Knicks rookie center Mitchell Robinson believes he can deliver a half-dozen bagels — rather blocks — with starter’s minutes.
As the second-round pick’s game grows during this Knicks season of auditions, so does Robinson’s cockiness.
“Probably around six,’’ Robinson said when asked about how many blocks he thinks he can average. “I feel like I can do around six.’’
Robinson is coming off a 15-point, 14-rebound, five-block performance in 30 minutes in Sunday’s victory over San Antonio that prevented the Knicks from matching an NBA record for consecutive home losses. Robinson has the numbers — and unique game — to back up his boast.
The 7-foot-1 Cajun Kid is averaging 2.2 blocks per game, but his per-36 minute average stands at 4.4. Mark Eaton set the single-season record with 5.56 blocks per game for the Jazz in 1984-85.
Mitchell has proven the innate ability to block shots all over the floor — perimeter or paint — and mostly with his left hand.
Against San Antonio, he was his usual alley-oop dunk machine, finding a new connection with point guard Dennis Smith Jr. There is still no jump shot to Robinson’s arsenal and that is why Knicks coach David Fizdale referred to him as a Clint Capela-type after the draft when the Knicks took him 36th.
Fizdale stands by his comparison.
“The way he’s going up and catching those lobs, that’s the part that I think is really Capela-ish,’’ Fizdale said. “The way he protects the rim, the way he runs, I see a lot of that stuff in Mitchell. He’s showing it. Now he’s really starting to go rebound the ball out his area — which is something that I’ve been really stressing for him.”
Though he picked up two early fouls against San Antonio, Robinson, for the most part, has stayed out of major foul trouble during his surge since late January. And he’s starting to make free throws — up to a not-so-terrible 68.8 percent.
“Better,’’ Robinson said of his charity-stripe prowess. “Free throws are coming gorgeous. I shoot them better than I used to. Coming in working everyday with Sully [assistant coach Pat Sullivan] everyday, coach Smarty [Keith Smart], just getting them up.”
Robinson, 20, is known as the quiet type, but surprised Fizdale during a timeout huddle recently. Everyone was talking until Robinson had them pipe down.
“I was going to draw a play and the guys were kind of chatting amongst each other and he shut the whole huddle up, told them to pay attention,’’ Fizdale said. “And I was like, ‘Mitchell?’ When you have a 20-year-old big guy and he’s already getting comfortable doing stuff like that, the kid’s got a chance.”
Robinson said he was polite about it.
“I didn’t say shut up, though,’’ Robinson said. “People was talking and coach was trying to talk to them, trying to get a win, and get us better.”
Robinson still has his bet with Fizdale about doing push-ups the next day in practice if he had gotten in severe foul trouble the night before.
“I’m putting my hands up more,’’ Robinson said. “Since me and coach got that thing going on where if I get in foul trouble, I got to do push-ups, I don’t really like doing push-ups. So I try to stay out of foul trouble as much as I can.”
The Magic will get a first-hand look Tuesday at Smith — the guy they passed on with the sixth pick in the 2017 draft. The Knicks passed on Smith, too, but made up for it by trading for him this month. Smith said he thought Orlando would draft him because he worked out twice for the Magic, who instead selected project forward Jonathan Isaac. Orlando still is looking for a young point guard and inquired about Frank Ntilikina at the last two trade deadlines. Meanwhile, Isaac has shown some improvement this season after a poor rookie season but is regarded as more of a defender. Still, Orlando (28-33 and on an 8-2 surge), is fighting for a playoff spot. The Magic are in ninth place, one game out of the last playoff slot.
