Another full practice for Mitchell as first round vs. Philly nears
Mitchell Robinson was a full participant in practice for the second day in a row Wednesday after sitting the second half of Sunday’s season finale against the 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 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, 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 Mavericks.
Asked if Hartenstein will be on a minutes restriction entering the playoffs, Tom 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 onetwo punch at center, 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 the Garden at 6 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Monday.
Game 3 tips 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Philly and Game 4 at 1 p.m. next Sunday in Philly.
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.”
HART—HARTENSTEIN
Josh 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 (against) Joel (Embiid). Obviously he’s going to play a big part defensively.”