The New York Knicks will look to improve to 4-3 in Monday's game against the Washington Wizards at 7:30 p.m. ET, though they'll be without one of their regular starters.
After suiting up in Sunday's 128-116 win over the Chicago Bulls, Mitchell Robinson will be held out of the second leg of New York's back-to-back set due to left ankle injury management, according to the NBA's official injury report.
The Knicks are taking a cautious approach with Robinson, who has appeared in just two games thus far. The big man underwent surgeries on his left ankle in December 2023 and May 2024 and was limited to just 17 regular-season games in the 2024-25 campaign. While it's still early in the season, the Knicks will likely continue to manage his workload with the postseason in mind.
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What does Mitchell Robinson's absence mean for Knicks
Robinson missed the first four games of the season for the same reason. Over two appearances during that span, Miles McBride saw an uptick in minutes and made one start, while Ariel Hukporti entered the rotation and even drew two starts — one coming with McBride sidelined.
The Knicks have already used four different starting lineups this season, so nothing is set in stone with Robinson unavailable. However, McBride and Hukporti are the leading candidates to join the first unit, while Guerschon Yabusele could also see increased playing time.
As for Robinson, the Knicks are expected to continue limiting his availability in back-to-back outings, and he has yet to log more than 20 minutes in a single game. His next opportunity to suit up will come Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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