Knicks Are Playing Mitchell Robinson Injury Drama to Perfection Before Game 1

Just how injured is Mitchell Robinson's finger heading into Game 1 of the NBA Finals?

May 19, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) reacts to missing a free throw against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter of game one of the eastern conference finals during the 2026 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks are not giving anything away when it comes to Mitchell Robinson’s status for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Robinson underwent surgery on his broken right pinkie last week. According to reports, Robinson intends to play in the Finals, but that has not been made official.

Robinson had previously been seen wearing a split on his right pinkie. However, on Tuesday, the first media day for the Finals, Robinson was seen without anything on his finger. But James Edwards III of The Athletic reported that the veteran center headed out to the open portion of the practice to the media, with his hand heavily wrapped.

Nothing on Mitch’s hand. pic.twitter.com/oejavPPB26

— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) June 2, 2026

Of course, asking Robinson how his finger is or his status for Game 1 was not possible for reporters — the Knicks declined to make Robinson available to the media on Tuesday, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

Knicks continue to toy with Spurs ahead of the NBA Finals

Jeff Stotts, the sports injury expert who runs In Street Clothes, had tweeted on Saturday that recovery from surgery on a fifth metacarpal (as Robinson got) typically lasts weeks. So, even on a speedy timeline, it seems unlikely that Robinson would be able to play without anything on his finger.

Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Tuesday that he's been told that Robinson will need a "pretty sizable" brace on his finger to play. Charania added that Robinson did hurt his finger at home after the Eastern Conference Finals, though the cause remains "murky."

Before Charania's report, clips were circulating on social media appearing to show Robinson holding his hand during the Knicks’ Game 4 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, head coach Mike Brown told reporters that Robinson did not injure his finger during the game. He declined to discuss any more specifics.

On Tuesday, Brown said Robinson has only done individual work in practice and that he wasn’t sure of Robinson’s status for Game 1, per Ian Begley of SNY.

This all appears to be a bit of mind games from the Knicks, who, it’s worth noting, are not historically one of the more forthcoming franchises about injuries. Robinson was slated to play a huge role in this series, both as a Victor Wembanyama defender and as an offensive rebounder to keep possessions alive. His availability (and overall ability) will be a major factor for the Knicks and for the Spurs.

Robinson’s ability to play will have a big impact on both sides of the floor in the series. But at the same time, we shouldn't expect the Knicks to offer any insights before Game 1.