Ariel

Hukporti

Robinson will be unavailable for the second leg of this back-to-back. Karl-Anthony Towns is playing, so Ariel Hukporti will fill out the backup center minutes behind him.

Robinson has posted strong numbers over the last week, and his absence will mean Karl-Anthony Towns will need to shoulder a heavier load on both ends of the court. Ariel Hukporti could take on some additional minutes as Towns’ primary backup.

Robinson sat out on Monday, which was the second night of a back-to-back. He’ll be back to occupying his typical reserve role against Utah, which means Ariel Hukporti will lose out on minutes after logging 12 as the backup against the Clippers.

Robinson will get the night off to manage a nagging left ankle injury as the Knicks play the second leg of a back-to-back set. Ariel Hukporti should see additional playing time as Karl-Anthony Towns’ backup.

As expected, Robinson will be unavailable after playing in Tuesday’s game against Toronto. Karl-Anthony Towns will continue to fill the bulk of the minutes at center, with Ariel Hukporti slotting in as the backup for this game.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown said before Saturday’s win over the Rockets that he did not expect Robinson to play in Chicago, an unsurprising statement given how the center’s availability has been handled this season. Robinson played 18 minutes on Saturday, finishing with six points and four rebounds. His absence on Sunday frees up minutes for Ariel Hukporti and possibly Jeremy Sochan as well.

This is the first leg of a back-to-back for New York, with the second game coming in Philadelphia on Wednesday. The 76ers have been a far more competitive team than Indiana this year, so they want to ensure Robinson is available for that game. Ariel Hukporti should fill out the reserve minutes behind Karl-Anthony Towns against the Pacers.

Towns missed just his fourth game all season, sitting with an eye injury as the Knicks lost by 38 points in Detroit on Friday. The 30-year-old center is still questionable going into Sunday’s game against the Celtics. Mitchell Robinson would start while Ariel Hukporti handles the backup center minutes if Towns is ruled out again.

With Towns expected to sit this one out, Mitchell Robinson should be in line for a spot start, and Ariel Hukporti will back him up. Robinson is worth streaming for managers in need of rebounds and blocked shots.

Towns has only missed three games this season, but he may not be available against Detroit. In that scenario, Mitchell Robinson will start at center, with Ariel Hukporti filling out the reserve minutes down low as the Knicks look to win a ninth straight game.