Playoff Notebook: Mitchell Robinson (ankle) practices again, Knicks first-round schedule revealed
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson was a full participant in practice at the Tarrytown training facility on Wednesday.
Robinson fully participated in practice for the second day in a row after sitting the second half of Sunday’s season finale against the Chicago Bulls due to a tweaked left ankle.
Robinson has aggravated his surgically repaired left ankle twice since returning to the rotation on March 27. He suffered a stress fracture in the ankle during a Dec. 8 loss to the Boston Celtics and missed three months of action after undergoing surgery.
Meanwhile, the status of Isaiah Hartenstein’s minutes restriction due to a nagging Achilles injury remains unclear.
Hartenstein, who elevated to full-time starter with Robinson out of the lineup, missed two separate stretches of games due to soreness in his left Achilles and has played more than 30 minutes in a game just twice since aggravating the injury in a Feb. 8 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
Asked if Hartenstein will be on a minutes restriction entering the playoffs, Thibodeau said: “I don’t know.”
Hartenstein’s minutes have decreased in part due to an influx of options at the backup five. Robinson and Hartenstein create a one-two punch at the center for the Knicks, but Thibodeau also hasn’t shied away from playing Precious Achiuwa at center.
SCHEDULE
The NBA released the Knicks’ first-round playoff schedule, starting with Games 1 and 2 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., respectively.
Games 3 and 4 will be played on the road. Game 3 tips on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., and Game 4 kicks off on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
Times for Games 5 (Tues., April 30), 6 (Thurs., May 2) and 7 (Sat. May 4) have yet to be determined.
ELUSIVE TROPHY
Only one thing drives Thibodeau at this stage of his career — and it’s not an NBA title, though he hopes building the proper habits eventually leads to the elusive Larry O’Brien trophy.
“It’s just getting the most out of your team. Whatever that is. I think you only get satisfaction from knowing you did everything you possibly could to get the most out of your team,” he said. “And once you do that, that’s all you can do. So where the chips fall, that’s where they fall. But I never have regrets because I know what I’m putting into it.”
AVOIDING COACH
Forward Josh Hart says he tries not to look at a furious Tom Thibodeau any time he makes a mistake on the court.
“I don’t really look at him too much,” Hart said on Wednesday. “I hear him. Damn sure hear him. Sometimes you can’t help but hear him. I let Thibs be Thibs. Thibs gonna yell no matter what. I’m kind of a guy where I don’t let it affect me. I’m gonna play my game how I play my game no matter what. I don’t look at him. I hear him.”
HART—HARTENSTEIN
Hart says Hartenstein’s decision-making while protecting the rim has made him valuable on the defensive end of the floor.
“When you have bigger matchups, he’s locked in and prepared for that. That’s something that we need,” Hart said after Wednesday’s practice. “He finishes possessions with rebounds and gets quick kick aheads that put us in transition. That’s something that we’re going to need if we play the Sixers with Joel [Embiid]. Obviously he’s going to play a big part defensively. Even Miami with Bam [Adebayo] defensively and protecting the rim. That’s something that he’s done great all year and we need him to continue to do it.”