Precious Achiuwa has embodied the Knicks’ stay-ready “next man up” mentality for months, and he is up one more time with Mitchell Robinson down with another injury to his troublesome left ankle.
Robinson is out for the playoffs with a stress-reaction injury, and Achiuwa delivered another strong game in his absence with eight points and five rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench — including a key dunk late in the fourth quarter — in the Knicks’ 130-121, comeback victory Wednesday in Game 2 against the Pacers.
“That’s been our challenge all season,” coach Tom Thibodeau said before the game. “Obviously, Precious and Jericho [Sims] are available, and they’ve filled in before and done a great job.
“Next man get in there and get the job done.”
Achiuwa made a massive contribution to the Knicks amid a rash of frontline injuries throughout the second half of the season following his inclusion in the OG Anunoby trade from Toronto on Dec. 30.
With Robinson, Anunoby and Julius Randle sidelined for lengthy stretches — and the latter also out for the year due to shoulder surgery — Achiuwa made 18 starts among his 49 regular-season appearances with the Knicks.
In those starts, the Bronx product posted 12.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in 36.5 minutes per game.
Achiuwa shouldn’t be needed for such extensive playing time now with starting center Isaiah Hartenstein no longer on the minutes restriction, which he was subjected to late in the regular season to manage an Achilles issue.
Hartenstein played at least 30 minutes in three of the Knicks’ first seven postseason games, topped by a playoff-best 36 in Game 1 against the Pacers.
Still, Thibodeau can count on the 24-year-old Achiuwa to be ready for whatever is needed, as he was when Robinson sat out Game 4 of the first round with a sprain to his left ankle.
With Hartenstein also in foul trouble in that game, the 6-foot-8 Achiuwa played 20 minutes — including the entire fourth quarter — and combined with Anunoby on a shutdown of Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid.
The pending restricted free agent finished with seven points and four blocked shots.
“I just think it’s next man up. My thing is, I got to continue to go out there and play the right way, play winning basketball,” Achiuwa said before Wednesday’s game. “We’ve shown that in the past. Just got to continue to go out there and do what we need to win basketball games.
“It’s the same thing, just trying to keep myself in game shape, that’s the most important thing. And just continuing to keep myself in rhythm.”
