Mitchell Robinson just delivered his best game since joining the Boston Celtics. The driving forces behind it matter far more than what he registered on the stat sheet.
The former New York Knicks center finished with a season-high 12 points on 6/6 shooting in Sunday's 117-97 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. He also snagged 7 rebounds. Four of those came from attacking the offensive glass. And he swiped 4 steals.
More importantly, he's getting into better shape and playing with more energy. After the victory, he said that's a key reason his play is trending in a positive direction. Robinson also shared that he does not play much 5-on-5 in the summer. That makes it hard to get back into proper game shape at the start of the season.
That's a massive factor in his turnaround after a slow start that saw him moved to the second unit. It's also a major reason why it was important to stay patient despite his underwhelming introduction to his new fan base. The eight-year veteran has been good to great at everything Boston's asking him to do. His new franchise will get that version of him too.
Mitchell Robinson is acclimating to the Celtics
Seeing the 28-year-old center run the floor without looking sluggish or plodding, play with more energy, and be more active was a welcome sight.
However, the most encouraging part of his performance on Sunday was that he's beginning to look more comfortable. The Knicks often allowed him to camp out in the dunker spot. His responsibilities were much simpler.
With Boston, it's not just that his tasks are more taxing. He's in a system predicated on feel and making the right reads in real time. Robinson's basketball IQ is one of his most underrated traits. However, this is a new challenge. He'll continue to get more comfortable over time. It's another reason to remain patient.
After his first game in green, Robinson felt he was a step behind. In Sunday's win, he was keeping up with the class. He made the right reads on time and set effective screens at the right angle. There was also his chemistry with Jayson Tatum. Previously, they had struggled to connect on lobs. They did so repeatedly in a win that improved the Celtics' record to 8-2. That included one off an entry pass from Boston's new big man, feeding Tatum in the low post. Robinson quickly cut to the rim, where the C's star forward rewarded him with a precise pass for a dunk.
"His communication," said Joe Mazzulla post-game while discussing Robinson's increased comfort. "A lot of the times, he's just picking things up on his own. Instead of me talking to him in-game, he's seeing things. He's seeing the timing of screening, he's seeing the timing of the rolls, he's seeing the angles that he needs to set. He's seeing the reads that we're trying to run on early offense. He's seeing the defensive communication. His personality is coming out more."
Mitchell Robinson shined in the Celtics' single-big lineups
Lately, some of his most productive shifts have come alongside Neemias Queta or Luka Garza. It felt a bit like training wheels for him and a way to limit the damage if they needed more production from the center spot.
Against the Bucks, he thrived as the lone big on the floor. Robinson knew where to be, arrived on time, and had the stamina to do it consistently.
"He was amazing with his effort [and] his energy," said Paul George after the win. "I thought he was vocal out here. He was a presence at the rim. Everything that he does well, he put it on display."
As Robinson's conditioning keeps improving and he gets more comfortable in the Celtics' system, he'll regularly treat his new fan base to nights like this and performances that have been common throughout his career.
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