Key Takeaways:
– Retired NBA All-Star Roy Hibbert anticipates Boston Celtics and his former team Indiana Pacers to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
– Hibbert praises the coaching skills of Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau, but expresses concerns over the team’s diminished roster due to injuries.
– Knicks’ center Mitchell Robinson suffers a season-ending injury, heightening the team’s struggles.
Betting on Former Team and Celtics
Retired NBA legend Roy Hibbert, known for his time with the Indiana Pacers, recently shared his predictions for the upcoming Eastern Conference Finals. In an interview with Adam Taylor of The Celtics Chronicle, Hibbert showcased his favoritism towards his former teammates, the Pacers, and rivals, the Boston Celtics.
Indiana Pacers’ notable past offers Hibbert a strong basis for his prediction. His famous blockbuster play against New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony in the 2013 NBA Playoffs notably rocketed the Pacers to the previous Eastern Conference Finals.
Knicks’ Coach Impresses Despite Slim Chances
Apart from showing his support to the Pacers and the Celtics, Hibbert also extended his compliments to the current coach of the Knicks, Tom Thibodeau. Despite handling a rather handicapped team, Thibodeau’s resilience and resourcefulness impressed Hibbert. However, the retired All-Star raised concerns about the Knicks’ dwindling roster primarily due to injuries.
Hibbert expressed his worries about the Knicks’ diminishing manpower affecting their performance in the playoffs. “I’m worried about the longevity of the Knicks with only playing seven players with Tom Thibodeau,” Hibbert confessed.
Increased Woes: Knicks Lose Mitchell Robinson
The Knicks’ struggles further increased as center Mitchell Robinson re-injured his left ankle. This recent occurrence led to Robinson officially leaving the season and is expected to undergo a re-assessment after 6-8 weeks.
Before this, Knicks had already lost Julius Randle to a shoulder surgery and Bojan Bogdanovic to a foot surgery. This increasing count of injuries undoubtedly tightened the Knicks’ scope for mistakes and raised concerns on their longevity in the League.
Mitchell Robinson’s Revenge Quest
Following his season-terminating injury caused by Joel Embiid’s flagrant foul during the Knicks’ first-round win against the Philadelphia 76ers, Robinson took to social media to express his outrage. In a series of emotional posts on X, formerly Twitter, Robinson vowed to seek revenge, leading to speculations that it might either be against Embiid’s dangerous foul or as a strong comeback.
A New Opportunity for Precious Achiuwa
With Robinson sidelined due to injury, Coach Thibodeau might shift his focus onto Precious Achiuwa as a potential backup for Isaiah Hartenstein. Achiuwa might prove to be an invaluable asset to the Knicks given his impressive display during Robinson’s previous lengthy absence due to ankle surgery. In that span, Achiuwa averaged 8.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in just over 26 minutes across 40 games.
In the face of adversity and dwindling roster, the Knicks certainly have their work cut out. Whether they overcome these challenges and prove Hibbert’s predictions wrong remains to be seen in the coming games.