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Knicks centers Nerlens Noel and Mitchell Robinson can’t stay healthy. But thankfully the Knicks still have 36-year-old relic Taj Gibson to bail them out on nights like Monday. 

With Noel out again with a sprained knee and Robinson aggravating an already balky ankle in the third quarter, Gibson came in and boosted a defense that allowed just 10 points in the fourth quarter. 

The third-string center from Brooklyn might become more valuable as the Noel-Robinson injury saga plays out. 

Gibson’s box score rarely shows his grit and grind as he scored two points and didn’t have a field goal. But all you need to know was the Knicks were a plus-22 in his 28 minutes on the court. 

“Wearing New York across your chest is enough,’’ Gibson said after the Knicks’ come-from-behind victory over the Pacers. “Just going out there trying to just play hard, understanding the ups and downs of the season. A lot of teams are going through the highs and lows and right now, we were in a rut. Just trying to just make a difference. I knew it was gonna be a tough game, knowing how we’ve been laying eggs at home. I’ve been in the league for a long time now, so just trusting my instincts.’’ 


  Taj Gibson and the Knicks beat the Pacers on Monday. Robert Sabo Taj Gibson and the Knicks beat the Pacers on Monday. Robert Sabo

The Knicks center position hasn’t been a strength. Robinson still is rounding into shape and looked hobbled Saturday in Charlotte. Sure enough, he didn’t make it out of Monday’s game and played 15:51, going 1 of 2 and was a minus-14. 

“We’ll see where he’s at,’’ Tom Thibodeau said. “Don’t think it’s serious.’’ 

He hasn’t been the dominant shot-blocker or alley-oop dunkmaster of his first three years. 

And backup center Nerlens Noel can’t stay on the court. He missed his third straight game Monday. He’s played in just 3  ½ games out of 14. The latest is a sprained knee after battling hamstring/knee issues in preseason when he didn’t play in any exhibition contests. 

Robinson hasn’t gone extended minutes as he still is battling back from a broken foot suffered last March. 

“He’s still working his way through it,’’ Thibodeau said. “Obviously he was out a long period of time. He’s a work in progress in terms of conditioning. He’s banged up a little bit. That’s all normal. If you’re a pro athlete, that’s what happens.’’ 

Robinson put on muscle weight and might look a little less limber — if much stronger. 

“We monitor that pretty closely,’’ Thibodeau said. “As he’s allowed to do more running and conditioning I think that’ll improve as we go.’’ 

After signing a three-year, $32 million deal, Noel has reverted to his early-career ways of being injury-prone. 

Knicks fans on social media are all abuzz second-year power forward Obi Toppin, whose name chanted at the Garden, should play more minutes than the 11 he’s averaging. He’s a fast-break machine with highlight dunks but he has struggled on defense and with his 3-point shot. He was 0 for 2 from 3 Monday to bring his percentage down to 11 percent. In his 15:48 of action he grabbed four rebounds, had two exciting dunks and was a plus-10. 

“It’s all based on performance,’’ Thibodeau said. “It’s not an individual thing. It’s a team thing. It’s how the team is functioning and there has to be a balance to offense and defense. That factors into it as well.”

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