ATLANTA — There was no suspense, but there was drama.
Mitchell Robinson saw less than nine minutes of action in the Knicks’ 140-89 Game 6 assault of the Hawks after getting ejected in the second quarter, following a scuffle with Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels.
The Knicks led by 50 with 4:39 remaining in the second quarter when Robinson and Daniels got tangled up following a free throw.
After Daniels grabbed Robinson’s arm, the Knicks big man put his future availability at risk by confronting the Hawks wing.
Several players attempted to diffuse the situation, putting space between Robinson and Daniels, but the Knicks big man was relentless in his pursuit, looking for a path back to Daniels.
As the scrum moved toward the sideline, right in front of the first row of fans, a referee fell to the floor.
Knicks coach Mike Brown did, too, while trying to prevent Robinson from making a mistake that could mar one of the most dominant nights in franchise history.
It is unclear if Robinson will face further discipline for his actions, but a suspension appears unlikely, following the precedent of a similar recent incident involving Nikola Jokic.
A scuffle breaks out between Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) and New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) on the floor. New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts as Robinson is held back by assistant coach Rick Brunson and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the second quarter on April 30, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post“It’s tough when you’re up that big, stuff happens and it’s hard if somebody feels like something that shouldn’t happen to him, happened, it’s hard to keep your composure in that moment,” Brown said. “At the end of the day, that’s what we talked about and our guys did a good job of that for the rest of the game.”
A scuffle breaks out between Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) and New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) on the floor. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostFinally, Knicks assistant Rick Brunson helped escort Robinson — who was unavailable to discuss the incident — off the floor, before the Knicks-heavy crowd gave him a loud ovation on his way to the locker room.
The fight led to two ejections. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostIt was Robinson’s second trip there before halftime.
Robinson, who had six points (3-for-3 from the field), three rebounds, two blocks and an unbelievable plus-29 rating despite playing just 8:45, had previously left the game in the final minute of the first quarter after going up for a rebound and coming down hobbling.
The oft-injured center quickly returned, though, re-entering the game with 9:19 left in the second quarter.
Two minutes later, Robinson completed his second alley-oop of the game, throwing down a one-handed dunk from behind his head on a pass from Mikal Bridges, giving the Knicks a 60-19 lead with just over seven minutes left in the second quarter.
The game was over.
Soon, Robinson’s night would be, too.
