Most New York Knicks fans probably didn't want their tanking team to win on Tuesday night, but given how the game turned out, it was hard for them to be upset. The Knicks took over in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Orlando Magic 30-13 in the frame to complete a 16-point comeback and win, 108-103.
Leading the way was rookie big man Mitchell Robinson, who continued his impressive season. He brought incredible energy on both ends of the floor in the absence of starting center DeAndre Jordan, and finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds, six blocks and three steals. Not only did Robinson's performance help the Knicks get the win, but it also put him in an exclusive, historic group.
Robinson became just the third rookie in the past 25 years to put up a double-double with at least five blocks in consecutive games. The other two? Oh, just Hall of Famer Yao Ming and Spurs legend Tim Duncan.
Mitchell Robinson is the 3rd rookie over the last 25 seasons with a double-double and 5 blocks in consecutive games, joining Yao and Tim Duncan. pic.twitter.com/o7TgHVmCGW
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 27, 2019
In the Knicks' win over the Spurs on Sunday evening, which snapped the team's 18-game home losing streak, Robinson logged 15 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks. This two-game stretch continued an impressive February for Robinson, who is putting up 10.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game off the bench for the month.
Statistical achievements like this don't guarantee future success, of course, but it's never a bad thing to reach milestones that only legends like Yao and Duncan have done.
There might not be many reasons to be excited about the Knicks right now, but Robinson is certainly one of them.
