The New York Knicks made light work of their crosstown “rival,” the Brooklyn Nets, on Sunday, cruising to a historic 134-98 blowout home victory.
While the Knicks received a well-balanced team effort, one role player, in particular, caught coach Mike Brown’s attention after leaving a staggering mark on the box score in limited action.
Mike Brown Lauds Knicks Center Mitchell Robinson’s Eye-Popping Impact vs. Nets
New York had six players finish in double-figure scoring, led by star big man Karl-Anthony Towns’ game-high 28-point, 12-rebound performance. However, it was Towns’ frontcourt partner, Mitchell Robinson, who garnered the most postgame praise.
Robinson tallied eight points, eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, shooting a perfect 4-for-4. Most impressively, the eighth-year center recorded a plus-minus of plus-40 in just under 17 minutes of playing time, a testament to his winning impact.
“Mitch, by the way, was the Defensive Player of the Game,” Brown said postgame. “Again, I don’t really fall into the plus-minus stuff a ton, but another amazing stat. … He played 16 and a half minutes, and he was a plus-40. To impact the game that way, again, I’m not a huge believer in [plus-minus], but to see a number like that in the short amount of time that he played is just amazing.”
Mike Brown says that Mitchell Robinson is the defensive player of tonight’s game:
“He played 16.5 minutes and he was a +40. I’m not a huge believer in (plus/minus), but to see a number like that in the short amount of time that he played is just amazing.” pic.twitter.com/bBw4SMH6JT
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 10, 2025
With the standout showing, Robinson became the first player in NBA history to record a plus-minus of plus-40 or better in 18 minutes or fewer. The 27-year-old attributes his sustained defensive intensity and energy on the boards to his new role under Brown.
“The new system, how it is, and three-minute stretches and stuff like that,” Robinson explained. “So, just go out there and play hard.”
“The new system, how it is, and 3-minute stretches…So just go out there & play hard”
–– Mitchell Robinson to Bill Pidto on his dominant play in limited time pic.twitter.com/SoC9rkVoYq
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) November 10, 2025
Robinson has long been effective for New York when healthy, providing increased size, rebounding, and rim protection in the interior. Unfortunately for the big man, injuries have consistently plagued his career. After being limited to 48 contests over his previous two campaigns, he has appeared in only four of New York’s first nine games this season due to left ankle injury management.
However, according to Robinson, he is “getting a little better day by day” and “feeling great” after Sunday’s wire-to-wire victory. The win marked the Knicks’ fourth straight and franchise record-tying 11th consecutive against the floundering Nets (1-9) as they remained undefeated at home (6-0). Their 36-point victory margin was also their largest ever against Brooklyn, underscoring the teams’ starkly different directions.
Knicks biggest wins vs. Nets franchise, all-time:
+36 – tonight
+32 – 12/19/87
+31 – 4/21/93
+30 – 12/5/13 pic.twitter.com/tiBNuHwrvY— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) November 10, 2025
While New York (6-3) has yet to secure a road win (0-3), it still has three more outings remaining on its seven-game homestand, beginning with Tuesday’s clash against the struggling Memphis Grizzlies (4-7).
