Block party for athletic Robinson
LAS VEGAS — Knicks rookie Mitchell Robinson shook his head emphatically just as he was shaking off all the rust from a 14-month layoff.
In his summer-league debut Saturday after not playing since April 2017, the 7-foot project center made a highlight block at the rim on Atlanta’s Jock Landale. Instead of a Dikembe Mutombo finger shake, the New Orleans native swung his head back and forth. Get used to it.
Robinson got more impressive and active as the game wore on and finished with four blocks, nine points and eight rebounds. The 20year-old also committed six fouls in 28 minutes in his first outing since a high-school All-Star game.
“You could see he’s blocking anything in the paint,’’ Knicks lottery pick Kevin Knox said. “He’s swatting at everything. He’s going to contest every shot. That’s what you need in the league. You can see he’s a freak athlete who can jump and get lobs. Basically what the league wants right now. He’s going to fit perfectly fine.”
Robinson opened the second half with an emphatic putback dunk and forced a jump ball, tying up a Hawks defender with brute strength. The 36th pick in the draft looked more like a first-round pick — which he would have been if he had not dropped out of college and the draft combine. He was 4-for-8 from the field.
“He’s going to get better and better,’’ Knox said. “He had a year off from competitive basketball so he’s still trying to get back. The first game, he looked pretty well.”
Robinson got the start as the Knicks rested Luke Kornet because of a strained hamstring. Coach David Fizdale said with Knox and Robinson, the Knicks could turn games into “a jumping contest.’’
➤ Point guard Frank Ntilikina shined on defense, but still wasn’t as aggressive offensively as had been hoped. He scored five points on 2for-7 shooting with five assists and three turnovers, finishing a minus-9. He stifled Hawks rookie Trae
Young in the first half, giving no room for the much-hyped point guard. Young finally settled in for a 21-point night. He shot 4-for-12 and made three of nine 3-pointers.
➤ Undrafted shooting guard Allonzo Trier out of Arizona added 15 points and Knicks holdover Troy Williams was sharp (17 points, 7for-12, a team-leading plus-16).