.
“He does this every night. He’s a special player.
No one like him in the league,” OG Anunoby said. “His impact is felt every night in many different ways, so this is a usual night for him.”
Hart echoed that sentiment after the win in Philly: “I think he did a really good job in terms of forcing the tough shots or denying him those kinds of things. So it’s not surprising. We’ve seen it so many times, and he’s got to continue it.”
Robinson may not be the focal point of the offense, and that’s fine - it’s not what he’s built for. But when the Knicks make a point to feed him on the roll, when they reward his screens and his rim-running, it opens up a new layer to their attack. And in a season where every edge matters, that extra dimension could make all the difference.