Mitchell Robinson is preparing for a second-round series, but off the court, the focus is already shifting to old rivalries. As the outside noise is louder, he is still trying to keep his attention on the game ahead. 

During a pre-series press conference on May 3, just ahead of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. A reporter asked if he views Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid as a "dirty player." 

Robinson gave a direct response to the question. “No, I don't. I really don't live in the past. It is what it is. I just move on.”

Robinson avoids giving the opponent any extra locker-room material. The answer also makes it clear that the New York roster is not entering this matchup emotionally charged over old grudges.

The third-seeded Knicks just defeated the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. On the other side, the seventh-seeded 76ers arrive after a historic comeback against the Boston Celtics, recovering from a 3-1 series deficit. 

Robinson maintains his role as the New York Knicks' main defender and rebounder while showing game averages of 8.8 rebounds and 5.7 points, and 1.2 blocks through his 60 games played.

Philadelphia relies on Joel Embiid to provide its main scoring output as he scores 26.9 points, collects 7.7 rebounds, and makes 3.9 assists each game.

A look back at their history explains why the question was asked in the first place. 

Joel Embiid and Mitchell Robinson Have Bad History That Started Back in 2024

The drama goes back to April 25, 2024, during Game 3 of the first round. Robinson went up for a dunk, and Embiid grabbed his left ankle mid-air.

The yank resulted in a Flagrant 1 foul. New York players were furious right away, and Donte DiVincenzo called the play "dirty," while Josh Hart described it as "reckless." 

Embiid explained he was just trying to protect himself, noting a previous injury caused when Jonathan Kuminga landed on his knee earlier that year.

Since that night, the two centers have kept things to standard, and there have been no repeated incidents between them.

Just a few days ago, following the Game 7 victory over Boston, Embiid shared a message with Philadelphia supporters. He urged the crowd not to sell their tickets for this upcoming series. 

He recalled the 2024 series, mentioning it felt like Madison Square Garden East in their own building. He did not mention Robinson or any personal history.

The two have faced off 16 times. Embiid holds an 11-5 team record advantage in those matchups. 

Which team do you think will have the edge in the next round of the playoffs?

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Written by

Utsav Sinha

Edited by

Utsav Gupta