The absence of Mitchell Robinson provides the Knicks roster flexibility

SAN FRANCISCO — Mitchell Robinson’s right knee sprain has provided Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau with roster flexibility for the future.

Since Robinson’s injury, the Knicks have twice overcome fourth-quarter deficits when Thibodeau employs a small lineup including Julius Randle and Obi Toppin up top. It occurred against the 76ers on November 4, and it was the catalyst for their comeback against the Nuggets in the final 7:20 of regulation on Wednesday.

“We were simply seeking [a spark]. We believed they were relatively tiny, so we thought we could play that, and I believed it would give us energy, which it did,” Thibodeau said. “Just having the ability to switch more and utilize our athleticism, which was something we were aiming for. “Because they were switching, we wanted to have more cutting on the floor.”

Obi Toppin, on the right, and Julius Randle celebrate.
NBAE Images via Getty

In neither of those victories did the Knicks have to face a superstar center. The 76ers were without Joel Embiid, while the Nuggets were without Nikola Jokic. That obviously contributes to it. And the pairing of Randle and Toppin has not always been successful. In their losses to the Celtics and Thunder, the Knicks struggled.

The Knicks have outscored their opponents by 1.9 points per 100 possessions when Randle and Toppin share the court, which has happened 51 times in seven games for a total of 51 minutes. In these situations, the Knicks’ defensive rating is 109.0 per 100 possessions, which is higher than their overall defensive rating of 112.9 per 100 possessions. The absence of a rim protector, which Thibodeau stated in the past was the reason he avoided that lineup, has not severely affected them.

Randle stated, “I believe our aggressiveness increases slightly when we’re both in there.”

Robinson, who has missed seven consecutive games, is listed as questionable for Friday’s matchup against the Warriors.

Immanuel Quickley is the Knicks’ best defender in terms of defensive rating. With him on the court, they have a rating of 101.8, and in the waning seconds of the Knicks’ victory over the Nuggets, Quickley played lockdown defense on Jamal Murray. In 28 minutes, he recorded six points, six assists, five rebounds, and only one turnover for one of his best all-around performances of the season.

Quickley also leads the Knicks in net rating, as the team has outscored opponents by 6.1 points per 100 possessions when he is on the court. In light of the fact that he has committed only three turnovers in his last seven games while racking up 20 assists, his playing time has increased slightly.

RJ Barrett is currently experiencing a shooting slump. In his last three games, he has shot 11-for-46 from the field and missed his last 17 3-point tries. Barrett has been ill recently, but has continued to perform.

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