Thanks to their impressive playoff win streak, the New York Knicks have had time to recover and prepare for their upcoming NBA Finals appearance. But that still did not make the team susceptible to the injury bug.
With the Finals looming but their opponent still unknown, on Thursday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Knicks center Mitchell Robinson faces “no timetable” on his return from a recent finger injury.
Robinson, 28, has been with the Knicks since 2018 and is the longest-tenured player on the Finals squad. He brings length to both ends of the floor as a key contributor off the bench.
Here’s the latest on Robinson’s injury and whether he’ll be able to return for the Finals.
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Mitchell Robinson injury update
Robinson was not dealing with any known injuries following the Knicks’ recent sweep of the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. As it appeared, New York would be heading into the Finals fully healthy, with OG Anunoby returning from hamstring concerns earlier in the playoffs.
But on Thursday, Charania reported that Robinson had suffered a broken right pinky finger. Robinson underwent surgery on his pinky on Friday, per Charania, setting him up for a return to the floor in Game 1 of next week’s Finals — slated to take place on Wednesday, June 1. He is expected to wear a brace on his hand, according to Charania.
Robinson was officially diagnosed with a fracture in his fifth metacarpal bone, per the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy, who confirms a Game 1 return is the center’s goal.
What happened to Mitchell Robinson?
While it’s known that Robinson suffered a broken right pinky finger, it remains unclear how the injury occurred.
The Athletic reported on Thursday that it is “unclear how Robinson suffered the injury,” but it happened “earlier this week.”
SNY’s Ian Begley noted that in Eastern Conference Finals Game 4, Robinson got “tangled up” with Cavaliers players in the second quarter, pulled his right hand away when a teammate offered help, then remained in the game, although it’s “unclear if this is the specific point” when his injury occurred.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown confirmed Robinson didn’t suffer the injury in a game or practice. According to The Athletic’s Fred Katz, when Brown was asked how it happened, New York’s media relations team stepped in.
“We’re not going to get into specifics,” the spokesperson said.
Mitchell Robinson return timetable
On Friday, Charania reported that Robinson underwent surgery to repair his broken right pinky. He plans on being on the floor when the Knicks return to action in Game 1 of the Finals, slated to take place on Wednesday, June 3. When he does take the court, he’ll be outfitted in a brace, per Charania.
Mitchell Robinson stats
Robinson certainly isn’t known for his scoring, but as a rebounder and defender, he’s been an impactful player for the Knicks off the bench.
Especially on the offensive glass, Robinson is one of the NBA’s best rebounders. He ranked fourth in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game (4.2) during the regular season. So far in the playoffs, despite shooting just 30.2% from the free-throw line, the center has grabbed 5.5 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game.
The Knicks’ third-string center behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Robinson is Ariel Hukporti.
Here’s a look at Robinson’s 2025-26 regular season stats:
| Games | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3PT% | FT% |
| 60 | 19.6 | 5.7 | 8.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 72.3% | 0.0% | 40.8% |