Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau expressed uncertainty on Sunday about a January return for injured center Mitchell Robinson, raising the likelihood of a February debut but not completely ruling out an early return. Robinson, who underwent a second procedure to repair a stress fracture in his left ankle, hasn’t played since the Knicks’ second-round playoff opener on May 6. Initially projected to return between December and January, the timeline has shifted as the team exercises caution with his recovery. “He’s doing all that he can do. Medical has a big say in [whether or not he will return in January], as well,” Thibodeau said after practice at the Tarrytown training facility. “Just be patient and let him work his way through it. And when he’s ready, he’s ready. So focus on the guys that we have, and have Mitch focus on the rehab part of it, which he’s done a great job with. We’re proud of him for doing that. And when we get him, it’ll be a big plus.” Thibodeau said there have been no setbacks in Robinson’s rehab, but the Knicks are treading carefully given his history with stress fractures — two in the same foot in a single season. Despite the slow approach, Robinson has taken significant strides. “I’ve seen a lot [of progress],” said team captain Jalen Brunson. “I’m just happy for him. Seeing him in the gym with a smile, it’s great to see. Very hopeful we get him back pretty soon.” Robinson’s return is critical for a Knicks defense that has struggled despite its strong offensive start. As one of the league’s premier rim protectors and offensive rebounders, Robinson has been the backbone of New York’s defense since being drafted 36th overall in 2018. His return has the potential to redefine the Knicks’ rotations in several impactful ways: Pairing him with Karl-Anthony Towns in a dual-big lineup could provide New York with a significant size advantage and a reliable defensive anchor in the paint. Alternatively, staggering Towns with the second unit while Robinson stabilizes the starting lineup would bolster scoring for a Knicks bench that has struggled this season. Plus Robinson, who is likely to come off the bench in his return, will also slot into the second unit alongside Precious Achiuwa, adding much-needed size and defensive intensity to a group that has lacked consistency. “Yeah, with him I think it’ll be a big key. Just playing against him, knowing how he is,” said Mikal Bridges. “Set a screen, rolling and also rebounding and defensively just make it difficult on guys. That definitely helps a lot.” For all his talent, Robinson’s injuries have been a recurring issue. His durability will be critical to maximizing his impact upon returning to the lineup. “It’s good. Just for him, I know it’s probably not fun being out for so long with the rehab process and things like that, but it seems like it’s going really well,” Bridges said. “And just him being around and doing the work.” Injury Updates: Towns and Hart Participate in Practice The Knicks received some good news on Sunday: Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart were full participants in practice. Towns missed the past two games after suffering a thumb sprain in Monday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons, while Hart injured his shoulder in Friday’s loss to the Timberwolves. Both are expected to be listed as questionable for Monday’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. “They went through practice, and we’ll see where they are tomorrow,” Thibodeau said. Hart, known for his toughness, initially hurt his shoulder and played through the pain before re-injuring it later and checking himself out of the game. He briefly got examined before returning to the scorer’s table and subbing himself back onto the floor. “Well, two-fold. Like, normally he’s not one of those guys that is gonna stay down long. If he can go, he goes,” said Thibodeau. “He’s tough-minded, and so it was good to have him come back and then to see him out there today. We’ll see how he responds tomorrow.” Hart’s willingness to play through injuries has become a hallmark of his career. “I’m not surprised. The competitor he is, he wants to get out there,” Brunson said. “If he feels good enough to play, I just know he’s gonna play. That’s who he is.” “Being able to play through pain, that’s just who he is,” Bridges added. “He’s always been like that.” R AND R The Knicks welcomed a much-needed two-day break before Monday’s 3:30 p.m. tipoff against the Hawks. For a team with four starters ranking in the top five in minutes played — and Towns in the top 10 before his injury — any opportunity for rest is invaluable. The team took Saturday completely off to recover before returning to practice in Tarrytown on Sunday. “Good, like a good day for recovery, and then a good day to get some work in. The schedule has been quirky, but that’s just sort of the nature of it anyway,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “You end up with 41 home, 41 away, and it seems like the days off are all coming in the same window. Usually, it’s spread out. It is what it is. Sometimes it’s in your favor. Sometimes it’s not.” Brunson emphasized the importance of off days as a chance to evaluate personal contributions to the team. The Knicks will have another three-day gap in their schedule after back-to-back games on Monday against the Hawks and Tuesday at Barclays Center against the Nets. “It’s great to have off days to kind of reset. It gives you time to reflect on where you need to be and where you need to go individually and what you can bring to the team,” Brunson said. “It’s always good for us to reset, look at each other, and get back on track.”