The New York Knicks may have made the Eastern Conference Finals last season for the first time in two decades, but it seems as though the team this season has a different energy to it. The front office decided to part ways with head coach Tom Thibodeau this offseason, bringing in Mike Brown in hopes of better utilizing the players and depth with such a talented roster.

Through 30 games, the Knicks sit at 21-9, coming off a Christmas Day victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. It's been an MVP-caliber season from Jalen Brunson, but he isn't able to get wins all by himself. Whether it's been the rest of the starting lineup or key bench pieces, they've helped make the Knicks look like the top contenders in the East.

Not the flashiest of players, Mitchell Robinson makes his impact by doing the non-highlight-worthy plays, such as rebounding and defending the rim. He's averaging 1.1 blocks per game and 4.7 offensive rebounds per game in 18.5 minutes per game, and head coach Mike Brown acknowledged what the big man brings to the table.

"You see him from afar, you think certain things about him…then you get around him and actually see how effective he is…you're just like wow––you can't teach that…there's just some stuff guys have that you can't teach," Brown said.

Robinson hasn't played enough games to qualify, but he'd lead the league currently in offensive rebounds per game, ahead of Portland's Donovan Clingan and Detroit's Jalen Duren, both of whom are starters for their respective team.

While Karl-Anthony Towns is arguably the best center in the Eastern Conference, Robinson brings such a different skillset that they complement each other well. Especially with the emergence of reserve guard Tyler Kolek, it opens the door for Robinson to be a lob threat with the floor general out there.

Robinson is one of the few homegrown players on the Knicks, being selected 36th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. He's had an interesting career, with some injuries along the way. However, since the arrival of Towns, it seems as though he's found the role that makes the most sense for him, and gives the Knicks the best center rotation in the NBA.

Robinson and the Knicks will look to continue their strong play on Saturday when they head down to Atlanta to play the Hawks. The Knicks will need some luck to go their way with the Pistons ahead of them, but the Knicks could very well hold the first seed in the East by the start of the All-Star break.