Friday night, Taj Gibson played in the city he called home.
But it’s Saturday night that has been on Gibson’s mind since he signed with the Knicks in July.
The veteran forward grew up a Knicks fan in Brooklyn and Saturday he will have the chance to play in the Garden for the first time as a member of the home team as they host the Celtics.
“It’s going to be fun, all the butterflies probably,” Gibson said Friday before a 113-109 loss to the Nets at Barclays Center. “It’s a dream come true.”
Gibson spent the first 10 years of his NBA career calling Chicago, Oklahoma City and Minnesota home. But when he got a chance to sign with the Knicks — on a two-year, $20 million deal — he pounced and has been looking forward to Saturday ever since.
“Since I got the phone call [that I was signing], it’s been on my mind,” Gibson said.
Mitchell Robinson made his season debut Friday night after missing the opener against the Spurs with an ankle injury, but battled the kind of foul trouble that plagued him throughout his rookie year.
Entering the starting lineup, Robinson recorded six points, four steals and one blocked shot, but he left after picking up his fifth foul with 4:34 remaining in the third quarter and sat for the entire fourth.
The second-year center said he also dislocated his finger about two weeks ago, but said it’s no longer bothering him.
“Popped that thing, taped that thing good,” Robinson said. “When it first happened, it kind of set me back a little bit. I’ve been working with it. It feels pretty decent.”
After shooting 34.3 percent from 3-point range last season as a rookie, Kevin Knox is shooting 7-for-8 from deep through two games. He was a perfect 4-for-4 Friday night, finishing with 16 points off the bench.
The Celtics are coming to the Garden on Saturday, but Enes Kanter will not be with them on the court. The outspoken former Knick is dealing with a knee contusion.
Rookie Ignas Brazdeikis was inactive.
For more on the Knicks, listen to this episode of the NY Post podcast, “Big Apple Buckets”:
