Mike Brown, New York Knicks
Getty
Mike Brown, New York Knicks
The New York Knicks are getting their defensive anchor back at a critical moment.
Center Mitchell Robinson was removed from the injury report and is expected to return Wednesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, one game after New York surrendered its highest point total of the season in a stunning 137–134 overtime loss to the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden.
Robinson was held out of Tuesday’s game for left ankle injury management on the front end of a back-to-back. His absence loomed large as the Knicks watched a defense that had been elite for weeks unravel in overtime.
Before the loss, New York owned the NBA’s best defensive rating over its previous 10 games (100.8), winning nine of those contests. That identity cracked against Indiana, which scored at will despite missing key personnel.
Knicks Defense Slips Without Robinson
The Pacers entered Tuesday without Tyrese Haliburton and Ivica Zubac, yet still overwhelmed the Knicks with depth, pace, and perimeter shooting.
Indiana drilled 18 three-pointers and placed eight players in double figures. The Pacers’ bench outscored New York’s 43–18, exposing a Knicks second unit that struggled to protect the paint or contain dribble penetration.
Undrafted guard Quenton Jackson finished with 19 points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Andrew Nembhard scored 24 points. Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 30 points.
Despite Jalen Brunson pouring in 40 points with eight assists and five rebounds, New York couldn’t generate enough stops when it mattered most.
“Regardless of what their record is, they’re great,” Brunson said after the loss. “Great coach, they do everything well, they play hard, they play to the last second.”
The Knicks forced overtime on clutch free throws from Karl-Anthony Towns, but Indiana scored the first nine points of the extra period. New York made a frantic push late, closing to within one in the final seconds, before Jackson calmly sealed the win at the line.
Robinson’s Return Brings Defensive Reset
Knicks' Mitchell Robinson against Joel Embiid
GettyJoel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Mitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks fight for the loose ball.
Robinson’s return is designed to restore the Knicks’ interior control, rim protection, and rebounding — areas that slipped noticeably on Tuesday night.
Earlier this season, Robinson’s impact against Philadelphia was decisive. In New York’s 112–109 win over the 76ers on Jan. 24, Robinson blocked Joel Embiid twice and altered numerous shots, even as Embiid finished with 38 points and 11 rebounds.
That defensive performance drew high praise from head coach Mike Brown.
“Our defensive player of the game was Mitch; he was phenomenal,” Brown said after that win. “He was really good defensively. A couple of blocks, a couple of 50/50 balls, rebounded the ball really well.”
Embiid’s Status Adds Intrigue
A rematch between Robinson and Embiid, however, may not materialize.
Embiid is listed as questionable on Wednesday due to right knee injury management. The former MVP last played Saturday against the Phoenix Suns, scoring 33 points with nine rebounds, and has surged offensively in February, averaging 30.7 points after a slow start to the season.
If Embiid is sidelined, New York’s frontcourt combination of Robinson and Towns could control the paint against a depleted Philadelphia lineup — a scenario that would allow the Knicks to re-establish their defensive identity quickly.
Knicks Eye Immediate Response
Tuesday’s loss marked just New York’s second defeat in its last 11 games and only its seventh home loss of the season. Still, the defensive lapse served as a reminder of how central Robinson is to the Knicks’ structure.
With Robinson back in uniform, New York will look to clamp down defensively, clean up the glass, and reset the tone as it continues a stretch of games that will test its depth and durability.
For a Knicks team built on defense, Robinson’s return isn’t just timely — it may be essential.