When the New York Knicks lost starting center Mitchell Robinson to an ankle injury in early December, their biggest advantage over opponents in the NBA was gone. Robinson was hitting the offensive glass at a rate higher than some teams in the league and was the anchor of their defense. Without him, things were ugly for a little while.
In December, their production on defense cratered. The Knicks were near the bottom of the NBA in points allowed and defensive rating as life without Robinson was tough to navigate. However, they have received elite production from Isaiah Hartenstein in recent games to help get back on track.
Hartenstein isn’t the same kind of player Robinson is, but an argument can be made that the Knicks are better with him in the starting lineup. The team’s rebounding rates have not fallen off, as Hartenstein is one of the top offensive rebounders in the NBA.
A threat with the ball in his hands, things have opened up on that end of the court with Hartenstein in the mix. He has some moves in the low post to score the basketball and is an elite playmaker for a center.
Too often opponents were able to ignore Robinson on offense, turning possessions into 5 on 4, but that is not the case with Hartenstein. If you leave him open he can knock down jumpers and has a solid push shot from inside the paint. Sagging off of him also opens the passing lanes for him to exploit and find his teammates cutting to the basket.
Defensively, his impact has been felt as well. Hartenstein is an excellent rim protector, erasing shots in the paint with regularity. While not as long or athletic as Robinson, he is still causing chaos in the passing lanes, creating steals and turnovers.
In January, Hartenstein has been playing as one of the best centers in the NBA. He is averaging 9.6 points, 14.7 rebounds (4.4 offensive rebounds per game), 2.1 steals and 2.4 blocks in 36.1 minutes per game. His efficiency on offense has been elite as well, making 72.2 percent of his shots and 71.4 percent of his free throws for a true shooting percentage of 74 percent.
Not only is Hartenstein arguably the best center in 2024, but he is leading the NBA in several categories in the New Year as well. As shared by Tommy Beer on X, formerly Twitter, the Knicks center has been incredible.
He is leading the league with 103 rebounds and is tied for first with 17 blocks with Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz . his 15 steals are third, behind only Kawhi Leonard and Alperen Sengun.
Most importantly, the Knicks are finding success when he is out there. His +125 plus/minus is second in the NBA behind only his new teammate, OG Anunoby, who has a record-setting +132 in his tenure in New York.
Hartenstein wasn’t a household name a few weeks ago, but everyone should know who he is now. He is an integral part of the Knicks’ recent success as someone who is helping the team win games.
Finding a suitable backup behind him is integral. He cannot play 40+ minutes every night as he has done a few times since Robinson’s injury. Robinson’s return to the lineup before the season ends would be a huge boost for the team, giving the Knicks the best center tandem in the NBA.
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