Mitchell Robinson was working on his own at Knicks practice, wearing protection over his right pinky finger following surgery, and Mike Brown didn’t provide a clear update on his status for Game 1 in San Antonio on Wednesday.
Robinson had surgery to repair a fracture in the fifth metacarpal, which connects the pinky finger to the wrist, and is pushing to be available for Game 1 while wearing a brace, according to Shams Charania.
He did some individual work before the team travelled, but still needed medical clearance. Injury analyst Jeff Stotts noted that the fastest return from pinky surgery in the NBA since 2005 was two weeks; Robinson would be back after less than a week if he plays Wednesday.
What’s at stake on the court
Robinson has never relied on touch or mid-range creation to make his impact. His game is built around rebounding, finishing through contact and making plays in crowded situations. The real test will be whether he can handle those duties against Victor Wembanyama without putting his hand at further risk.
This is where the pinky turns from a medical concern into a basketball issue. Robinson averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 19.6 minutes this season, shooting an efficient 72.3%.
His impact is most clearly seen in New York’s offensive rebounding numbers: they grabbed 39.5% of available offensive boards with him on the court, compared to just 29.8% without him.
San Antonio’s size changes the picture
San Antonio’s frontcourt offers a different challenge. Wembanyama can pull Karl-Anthony Towns out to the perimeter, shoot over smaller players, and draw help from areas most teams aren’t used to defending.
If Robinson isn’t fully available, the Knicks will need to manage their backup-centre minutes carefully to avoid overloading Towns against a Spurs lineup that dominated the boards throughout the Western Conference finals.
Ariel Hukporti is next in line on the depth chart, but he hasn’t played much of a role this postseason. Asking him to handle Finals minutes against Wembanyama and San Antonio’s active guards would be a significant shift for New York’s second unit.
Going with a smaller lineup might keep more skill on the floor but would increase rebounding and rim-protection duties for Towns, OG Anunoby and the guards.
How the brace could impact Robinson’s play
Even if Robinson is able to suit up, the brace brings up several questions: Will it affect his ability to grab offensive boards? Could teams look to exploit him in late-game situations?
And how will it impact his free-throw shooting, considering he’ll be wearing it on his shooting hand? The Knicks’ league-best 39.5% offensive rebounding rate with him on the floor is a key part of their identity, and they’ll want to keep as much of that advantage as possible.
Brown’s cautious approach is understandable. The Knicks need confidence that Robinson can still deliver in the areas that make him valuable.
If he’s able to secure rebounds with both hands, hold his position, and finish around the rim, New York’s centre rotation remains intact. If not, they’ll have to start this series against Wembanyama while also reworking their bench minutes.
Still no clarity on how the injury happened
Robinson logged 18 minutes in Game 4 against Cleveland, finishing with eight points and 10 boards. Mike Brown told reporters that Robinson didn’t suffer the break during that game or any practice, pushing back against speculation tied to a broadcast clip showing him holding his hand after a third-quarter rebound.
When pressed for details, a team spokesman replied: “We’re not going to get into specifics.” Robinson, meanwhile, took to Instagram to thank those who had supported him while also calling out others he felt hadn’t stood by him during his recovery.
It’s possible he played through pain in Game 4 and then aggravated it later, but nothing is confirmed yet. What we do know is that there was no chance of Robinson coming back before the Finals opener once surgery became necessary.
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