Mitchell Robinson Faces Injury Setback Before NBA Finals

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson underwent surgery on a broken pinky finger on his right hand. This injury occurred just before the NBA Finals, and sources informed The Athletic that the team hopes for his return by Game 1 on Wednesday.

The circumstances of Robinson’s injury remain unclear. This news followed New York’s advance to the NBA Finals, a feat not achieved since 1999, after they swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals. Robinson’s absence would be significant, especially against their potential opponents, either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs feature two 7-footers, Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet, while the Thunder rely on Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.

As the longest-serving player on the Knicks, Robinson ranked fourth in the NBA for offensive rebounds per game at 4.2 during the regular season. He also led the league with a 20.1 percent offensive rebounding rate.

Robinson has faced numerous injuries throughout his career. He participated in only 31 games during the 2023-24 season and just 17 games in 2024-25 due to an ankle injury. He returned for last season’s playoffs, contributing significantly to New York’s Eastern Conference finals appearance with his rebounding and defensive skills. This season, he managed to play 60 games, the most since the 2021-22 campaign, as part of an injury management strategy that avoided back-to-back games to ensure his playoff readiness.

Despite missing only one game this postseason, Robinson’s playing time has decreased. His decline is mainly due to struggles at the free-throw line, converting only 30.2 percent of his attempts. Opposing teams have exploited this by intentionally fouling him to disrupt the Knicks’ strong offensive play.

If Robinson is unavailable, the Knicks will rely on second-year player Ariel Hukporti, who played 498 minutes during the regular season, as their third-string center.