Despite a devastating ankle injury to starting center Mitchell Robinson, the New York Knicks have been rolling as of late, currently sitting with a solid record of 33-22, good for fourth place in a crowded Eastern Conference playoff picture. Stepping in admirably to fill Robinson's role has been New York big man Isaiah Hartenstein, and the Knicks have been able to stay afloat despite a recent rough stretch that coincided with several other injuries up and down the roster.

Still, after Robinson was initially feared out for the season, there has recently been increased hope that he may be able to return from his ankle surgery sooner than that, and this thought was recently relayed by none other than Robinson's trainer, Marcell Scott, in a post on his Instagram page.

(Video courtesy of New York Basketball on X, the social media platform formerly referred to as Twitter).

https://twitter.com/NBA_NewYork/status/1758640872139460888

While Isaiah Hartenstein has done a solid job of plugging into the center position for the Knicks and dominating the backboard at times, the big man lacks the shot-blocking prowess, as well as the ability to switch, that Mitchell Robinson brings to the table when he is healthy, tools that make New York arguably the most consistent defensive force in the NBA when they are fully intact, especially after the recent acquisition of OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors.

If Mitchell is indeed able to return by the postseason, New York could have a real chance to make its first trip past the second round in a very, very long time.