Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 25: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks reacts after a dunk against the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter of game four of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 25, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
The New York Knicks made it through the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs by beating the Atlanta Hawks.
However, the series had a lot more going on than just basketball. First, Mitchell Robinson’s emotional ups and downs – both in and out of the game – grabbed a lot of attention, and now his teammate Karl-Anthony Towns is talking about it.
When asked about Robinson’s “stand on business” moment, Karl-Anthony Towns was quite honest. “Oh he did write that on his socks, didn’t he?” Towns said, per Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.
Towns then went deeper, offering a full-throated endorsement of his teammate. “Mitch is a big part of our locker room. What he does on the court obviously y’all know it impacts winning. He does a lot of things that sometimes don’t end up on the stat sheet, but makes us come out with the W. So Mitch is very vital for our locker room, for our team. And we always want to support him, we always want to stand behind him when he wants to — quote-unquote — stand on business.”
Asked KAT about Mitchell Robinson standing on business:
“Oh he did write that on his socks, didn’t he?”
“Mitch is a big part of our locker room. What he does on the court obviously yall know it impacts winning. He does a lot of things that sometimes don’t end up on the stat
GettyMitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks
Robinson grabbed the spotlight after he wore red socks with “Stand on Business” written on them during a game. This phrase means to keep your position, support your deeds, and not be easily influenced.
In fact, a player who has already dealt with injuries, has been given irregular playing time, and has also had a hard time mentally this postseason, the phrase may have been a reflection of his feelings at a deep level.
The moment, however, came with context. Before Game 6, Robinson posted on Facebook that he was “lost in the world at the moment” and that his “mental just not the same,” revealing he was silently struggling as playoff pressure mounted.
When Hawks guard Dyson Daniels threw an elbow at him during a free-throw scramble, Robinson snapped and both players were ejected. Despite the chaos, the Knicks closed out Atlanta 140-89 to win the series 4-2.
GettyKarl-Anthony Towns Says Mitchell Robinson Is Vital to Knicks
Robinson’s partnership with Karl-Anthony Towns has been fundamental in shaping New York’s playoff character. Even though KAT is the main scorer with a series average of 18.7 points and 11.3 rebounds, Robinson complements by adding the toughness, the shot-blocking, and the defensive enthusiasm that often goes unnoticed by the stats.
His 5.3 rebounds and a block per game in 14 minutes alone underscore his effective contribution.
GettyMitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks.
Robinson should channel the “stand on business” mindset properly through discipline. Other teams playing against the Knicks will, of course, use the Hack-a-Mitch strategy, taking advantage of his 38.5% free-throw percentage in the postseason to slow down the Knicks.
Robinson needs to remain calm, not get technical fouls, and have faith in the process. The Knicks are now looking at the winner of the Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers game for their next step, and they will require a mentally sharp and focused Robinson – not one who is ejected – if they intend to go far in the playoffs.
Jayesh Pagar Jayesh Pagar is a writer at Heavy Sports, covering the New York Knicks and other NBA teams. He brings four years of experience across digital sports media, including NBA, WNBA, college basketball, and college football. He covered as the Knicks beat writer for ONSI and has written for PFSN, Sporting News, and ClutchPoints. More about Jayesh Pagar
此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。
