Robinson seemed pretty agitated after the Knicks' win over Brooklyn.
The New York Knicks barely escaped Friday night with a 93-92 win over the Brooklyn Nets, and Mitchell Robinson was not about to let anyone forget how close things got.
After the game, Robinson called out the team's mindset and didn't hold back when talking about how the Knicks came out flat against a Nets team sitting at 17-53 on the season.
"They brought the fight to us. They came out, they wanted to prove a point, obviously," Robinson said. "Our approach got to be better. Can't just look at their record and just say 'alright, we're going to whoop their a**.' We just got to be better altogether. Until we figure that part out, it's going to be a long rollercoaster."
A Sloppy Start That Nearly Cost Them
The Knicks scored a season-low 14 points in the first quarter, turned the ball over nine times, and found themselves trailing 50-44 at halftime against a team that has lost six straight and 16 of its last 18.
Brooklyn came out with energy and physicality, and the Knicks simply were not ready for it.
Things got chippy, too, as Robinson and Nets forward Ziaire Williams were both hit with technical fouls after Robinson stood over rookie Nolan Traore following a hard foul in the first half, which led to a brief scuffle.
New York eventually flipped the switch in the third quarter, outscoring Brooklyn 31-15 to take a 75-65 lead into the fourth, but Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks had to survive a 17-0 Nets run before closing it out.
Towns finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds, his 49th double-double of the season and the 471st of his career.
Robinson's Role Keeps Growing
Robinson may not be a starter every night, but his importance to this team is impossible to ignore.
The eighth-year Knick is averaging 8.9 rebounds per game this season in just 19.5 minutes, and he leads the entire NBA in offensive rebound percentage at 22.4 percent.
His March numbers have been even more impressive, as he is averaging 18.2 rebounds per game while shooting 75 percent from the field this month, including a career-high 22 rebounds in a win over the Pacers on March 13.
His ability to create second-chance opportunities and anchor the defense gives the Knicks a completely different look when he is on the floor.
With Towns handling the bulk of the scoring at center, Robinson fills the gaps that nobody else on the roster can, whether it is cleaning up on the glass, protecting the rim, or bringing the edge this team needs.
The Knicks Own This Rivalry
Friday's win extended the Knicks' winning streak over the Nets to 14 consecutive games, which is the longest run for either team in the history of this cross-borough rivalry.
The Nets have not beaten the Knicks since January 28, 2023, right before they traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
New York has swept the season series for the third straight year and shows no signs of slowing down against their neighbors.
At 46-25, the Knicks sit third in the Eastern Conference and have won five straight overall, while the Nets continue to sit near the bottom of the standings in a full-on rebuild.
Winning by one against a team with 53 losses is not the standard, and until the Knicks bring consistent effort regardless of the opponent, they are going to keep putting themselves in tough spots heading into the playoffs.