Mike Brown was no stranger to calling out the impact Mitchell Robinson has had throughout the Knicks' early season.

“When have you ever seen a player grab nine offensive rebounds in 16 minutes?” Brown asked reporters after the Knicks' win against the Timberwolves. Steve Popper answered back, saying, “Mitchell Robinson,” causing Brown to laugh and state that he was correct. It was a lighthearted moment that perfectly captured how dominant Robinson had been in such a limited stretch.

Robinson’s impact can’t be stressed enough, as the three games he’s appeared in this season have been crucial to how New York has played. A tougher, grittier, and more defensively minded brand of basketball comes to life whenever Robinson stands on the court. His presence in the paint instantly changes the team’s identity, giving the Knicks the physical edge they often lack when he’s sidelined.

The Future is Near

It’s hard for Knicks fans to stay frustrated with Robinson, even when he’s out due to injury, because his return always brings a noticeable difference in rim protection and spacing alongside Karl-Anthony Towns. Mike Brown’s plan heading into the regular season was to experiment with different lineup combinations, one of which included pairing the two big men together — a strategy that’s becoming more common across the league as teams look to balance size with versatility.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have already perfected a similar approach, running Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren side by side. The Houston Rockets are experimenting with Alperen Şengün and Steven Adams, a pairing that’s producing a strong mix of rebounding, screening, and post-creation. The Knicks aren’t far behind in developing their own version of that frontcourt tandem, one that’s anchored by Robinson’s defensive instincts and timing.

So why exactly is Robinson so good?

His goal has never been to dominate offensively. He doesn’t need the ball to make an impact — and that’s what makes him so effective. His purpose is simple: grab rebounds, protect the rim, and close out on shooters to the point where they second-guess every shot. That mindset mirrors some of the league’s most efficient defensive anchors, including his opponent Wednesday night, Rudy Gobert.

It might still be a small sample size, but Robinson currently leads the NBA in offensive rebounds per 36 minutes this season with an astounding 13.9. The next closest player, Clint Capela, sits at 8.0 per 36 — a gap so wide it’s impossible to ignore. Those numbers don’t just speak volumes; they shout them.

Dominance isn’t just a mindset for Mitchell Robinson — it’s the only language he knows. As the Knicks continue to carefully manage his workload and bring him back to full strength, it feels inevitable that Robinson will make even more noise statistically. If he keeps up this pace, he could very well start breaking NBA records fans didn’t even know existed.