Knicks’ injured center throws shade at Joel Embiid

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is still out as he recovers from ankle surgery he underwent during last year’s playoffs. Injuries have surrounded the seven-footer for the past several seasons, including missing 51 games and most of the second round of the playoffs last year after two separate injuries on the same ankle.

Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson is still recovering from an ankle injury

The second injury came during the first round of the postseason when the Knicks were facing the Philadelphia 76ers. In the early going of Game 3, Robinson was going up for a dunk when 76ers center Joel Embiid grabbed Robinson’s leg, preventing him from scoring but also committing a hard foul.

That play would have major repercussions on his health, as he would miss Game 4 with the injury and then underwent surgery after it was revealed that he had a stress fracture following Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. That injury is expected to keep him until at least 2025, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Robinson blamed Embiid for the injury

Robinson was live-streaming on TikTok Saturday night when a viewer criticized him in the comments section for being injury-prone. The big man then replied by openly blaming Embiid’s actions in Game 3 as the reason for this particular injury:

“I mean sh-t. F—k you want me to do? [Embiid] grabbed my f—ing leg. How you prepare for that?,” Robinson said (h/t @Dav1dChabot via X).

The Knicks are badly missing Robinson

Robinson has suffered multiple injuries in the past few seasons. He missed the entire second half of the season and the playoffs in 2021 with a broken hand and missed 22 games in the 2022-23 season with a knee and thumb injury. He has played in more than 60 games just once over the last four seasons, a trend that will likely continue with his current injury.

There is no denying Robinson’s talent, as he is one of the most imposing interior threats in the league and is arguably the league’s best offensive rebounder. However, the Knicks can’t afford to have him continue to miss time, as he is still playing on a four-year, $60 million deal he signed two offseasons ago.

The Knicks acquired Karl-Anthony Towns largely because of Robinson’s injury

The lengthy absence he will endure this season is a big reason why the Knicks made a stunning blockbuster trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, as the team was incredibly thin at the center position. Towns is averaging 22.2 points and 11.2 rebounds while shooting the second-best three-point percentage in the NBA at 64.7% through his first five games with New York.

It is unclear how Towns’ presence will impact Robinson’s playing time, but the Knicks will still have a use for Robinson off the bench at the very least, as they still have a big hole in the frontcourt with Precious Achiuwa out as well as a lack of overall depth behind Towns at the center position.