Latest Mitchell Robinson injury update will stretch Knicks even thinner

The New York Knicks made it to the second round of the NBA playoffs without Julius Randle and Bojan Bogdanovic. Now they're going to have to find a way to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals without Mitchell Robinson as well.

Robinson has been dealing with an ankle injury throughout the playoffs but it finally reached a point where he can't tough it out. On Tuesday, the Knicks revealed that the center sustained a "stress injury" to his left ankle.

The earliest Mitchell can return is six weeks, which means the only chance he could play again this season is if the Knicks go to the NBA Finals and that series goes long.

Mitchell Robinson injury update: Knicks center out 6-8 weeks

Isaiah Hartenstein played 36 minutes in Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers with Robinson only able to go for 12. He contributed 13 points, 6 rebounds and four assists.

The Knicks will need him to rise to the occasion for the rest of the playoffs.

New York is also going to have to lean a whole lot more on Precious Achiuwa, the former first round pick who joined the Knicks as part of the RJ Barrett trade in December. He has averaged 11 minutes in three appearances in the playoffs so far. During the regular season, he averaged 7.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 24.2 minutes of action.

The Knicks won Game 1 on the back of Jalen Brunson's 43 points. While Josh Hart played all 48 minutes, every other starter besides Hartenstein played 42 or more minutes. Only three players came off the bench.

Don't expect the high minutes counts to change as the playoffs continue. Tom Thibodeau doesn't really have many other players to give minutes to at this point. What was an eight-man rotation is now down to seven.

Game 2 is on Wednesday in New York.