Mitchell Robinson injury return uncertain for January; Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart practice after injuries

Knicks caput manager Tom Thibodeau expressed uncertainty connected Sunday astir a January instrumentality for injured halfway Mitchell Robinson, raising the likelihood of a February debut but not wholly ruling retired an aboriginal return.

Robinson, who underwent a 2nd procedure to repair a accent fracture successful his near ankle, hasn’t played since the Knicks’ second-round playoff opener connected May 6.

Initially projected to instrumentality betwixt December and January, the timeline has shifted arsenic the squad exercises caution with his recovery.

“He’s doing each that helium tin do. Medical has a large accidental successful [whether oregon not helium volition instrumentality successful January], arsenic well,” Thibodeau said aft signifier astatine the Tarrytown grooming facility. “Just beryllium diligent and fto him enactment his mode done it. And erstwhile he’s ready, he’s ready. So absorption connected the guys that we have, and person Mitch absorption connected the rehab portion of it, which he’s done a large occupation with. We’re arrogant of him for doing that. And erstwhile we get him, it’ll beryllium a large plus.”

Thibodeau said determination person been nary setbacks successful Robinson’s rehab, but the Knicks are treading cautiously fixed his past with accent fractures — 2 successful the aforesaid ft successful a azygous season.

Despite the dilatory approach, Robinson has taken important strides.

“I’ve seen a batch [of progress],” said squad skipper Jalen Brunson. “I’m conscionable blessed for him. Seeing him successful the gym with a smile, it’s large to see. Very hopeful we get him backmost beauteous soon.”

Robinson’s instrumentality is captious for a Knicks defence that has struggled contempt its beardown violative start. As 1 of the league’s premier rim protectors and violative rebounders, Robinson has been the backbone of New York’s defence since being drafted 36th wide successful 2018.

His instrumentality has the imaginable to redefine the Knicks’ rotations successful respective impactful ways: Pairing him with Karl-Anthony Towns successful a dual-big lineup could supply New York with a important size vantage and a reliable antiaircraft anchor successful the paint. Alternatively, staggering Towns with the 2nd portion portion Robinson stabilizes the starting lineup would bolster scoring for a Knicks seat that has struggled this season. Plus Robinson, who is apt to travel disconnected the seat successful his return, volition besides slot into the 2nd portion alongside Precious Achiuwa, adding much-needed size and antiaircraft strength to a radical that has lacked consistency.

“Yeah, with him I deliberation it’ll beryllium a large key. Just playing against him, knowing however helium is,” said Mikal Bridges. “Set a screen, rolling and besides rebounding and defensively conscionable marque it hard connected guys. That decidedly helps a lot.”

For each his talent, Robinson’s injuries person been a recurring issue. His durability volition beryllium captious to maximizing his interaction upon returning to the lineup.

“It’s good. Just for him, I cognize it’s astir apt not amusive being retired for truthful agelong with the rehab process and things similar that, but it seems similar it’s going truly well,” Bridges said. “And conscionable him being astir and doing the work.”

Injury Updates: Towns and Hart Participate successful Practice

The Knicks received immoderate bully quality connected Sunday: Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart were afloat participants successful practice.

Towns missed the past 2 games aft suffering a thumb sprain successful Monday’s nonaccomplishment to the Detroit Pistons, portion Hart injured his enarthrosis successful Friday’s nonaccomplishment to the Timberwolves.

Both are expected to beryllium listed arsenic questionable for Monday’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks.

“They went done practice, and we’ll spot wherever they are tomorrow,” Thibodeau said.

Hart, known for his toughness, initially wounded his enarthrosis and played done the symptom earlier re-injuring it aboriginal and checking himself retired of the game. He concisely got examined earlier returning to the scorer’s array and subbing himself backmost onto the floor.

“Well, two-fold. Like, usually he’s not 1 of those guys that is gonna enactment down long. If helium tin go, helium goes,” said Thibodeau. “He’s tough-minded, and truthful it was bully to person him travel backmost and past to spot him retired determination today. We’ll spot however helium responds tomorrow.”

Hart’s willingness to play done injuries has go a hallmark of his career.

“I’m not surprised. The rival helium is, helium wants to get retired there,” Brunson said. “If helium feels bully capable to play, I conscionable cognize he’s gonna play. That’s who helium is.”

“Being capable to play done pain, that’s conscionable who helium is,” Bridges added. “He’s ever been similar that.”

R AND R

The Knicks welcomed a much-needed two-day interruption earlier Monday’s 3:30 p.m. tipoff against the Hawks. For a squad with 4 starters ranking successful the apical 5 successful minutes played — and Towns successful the apical 10 earlier his wounded — immoderate accidental for remainder is invaluable.

The squad took Saturday wholly disconnected to retrieve earlier returning to signifier successful Tarrytown connected Sunday.

“Good, similar a bully time for recovery, and past a bully time to get immoderate enactment in. The docket has been quirky, but that’s conscionable benignant of the quality of it anyway,” caput manager Tom Thibodeau said. “You extremity up with 41 home, 41 away, and it seems similar the days disconnected are each coming successful the aforesaid window. Usually, it’s dispersed out. It is what it is. Sometimes it’s successful your favor. Sometimes it’s not.”

Brunson emphasized the value of disconnected days arsenic a accidental to measure idiosyncratic contributions to the team. The Knicks volition person different three-day spread successful their docket aft back-to-back games connected Monday against the Hawks and Tuesday astatine Barclays Center against the Nets.

“It’s large to person disconnected days to benignant of reset. It gives you clip to bespeak connected wherever you request to beryllium and wherever you request to spell individually and what you tin bring to the team,” Brunson said. “It’s ever bully for america to reset, look astatine each other, and get backmost connected track.”