The New York Knicks have finally decided to shake things up. Down 0-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals and outplayed in nearly every key metric by the Indiana Pacers, head coach Tom Thibodeau is making a long-overdue change to the starting lineup.
According to multiple reports, including SNY’s Ian Begley and ESPN’s Shams Charania, Mitchell Robinson will start Game 3 in place of Josh Hart, the first starting five alteration of the season for New York when all core players have been healthy.
This move comes as the Knicks' starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Hart has plummeted into one of the least effective units in the playoffs.
They are a staggering minus-50 in the postseason, including a minus-29 in just the first two games of this series.
Defensively, they’ve been especially porous, giving up a defensive rating of 155.1 points per 100 possessions to the Pacers' high-octane offense. With the starters on the floor, Indiana is shooting an absurd 61% from the field and 52% from beyond the arc.
Those are not just bad numbers, they are historically disastrous.
The most glaring issue has been New York’s inability to contain Indiana’s movement-heavy offense. The Pacers thrive off secondary and tertiary actions, and the Knicks have consistently failed to rotate and recover in time. Karl-Anthony Towns, while an offensive force, has struggled mightily defensively in space, and the absence of a true rim protector to help cover up those breakdowns has only amplified the problem.
Enter Mitchell Robinson. After missing most of the season due to ankle surgery, Robinson returned late in the year and has gradually regained form. In Game 2, he played 29 minutes off the bench and made a clear impact, finishing with six points, nine rebounds, and three blocks.
His presence altered Indiana’s shot selection and brought much-needed mobility to New York’s interior defense. According to ESPN Research, the Knicks have contested 52% of the Pacers' shot attempts with Robinson on the floor compared to just 42% without him.
Josh Hart, meanwhile, becomes the unfortunate casualty of this necessary adjustment. Despite being a fan favorite and one of New York’s most consistent glue guys, Hart has struggled to maintain his impact in this matchup.
His Game 2 performance of six points, six rebounds, and just one assist in 28 minutes, was solid but far from game-changing.
Given the Pacers’ size and shooting, the Knicks desperately need rim protection and defensive rebounding to slow the tempo and avoid falling behind early.
The change isn’t without risk. Hart has been a vocal leader and has played a major role in New York’s identity. However, with their season hanging in the balance, the Knicks must prioritize function over familiarity.
Game 3 now becomes do-or-die. If Robinson’s insertion into the starting five can stabilize the defense and give the Knicks early momentum, New York may just claw its way back into the series. But if this move fails, their magical playoff run could end abruptly, and Barkley won’t get his street meat.
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