How Knicks' Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns will look playing together

After a long wait, Mitchell Robinson is finally back. The New York Knicks center returned Friday night in New York’s 114-113 win against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Robinson’s return could shore up New York’s 20th-ranked defense in lineups with All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns. Robinson’s fit on the floor with Towns has potential, but there are some concerns. The pairing would give New York size in the paint and Robinson could boost a mediocre Knicks defense.

On Friday, Robinson had a modest night, scoring six points and pulling down five rebounds in 12 minutes. Still, he had a positive effect on the game. Robinson was a plus-11. Outside of a brief cameo on a late-game free-throw scenario on Friday night, Towns and Robinson have yet to play together. It remains to be seen how the two will fit on the court.

Will Towns be able to flourish individually? Playing with Robinson wouldn’t be Towns’ first experience playing alongside another big man. Towns spent his final two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves as a power forward next to Rudy Gobert. The role was an adjustment for Towns, who played his first seven seasons largely as a center.

Gobert’s presence forced Towns to become more of a spot-up shooter who spaced the floor and less of the masher in the post and straight-line driver that he’s been for most of his career. The combination led to positive results last season as Minnesota advanced to the conference finals for just the second time in franchise history. Minnesota was effective when Towns and Gobert shared the floor, posting a net rating of plus-7.99 points per 100 possessions when both bigs shared the floor last season per PBP Stats.

Towns’ individual numbers saw a significant dip with the plodding Gobert. When Towns was on the floor with Gobert last season, he averaged 30.8 points per 100 possessions. When Gobert was on the bench, that number jumped to 36.7 points per 100 possessions. Towns' free-throw attempts nearly doubled when Gobert was off the floor. His rebound rate also rose when he played without Gobert.

Returning to the five this season has allowed Towns to flourish individually. He’s averaging 24.6 points and 13.3 rebounds this season. Robinson is a similar player to Gobert. They are both paint-bound centers who are known for their ability to affect shots around the basket. However, on offense, they both can cramp offensive spacing since they are limited non-scoring threats outside of the paint.

With Robinson occupying space down low, there’s a good chance Towns’ numbers could decline. Robinson’s defender will be another obstacle for Towns on drives into the paint. It will be an adjustment for Towns, who has played with ideal spacing for most of the season. On defense, if Towns plays with Robinson, he will be forced to guard out on the perimeter more often against quicker power forwards or wings.

Searching for a defensive remedy

Robinson’s presence has been missed this season. Where Robinson can really have an impact is the paint, a place on the court where the Knicks have struggled. The Knicks are giving up 50.6 points in the paint per 100 possessions, the third-worst mark in the league, per NBA Stats. New York is just 29th in blocks per 100 possessions. The seven-footer gives New York an intimidator that can stymie opponents at the rim.

One issue Robinson won’t resolve is the three-ball. Opponents are shooting 37.7 percent from the three-point line against the Knicks this season, a league-high figure. Since Robinson is more comfortable defending near the rim, pick-and-pop centers can give him problems. Unfortunately for the Knicks, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics have big men who can shoot, such as Cleveland’s Evan Mobley and Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau will have to find a balance in optimizing the lineups with Towns at center that have worked while also having Robinson on the floor to help steer the defense in the right direction. It’s a difficult line to toe, but if done properly, could add versatility to New York’s attack.