Knicks Have Reason for Hope With Mitchell Robinson, Despite Injury

Knicks fans have spent the better half of the last three days celebrating the team's first Finals appearance since 1999. It's been a never-ending wave of looking back at the tough times, reminiscing on the bad teams, and looking ahead to the possibility of seeing the team lift the Larry O'Brien trophy for the first time in 53 years.

But on Thursday night, fans were hit with some tough news as it was reported that backup center Mitchell Robinson had suffered a broken right pinky and has no timetable for his return.

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson has suffered a broken right pinky finger and there is no timetable on his return, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 28, 2026

The initial response among the fans was sadness, and frustration. How could this seemingly dream-like season be interrupted by a sudden injury? After that came the questions. When did he injure it? What's the likelihood he plays in game one? Is there a chance he misses the entire series?

Unfortunately we don't have any of that information right now. And chances are, we won't know until we get closer to Game 1, which takes place next Wednesday.

There are some positives though. While this is far from ideal news, the fact that there is no timeline means that the team has, at least for now, avoided the worst-case scenario. The lack of details on Robinson's return is a bit worrisome, but it's still much better than him being ruled out for the series entirely. There's also always the possibility that there is some gamesmanship involved.

A positive view on Mitchell Robinson's injury and potential return timeline

Being without Robinson would obviously be a big blow to a Knicks team that is hitting on all cylinders. While the reserve big man has been up and down during this postseason run, he's still a threat to completely change any given game with his rim protection and offensive rebounding. He would play a pivotal role in trying to slow down Victor Wembanyama were they to face off against the Spurs in the Finals. And his physicality would be missed against the Thunder as well.

If you want to look for some more positivity, there's the fact that Robinson's game doesn't necessarily require his pinky to be at 100% for him to function. It's true that the placement, and the severity, of the break matters.

But Robinson isn't a shooter, or a ball-handler. If he can wrap up the finger, take some pain killers, and give it a go, chances are he'll be out there. Robinson, despite being injury-prone throughout his career, has always been a tough player.

Mitch went up for a rebound in Game 4 and came down grabbing his finger… pic.twitter.com/qTzn3oVROZ
— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) May 28, 2026

Also, while there's still no confirmation on when he hurt his finger, some have speculated that he hurt it not in practice Thursday, but in Game 4 of the Cavaliers series. If that was the case, him playing after hurting it could be a sign that while painful, it is an injury that he can fight through.

And Jeff Stotts, a certified trainer and injury analyst for SMART, notes that the average time lost for pinky fractures that are non-operative is about nine days. That just happens to be the exact amount of days between the Knicks' last game, and their next one.

Brian Sutterer, a sports medicine doctor, also said that it ultimately depends on the severity, but that there being some time before Game 1 is a positive.

If it’s a tiny little fleck, something that may happen after a dislocation, then very likely he could splint/tape and play. But if it’s a more substantial fracture that needs surgery or a splint that goes past the wrist, slim chance he’s back soon. Only positive here is we have a…
— Brian Sutterer MD (@BrianSuttererMD) May 28, 2026

This isn't the news Knicks fans needed or wanted heading into the most important games of the season. Being without a rotational player this deep into the playoffs is an unenviable position to be in. And on a personal note, it would be devastating for Knicks fans to see their longest tenured player have to miss the Finals after being with the organization through all its downs.

But seeing as he hasn't been ruled out, hasn't had surgery yet, and is dealing with an injury other players have fought through, there's still a solid chance that he gives it a go for his team.

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