Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson upgraded to questionable vs. Raptors

New York Knicks centre Mitchell Robinson was upgraded to questionable ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Toronto Raptors, suggesting the seven-footer is nearing a return from an ankle injury.

Robinson has been out of the lineup since Dec. 8 and underwent ankle surgery. At the time, his availability for the remainder of the season was in doubt. But Robinson returned to practice last week and on Monday, head coach Tom Thibodeau suggested Robinson’s recovery was ahead of OG Anunoby and Julius Randle, two other key Knicks currently injured.

“Mitchell is moving quite well,” Thibodeau said Monday. “He’s cleared for contact and all that. He’s going through practices and so just needs a little more time. But he’s doing really well overall.”

Robinson, who turns 26 on April 1, is among the game’s best rebounders and was averaging 10.3 rebounds and 6.2 points through 21 games before his injury. Now in his third year as a starter in New York, Robinson was authoring a career-year before his injury derailed his progress.

“I felt like I was finally getting in shape to the top of my career right there,” Robinson said last week. “And the next thing you know, (I) just went down and I wanted to throw s—.”