The New York Knicks have likely lost center Mitchell Robinson for the rest of the playoffs with a stress injury to his left ankle, the team announced Tuesday.
Robinson had imaging that confirmed the injury after playing just 12 minutes in the Knicks' Game 1 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night. The team said he would be reevaluated in six to eight weeks, which would stretch until nearly the end of the NBA Finals on the front end of that timetable.
Robinson had surgery on the same ankle in December and missed 50 games before returning in late March. He also missed a game in the Knicks' first-round series with the Philadelphia 76ers after spraining the ankle.
As a valuable rebounder, especially at the offensive end, Robinson's absence could affect the Knicks' superior rebounding thus far in the playoffs. The team is third in overall rebounding percentage and first in offensive rebounding percentage so far in the postseason.
New York is already thin on the bench with forwards Julius Randle and Bojan Bogdanovic out for the season following surgeries. Coach Tom Thibodeau will likely give additional minutes to backup Precious Achiuwa.
