CHICAGO — Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is out indefinitely as he’s been assigned to concussion protocol after receiving a blow to the face Saturday against the Rockets.
Robinson will miss Sunday’s game vs. the Bulls. That leaves Tom Thibodeau in a center dilemma because Taj Gibson is also out with a groin strain.
Robinson was struck in the nose by Houston’s Jae’Sean Tate’s elbow early in the third quarter and did not return to the game. The Bulls are missing their top center, Nikola Vucevic, out with COVID-19.
Nerlens Noel came back Saturday from a knee sprain and had a strong three-block outing, though he admitted he’s not at 100 percent. Robinson’s return from a broken foot that sidelined him for half of last season has been checkered.
Robinson encountered a series of sprained ankles and tore through a few of his sneakers because of the extra inserts he needs in the shoe to protect him. Saturday was the second time in three games he had to be removed from the contest and didn’t return. Thibodeau has said Robinson still has conditioning issues.
Robinson being in concussion protocol and Gibson’s groin strain will allow rookie center Jericho Sims to play. Thibodeau will also go to a smallball lineup of Obi Toppin and Julius Randle when Noel is out of the game.
Thibodeau still wasn’t sure about point guard Kemba Walker’s availability Sunday night against the Bulls following the Knicks’ 106-99 Garden win over the Rockets.
But it might be a blessing in disguise if Walker decides to again sit one leg of a back-to-back like he did during the Cleveland-Philadelphia back-to-back earlier this month.
Walker has been a big part of the starting five’s struggles, especially at the outset of the third quarter. If Walker sits against the Bulls after his pedestrian nine-point, three-assist night, it could give Thibodeau a chance to experiment. The flip side is the Knicks beat the Bulls in Chicago with Walker playing last month.
The way the coach talks about Alec Burks’ versatility, Thibodeau could be inclined to place his “Swiss Army Knife” into the starting lineup at point guard and see how he rolls with Evan Fournier and the struggling RJ Barrett.
Last time, when Walker sat the first leg of a back-to-back against Cleveland, Thibdoeau did the standard maneuver and lifted Derrick Rose into the starting lineup in a bad loss. Thibodeau has been leery of breaking up that second unit, and Rose is the head of the snake for that quintet.
Thibodeau said he’ll “trust” what Walker wants to do. Walker sat out all back-to-backs last season with the Celtics, who devised the plan.
“He’s been great,” Thibodeau said. “We trust them, the medical people. He’s done a lot of stuff to take care of his body and if he feels good, he’ll go, and if he needs a day, we’ll give him a day. You trust Kemba. He knows his body better than anyone.”