Ben Stiller Blames Himself for Mitchell Robinson’s Free Throw Struggles

NEW YORK, NY — Actor Ben Stiller may have uncovered the reason behind Mitchell Robinson‘s struggles at the free-throw line during the NBA playoffs. In a humorous revelation on Wednesday, Stiller expressed concern that his anxious presence at games could be affecting the player’s performance.

Stiller recalled a conversation with rapper Fat Joe, who shared that Stiller’s visible stress was causing him to worry during games. “He was telling me that there are games that I stress him out too much,” Stiller said. “That he sees me across the court and is like ‘Oh, Ben, you’re stressing me out. I see your face and I see you worrying.’”

Feeling guilty, Stiller reflected, “I started to feel like, Wait a minute, I’m affecting Fat Joe’s experience of this game? We’re all in this together. I had no idea.”

Comedian Tracy Morgan, also a regular at games, supported Stiller’s concern. “The players sense when we’re stressed out, and you can’t let them know that we’re stressed out,” he advised. Stiller humorously concluded, “Now we got to the bottom of why Mitchell Robinson missed all those free throws!”

Robinson, the New York Knicks center, has struggled at the charity stripe, hitting just 18 of 48 free throws for a 37.5% success rate through the playoffs. He missed both attempts during Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers on Monday, where the Knicks faced a dramatic collapse.

Despite the pressure, Stiller was present at the game on Monday, alongside actors Timothee Chalamet, Livvy Dunne, Martha Stewart, Jon Hamm, Susie Essman, Larry David, and Morgan. Stiller praised Chalamet, stating, “He lives and breathes it,” highlighting their shared passion for the Knicks.