With the Philadelphia 76ers beating the Boston Celtics in Game 7 on Saturday, the 76ers are set to take on the New York Knicks in the semifinals. As a pending matchup between Joel Embiid and Mitchell Robinson looms, the Knicks’ big man recently shared his thoughts on the clash.
Mitchell Robinson and Joel Embiid share some history dating back to the 2024 NBA playoffs. In light of the recent “dirty player” allegations against Embiid, Robinson was also asked whether he felt the same way about the 76ers’ superstar during a press conference. The Knicks’ center responded:
“No, I don’t. I really don’t live in the past. It is what it is. I just move on.”
The incident between the two occurred during Game 3 of the 2024 playoffs, as the 76ers’ superstar grabbed the Knicks’ center by the leg while he was jumping, causing him to fall. It is worth noting that Embiid’s action stemmed from the frustration of not receiving a foul call on the other end of the floor.
Although the foul was ruled a flagrant 1, the impact was greater, as Robinson aggravated a previous ankle injury and subsequently missed the remainder of the game. He was also ruled out for Game 4 of the series.
After the game, Mitchell Robinson took a shot at Joel Embiid, stating that had he done the same, he may have been suspended. Meanwhile, Embiid only defended himself, claiming that he committed the foul to prevent Robinson from falling on him.
Needless to say, the consensus was that the play was dirty, justifying the claims against Embiid. However, with Robinson taking the high road on this front, there is very little that can be gained from prying further.
Mitchell Robinson On Facing Joel Embiid
As the New York Knicks gear up to face the Philadelphia 76ers in the semifinals, it is clear that limiting Joel Embiid’s scoring will be critical for the Knicks’ success. While Karl-Anthony Towns is an incredible offensive player and also shares some history with the 76ers’ superstar, his defensive impact is not enough to contain Embiid.
Thus, the task of handling Embiid seems to have fallen upon Mitchell Robinson. With the two big men set to face off at some point during the series, Robinson opened up on facing Embiid.
“He’s a great player, and it’s fun playing against him and stuff like that.”
Robinson’s reaction seems fairly bland, but it could also be viewed as a sign of confidence. Considering that the Knicks will be heavily dependent on him to stop Embiid from taking over the game, Robinson will prove vital.
This season, the Knicks’ big man averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game. Although his minutes have been reduced significantly in the playoffs, there is more than enough reason to believe that his presence on the court will become a more common sight in the upcoming round.
