Mitchell Robinson explains his latest Knicks grumbling

NBA

From Ethan Sears

March 17, 2023 | 5:37 p.m

Mitchell Robinson took to Instagram on Friday to explain his recent public frustration at his role with the Knicks, writing that he was “going through the perfect storm” and snapped after Tuesday’s win over the Trail Blazers.

“I’ve had a baby on the way, I’ve got family issues, I just need to find out [out] a way to regain control when my mind was free,” Robinson wrote. “I was good, after having three bad games I started to think about all the things I had and moved on.

“I’ll find out, I’ll be fine my bad boy, should have handled it differently and didn’t mean bad blood, I just need to find myself.”

Robinson also addressed criticism of the perception that he was injury-prone, saying “I give up with the body for this thing” and that playing hard gets him injured.

Robinson has played just 49 games this season and suffered a fractured thumb in mid-January.

“Don’t make me play defense like I know I can and don’t play so hard, I’ll never get hurt again,” Robinson wrote, “but I love this cause too much not to risk getting hurt.” … I just jump in the fire and whatever happens happens, fuck it and play along if we’re being honest, well despite the fact that most of you say [I] I have to play better, I play the way they want and have been for five years.”

Robinson, who wasn’t made available to reporters Friday, wrote in a Snapchat story on Tuesday that he’s tired of being out there just for the cardio fam, like I wanna play basketball to really just my time and wasting energy. ”

“We’re all still together,” said Isaiah Hartenstein. “It’s not like he comes into training and b—hangs. He comes up there and he’s always interactive, he’s always been a good teammate around us.

“He has every right to be frustrated but he’s a great teammate.”

When asked if it was disappointing to see Robinson publicly complaining about playing time, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said: “No, because he’s fine.

“There will be some frustrations over the course of a season but he played very well. So just focus, sometimes frustration can creep in. You must fix it and move on. That’s it.”

Hartenstein, Robinson’s backup in the middle, played a hair more than Robinson in a four-game trip on the West Coast, and Thibodeau admitted Robinson didn’t have the best games.

“Nobody’s been playing great for 82 games,” Thibodeau said. “You have to be able to deal with that. So if you’re not playing well, find something you’re doing well and help the team win.”

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The Knicks did not face Nikola Jokic in their first game against Denver, a 106-103 win at the Ball Arena on Nov. 16. You won’t be so lucky on Saturday afternoon when the nuggets get into the garden.

“We just have to play team basketball,” said Jalen Brunson. We can’t have a guy guarding him.”