Could Mitchell Robinson be the key to the Knicks beating the Sixers?

Things got off to a bleak start for New York on Saturday evening, as Joel Embiid and the Sixers started wreaking havoc almost immediately after tip off.

After a frustrating first quarter, the Knicks found themselves down by nine, 34-25. Joel Embiid already had 15 points, and was getting to the foul line at will. The Knicks were playing with their usual intensity, but it wasn’t showing on the scoreboard. They were having trouble scoring the ball, and needed a real spark.

Help arrived in the form of Deuce McBride and Bojan Bogdanovic, who got things going on the offensive end of the floor. Joel Embiid could be found on the bench, or after selling his soul for one of the most impressive individual plays I’ve ever seen, in the locker room.

I mean, come on.

The Sixers had nothing going without Embiid in the second quarter, and with the Knicks rolling on offense, they outscored the Sixers by 21 in the frame, 33 to 12. Yeesh.

In the third quarter, though, Philly punched right back. Kyle Lowry, who Knicks fans already know to fear from last postseason, hit a couple quick buckets. Tyrese Maxey started to heat up. Once again, the script had flipped, and after three periods, the Sixers were up 82-79.

When things seemed bleak, the unlikeliest of heroes stepped up in the fourth quarter. Someone who hadn’t played at a high level for a very long time. Enter Mitchell Robinson.

In his 10 games since returning from injury, Robinson was playing below his level. In 15 minutes per game, he was averaging less than 5 points and 5 rebounds per game, looking like a shell of himself.

Against the Sixers on Sunday, Mitch was quiet in the first half, playing 14 minutes and only posting 2 points and 4 rebounds. His defense on Embiid was solid in limited minutes, but he generally matched up with Paul Reed during his time on the floor.

This time, in the fourth quarter, Mitch was facing Embiid, the beast himself. The reigning MVP. What could Mitch possibly do?

Answer: everything.

Embiid shot two for eleven in the second half of the game, being guarded predominantly by Robinson. Robinson’s length, strength, and strong verticality gave Joel fits, and after cruising by Isaiah Hartenstein in the first half, he was suddenly stymied. Robinson was a +7 in the second half, and +20 overall. For contrast, Hartenstein was a -13. While Josh Hart was hitting heroic threes on the other end of the floor, Mitch was doing his usual dirty work, an unsung hero in a game full of them.

After watching one game of the series, it’s clear that the Sixers rely heavily on their two studs, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. If New York has an answer for either one of them, their role players may not have the ability to step up. And if Mitchell Robinson continues to shut down Joel Embiid on the offensive end of the floor, the Sixers may have trouble putting up points for the duration of the series.