Mitchell Robinson posted on Facebook Thursday afternoon that it would be his "Last post before I delete this app," and said he had "finally have changed my number for many reason [sic] … as I fight through and keep fighting in this playoffs run my focus have to go to another level." He closed the message, "This is the start of a new chapter in my life. Love and will miss y’all … Mitch out."
The timing matters because Robinson’s social-media purge came on the same day the Knicks returned to the floor for Game 2 against Cleveland, days after a Game 1 in which he logged 14 minutes, finished with four points, six rebounds and two steals, and saw the Cavaliers use a Hack-a-Mitch strategy that left him 2-for-8 from the free-throw line. The Knicks won Game 1, 115-104 in overtime after erasing a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit, but Robinson played just one minute in the fourth quarter and the overtime period.
Robinson’s offseason and postseason have not been simple. Earlier in the postseason he and teammate Dyson Daniels were fined by the NBA for their roles in a heated fracas during Game 6 of the first-round series, and Robinson was fined $50,000 after a vulgar video he shared afterward as an Instagram story. He has been vocal on social media in the past about mental health and at times has complained about his role in the Knicks’ offense, while also frequently posting pictures and videos of his trucks.
Knicks coach Mike Brown has publicly signaled a patient approach. "We have a veteran group," Brown said, and he reiterated the mix of elements necessary to win in the playoffs: "Any time you’re in the playoffs, you obviously need a little bit of talent, you need a little bit of luck and then you need skill." Reflecting on Game 1’s comeback he added, "All those things came to play for us coming back from points down with that little bit of time to go." On Robinson specifically, Brown has said plainly, "We’re gonna continue to give him a chance," and that he "wanted to give him a chance."
The friction in this story is clear: Robinson says he needs to step away from an app and change his number to sharpen focus for the playoffs, but his on-court minutes in Game 1 were limited and opposing teams targeted him at the free-throw line. Off-court incidents have already drawn league discipline, and the public step to remove a social feed comes as much to do with avoiding distractions as it does with personal privacy or mental-health maintenance.
The single most consequential unanswered question is whether Robinson’s decision to delete the app and change his number will actually alter how he is used in the series — whether it leads to more consistent minutes and a clearer role, or simply a quieter presence on the bench. That is what matters now: the Knicks are through a comeback and into Game 2 in their Statement Edition jerseys, and the next time Robinson’s number appears on the scoreboard and the stat sheet will be a direct test of whether this new chapter changes what happens on the court.
