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Mitchell Robinson had a flawless shooting performance on Sunday, going 6-for-6 from the field and recording 12 points, seven rebounds, and four steals in a victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Just two weeks earlier, such a stat line would have seemed improbable to many Boston Celtics supporters.
In his initial outings as a Celtic, Robinson appeared out of shape and occasionally disengaged. The Boston fanbase, notorious for its impatience, quickly labeled his multi-year contract a failure. However, within a week, those concerns are beginning to subside as Robinson finds his rhythm in Boston.
Early Struggles and Fan Criticism
Celtics fans had valid reasons to critique Robinson's early-season performance, and the player himself admitted to his subpar play. The primary worry was his motor—or apparent lack thereof. He tired quickly during shifts, struggled to run the floor, contest shots effectively, finish lob passes, or control the boards as expected.
Robinson's difficulties were clearly linked to adapting to Boston's system, which placed him farther from the basket and involved him more in screening actions than he was used to with the New York Knicks. Nevertheless, his physical limitations were evident and hindered his ability to play with intensity, drawing fan frustration. The team suffered from his poor play: in his first six appearances, the Celtics had a -34.3 net rating swing when he was on the court versus off it (via @StoolGreenie). He was the only one of Boston's three centers—alongside Neemias Queta and Luka Garza—to post a negative net rating, and the Celtics were a dismal -18.3 net in his minutes. With questions about his conditioning, effort, and impact, a vocal segment of the fanbase was harsh on him. Yet head coach Joe Mazzulla maintained confidence in Robinson.
Turning the Corner
Over the past week, Robinson has looked like a different player. Game by game, he's shown signs of improvement within Boston's system. His activity on both ends is increasing, and it's reflected in the box score. He's grabbed at least seven rebounds and blocked at least one shot in each of the last three games. During that stretch, the Celtics have a +28.8 net rating with him on the court, and he has a +9.1 on/off net rating swing, per DataBallr.
Robinson delivered his best performance as a Celtic against the Bucks on Sunday night. Beyond the counting stats—which included season-highs in points (12) and steals (4)—his energy running up and down the court was equally significant. He caught and finished two lob passes from Jayson Tatum and secured four offensive rebounds. It's a small sample size against subpar opponents—the Bucks twice and the Charlotte Hornets once—but his comfort level, both physically and mentally, appears to be improving. Robinson senses that in his own play.
Improved Conditioning and Involvement
"What's helping a lot is getting in shape," Robinson told reporters after Sunday's win. "I think that's a big part of it and also paying attention to detail. The last few games have been the best I've had so far, so I'm just going to build off those." Robinson noted that five-on-five wasn't a major part of his summer training, so it will take time to regain game shape. While fans might prefer players to enter the season ready rather than play themselves into shape, Robinson is, of course, a massive human and has dealt with injuries throughout his nine-year NBA career. The Celtics invested in Robinson for his playoff impact, not for the opening weeks of the season.
The upward trend is more complex than just Robinson's conditioning. The Celtics have also adjusted his usage to get him more involved and comfortable. They've run multiple plays for him after timeouts in the past week, demonstrating their faith and keeping him engaged. They've also experimented with ways to give him more opportunities playing low, including using double-big lineups. Across the Celtics' 7,554 regular-season possessions recorded on Cleaning the Glass last season, only 125 included at least two of Queta, Garza, and Nikola Vucevic. The Celtics are already almost halfway there in possessions between Queta, Garza, and Robinson (58) through just 10 games.
Robinson has also come off the bench in the past four games. The exact reason for his improved play as a reserve versus a starter is open to interpretation. Perhaps it's simply what he's most comfortable with, having come off the bench in 106 of his final 150 games with the Knicks. Conditioning might factor in. Or perhaps there's no correlation, and Robinson is just beginning to understand what the Celtics want from him.
Patience and a Test Ahead
Although Celtics fans were anxious about the early returns from Robinson's addition, Mazzulla was not. He viewed the slow start as part of the adjustment. "I was never worried about his production, never worried about his play," Mazzulla said on Sunday night. "I don't think people realize a guy coming from a different team, playing a completely different style, having to do things differently: it just takes a little time." Robinson echoed that sentiment before the season at Media Day, estimating it would take around 20 games to build chemistry with teammates, particularly on the offensive glass. Combined with a role that looks different from the one he played in New York, an adjustment period was inevitable.
Ten games in, the player who showed up against the Bucks looks much closer to what Boston signed than he did in opening week. Robinson still has plenty to prove before the Celtics can fully justify the addition. They paid him to make an impact against playoff-caliber opponents in the spring, not bottom-feeders in the fall. For now, Robinson and the Celtics will track his progress game by game. Tuesday night's matchup with Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers could offer a clearer read on how ready Robinson is for the biggest challenges ahead.
Originally reported by yahoo.