Mitchell Robinson has been a difference-maker for the Knicks in these playoffs, especially against the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. But the big man had an uneven Game 4 on Tuesday, and that played a part in the Knicks’ 131-120 loss.
Robinson played nearly 10 minutes in the first quarter and had just two points — which isn’t uncommon for the center — but his one rebound and minus-8 on the court were concerning. His registering a minus-6 in just two minutes of second-quarter action was shocking. Without Robinson’s boards, the Pacers were able to get second-chance opportunities and the Knicks could not get any of their own.
He was also uncharacteristically slow to assignments and on switches, which helped the Pacers shoot 56 percent from the field in the first half.
“Got off to a slow start, especially in the first half. Started picking it up in the second. Can’t allow that, especially at a time like now,” Robinson said of his performance after the game. “Have to be better from the jump.”
Robinson’s second half was limited. He played just seven minutes but grabbed six boards — five offensive — and even scored four points. There was more energy and it helped the Knicks stay in the game, but the turnovers and defensive miscues doomed New York as Tyrese Haliburton put on a clinic, posting a 32-12-15 triple-double without turning the ball over as the Pacers took a 3-1 series lead.
Before the game, coach Tom Thibodeau said his team has to “have awareness” and communicate as much as possible: “Got to get everyone talking to the ball.”
Robinson acknowledged the Knicks did not do that on Tuesday, but put the poor defensive performance on himself. When asked what was missing from the defense in Game 4, the longest-tenured Knick said communication.
“That started with me. I wasn’t talking first,” he said. “I’m the anchor of the defense, if I’m not talking, nobody is. Allowed it to get away.”
“Haliburton is a great player and you don’t guard great players in this league individually; it’s your entire team. And if one guy is not doing their job, everyone is gonna look bad,” Thibodeau said after the loss. ” And there’s a combination of things, whether we’re talking defensive transition, isolation game, pick-and-roll game, whatever it might be. It’s everyone being tight together and moving in unison and reading the ball correctly and making the right reads.”
Robinson referred back to his slow start, and that he had to get “woken up” for the second half to turn things around for him — he wouldn’t divulge how he did that — but his energy changed and expects that he and the team will learn from this loss and be prepared for Game 5.
And how do they do that?
“Come out with more urgency,” Robinson said of what to expect on Thursday. “Go out there and get it done.”
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