Mitchell Robinson Broken Right Pinky Leaves Knicks Uncertain Ahead Of NBA Finals

The New York Knicks are preparing for the NBA Finals without clarity on Mitchell Robinson’s status, after the reserve centre sustained a broken right pinkie finger. ESPN reports the injury was diagnosed on Thursday, with no timetable given for Robinson’s potential return to playoff action.

The Knicks open Game 1 of the NBA Finals next Wednesday, travelling to face either Oklahoma City or San Antonio. New York has dominated this postseason so far, posting a 12-2 record and a huge average winning margin of 19.4 points per game, while stringing together 11 straight victories.

Robinson has been a key backup across the first three rounds, appearing in 13 of New York’s first 16 playoff games. The 28-year-old averages 5.3 points and 3.0 rebounds, mainly operating as a reserve big who protects the paint and covers minutes when Karl-Anthony Towns encounters foul trouble.

The injury appeared to occur during Monday night’s Eastern Conference finals-clinching win in Cleveland. Video shows Robinson clutching the right hand and shaking it while running back on defence with 5:35 left in the third quarter, after contesting a rebound on a missed attempt by teammate Mikal Bridges.

Despite clear discomfort, Robinson continued to feature in short stretches until leaving the floor for good with 7:47 remaining in the fourth quarter. Robinson had played more than 17 minutes off the bench in that decisive victory, which secured New York’s place in the championship series.

The Knicks returned to practice at home on Thursday as preparations intensified for the Finals. One issue for Robinson across the playoffs has been free throw shooting, with opponents often targeting that weakness. Robinson has converted 13 of 43 attempts at the line, a 30.2% success rate.

The following table summarises New York’s playoff performance and Mitchell Robinson’s key postseason numbers so far.

Concern over Robinson’s availability was confirmed publicly through a report carried on social media. The update underlined the uncertainty around how New York will manage rotation minutes at centre during the NBA Finals, should Robinson be unable to contribute in the early games of the series.

With the opponent still to be confirmed between Oklahoma City and San Antonio, the Knicks enter the NBA Finals in strong form but facing possible depth concerns at centre. Robinson’s broken right pinkie finger, and the absence of a recovery timeline, leaves New York waiting on medical updates as preparations continue.