Mitchell Robinson stood out as one of the Knicks’ highlights during their tough Game 5 loss in Boston on Wednesday.
The 7-foot center showcased his impressive defensive skills and rebounding ability, hitting all six of his free throws—definitely a positive sign since he had struggled at the line earlier in the postseason.
Given that Robinson had gone 11 for 38 from the free-throw line before this game, his performance was definitely encouraging.
When the Celtics chose to send Robinson to the line deliberately, the reaction from the passionate Knicks fans had to be seen to be believed.
Both the Pistons and Celtics attempted to disrupt Robinson’s game by forcing him to take free throws, and while that strategy seemed to have some effect, it didn’t quite help Boston in Game 5.
Even with his past difficulties at the line, Robinson remained an asset coming off the bench, holding the unique distinction of having a net rating of 10.6 in the series.
Interestingly, he’s also leading the postseason in net ratings at plus 4.1, indicating the Knicks generally perform better by 4.1 points when he’s on the floor.
After a rocky series against the Pistons, Miles McBride found his footing in the conference semi-finals, averaging 7.6 points and hitting 10 out of 19 three-point shots in just 21 minutes of play. In Game 5, he contributed 11 points and three assists.
The Celtics are looking to break a frustrating trend where championship teams have struggled to get past the second round of the playoffs.
Since the 2019 Warriors—who ultimately lost to the Raptors in the Finals—no team has managed to win it all and reach the conference finals again.
Knicks’ Post-Season Updates for 2025 NBA Playoffs
The Warriors remain the most recent franchise to clinch titles back-to-back in 2017 and 2018.
Additionally, the Knicks have reported that forward Achiuwa is questionable for Game 6 due to a right ankle sprain, though he did play a bit in the second half of Game 5 when the outcome was effectively no longer in doubt.
