Hack-A-Mitch is probably coming and Mike Brown said he’s prepared.
“We’ve talked about it. We have different things in mind that we’ll do,” the Knicks coach said. “A lot of them will come down to time and score and feel. But we understand that’s what teams may want to do, especially if our offense is clicking at that point in time.”
Fouling Mitchell Robinson on purpose was deployed regularly in last year’s playoffs, with Detroit’s JB Bickerstaff and Boston’s Joe Mazzulla taking it to higher levels to stall the Knicks’ offense. Robinson launched 56 free throws in 18 playoff games — which was more than triple his rate of the regular season.
Robinson also connected on just 39 percent of those attempts, which made him a liability and took him off the court in pivotal moments.
Brown’s answer Friday suggests that subbing out Robinson during “Hack-A-Mitch” will be dependent on several factors.
Against the Hawks, Robinson’s availability is especially important because of the advantage he provides the Knicks. Nobody in Atlanta’s rotation can match his size or rebounding.
“Mitchell Robinson is the key for [the Knicks] off the bench, whatever they do,” Charles Oakley, the Knicks legend, said on “The Bottom Line Sports Show.” “He needs to average 25 minutes, 27 minutes, from the first playoff game until the last one because with the offensive rebounds, nobody can block him out.
“He’s like a Moses Malone. He gives them second shots. And that’s how the Bulls won championships, with Dennis Rodman getting offensive rebounds, throwing it back out, [John] Paxson or somebody else hitting open 3s. You get an extra three 3s in a game, that’s big.”
The Knicks are still getting their playoff scouting reports and playbooks. But there is a difference in how they’re delivered between Tom Thibodeau and Brown.
“It’s a lot more digital, I’d say,” Miles McBride said.
Thibodeau, who was fired by the Knicks after five seasons (and four postseason appearances), famously handed out thick physical playbooks to his players for every playoff round.
Mikal Bridges didn’t get into the differences in playoff preparation between Brown and Thibodeau.
“I think they both prepare great,” Bridges said. “That’s what I take from it.”
