Knicks Make Big Lineup Change

The New York Knicks are adding a new cast member in an attempt to avoid a series finale.

For the first time in 15 showings this postseason, the Knicks have adjusted their starting lineup: Mitchell Robinson will leap into the opening five as the Knicks face the Pacers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals (8 p.m. ET, TNT) as they seek to come back from a 2-0 deficit in the best-of-seven set.

The other regulars in the Knicks' starting five—OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Jalen Brunson—remain unchanged.

Robinson steps in for Josh Hart, giving the Knicks two big men in their starting lineup. He'll work alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, who previously made to last year's Western Conference Finals with the Minnesota Timberwolves while working alongside fellow seven-footer Rudy Gobert.

The longest-tenured Knick, Robinson will make his first postseason start since the 2023 conference semifinal against Miami. He has certainly lived up to the hype his early March return from an ankle injury generated during this postseason: when adjusted for per 48 minute averages, Robinson leads all playoff participants (min. 4 games, 40 minutes played) in offensive rebounds (9.3) and is second in total board average (17.4) behind only the long-eliminated Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Hart addressed his potential sitdown on early Sunday afternoon and appeared to be at peace with such a fate.

"I can't sit here and preach about sacrifice and getting out of our own personal agendas and all that and then, a decision like that is made, then be mad at it and not want to sacrifice and not wanting to do that. That's not the kind of person that I am," Hart said in video from SNY. "So if [head coach Tom Thibodeau] does that, which I don't know if he is or isn't, I'm all for it. I'm going to play my game, my minutes, my style, no matter if I'm coming off the bench or starting."

The starting lineup of Anunoby, Bridges, Brunson, Hart, and Towns was the second-most common starting lineup in the NBA this season, but there was enough statistical damage to ponder a switch with elimination potentially looming.

Through two games, the Knicks' starting five carries the worst plus/minus among any combination of five players in the conference final round (minus-14.5) and the second-worst net rating (minus-9.5) among quintets that played a minimum of 100 minutes (behind only the Los Angeles Clippers' starting five of Kris Dunn, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Norman Powell, and Ivica Zubac).

Of note, the Knicks trailed by 10 in the early stages of the opening period of Game 2 against the Pacers on Friday night at Madison Square Garden but fought back well enough to take a lead at the end of the first period thanks to the impactful insertions of Robinson and Miles McBride.