Mitchell Robinson back at Knicks practice; Tom Thibodeau outlines next steps

The injury-riddled Knicks got some great news on Wednesday, with the return of Mitchell Robinson to full-contact practice.

Robinson, who has been out since Dec. 8 due to an ankle injury that required surgery, had initially been expected to miss the entire season.

While Robinson’s return might not be imminent, it now appears highly likely he’ll be back before the end of the regular season.

Speaking after practice, head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters that Robinson has to “go through contact for a while” before returning to game action and that the final step will be getting cleared by a doctor.

Robinson being back would be a boon for a Knicks team that has gotten tremendous production from Isaiah Hartenstein — giving them a two-headed monster at the five spot.

Before his injury, Robinson was an absolute force — especially on the glass — averaging a career-high 10.3 rebounds per game, including 5.3 offensive rebounds.

When/if Robinson returns, the expectation is that he will come off the bench, with Hartenstein remaining in a starting role.

As far as the Knicks’ two other injured stars, SNY’s Ian Begley provided updates on OG Anunoby and Julius Randle on Wednesday.