Why the Knicks Can't Give Up on Mitchell Robinson in Game 5

Jun 5, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots the ball against New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) in the second half during game two of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Coming into the Finals, Mitchell Robinson was a big talking point. Robinson made headlines after it was revealed that he had broken his fifth metacarpal off the court in an unknown incident.

The reserve big man was also regarded as an x-factor for his defensive abilities that could give the Knicks 48 minutes of elite production at the center position. The former seems so long ago, and the latter has been very far from true.

Through four games, Robinson is averaging 4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, and 0.8 bpg while shooting 30.8% from the free throw line. Those numbers don't look terrible for Robinson, whose impact often goes beyond counting stats.

But the fact that he's a whopping -41 in 47 minutes as opposed to Karl-Anthony Towns' +48 proves that the team has struggled with him on the court. Some of that is the Spurs going to the often successful "hack-a-Mitch" strategy to force him to the line and to take the Knicks out of rhythm offensively.

But some of it is on the other end, where Robinson has struggled to defend Victor Wembanyama. That's been problematic for New York.

Looking ahead to the series, many believed Robinson, as he had in the past, would put up some resistance against the Spurs center. Not only has Robinson not done that, he's even struggled to win his matchup against Luke Kornet. That's an even bigger deal seeing as Robinson was supposed to dominate those minutes.

But there's still a chance for Robinson to turn things around.

Mitchell Robinson can still flip the narrative with a big Game 5

In the Finals, all it takes is a big play or a game-swinging stretch to become a hero. Look no further than Robinson himself, who erased much of his negative play with a crucial stop against Wembanyama in the closing seconds of Game 2.

Robinson still has the ability to change the narrative on what has been a largely disappointing series. In fact, he may have already started turning the corner. Even though he has had his share of struggles, Robinson did look a bit better in the final quarter of Game 4. He had a block on Wembanayama at the 11:48 mark, and provided serviceable minutes.

Wembanyama, facing elimination, will likely be very aggressive in Game 5. That, along with the fact Kornet is currently listed as questionable with an illness, should give both the Knicks' big men plenty of opportunities to get key stops.

If Towns finds himself in foul trouble once again, Robinson will have another opportunity to get back at Wembanyama, who signaled that he was in Robinson's head on Wednesday night.

While it won't be easy for him to stop, or even slow down Wembanayama, Robinson has the benefit from his game being controllable. He mostly relies on effort, timing, and strength. Some combination of dunks, blocks, and offensive rebounds during a big Knicks run in an elimination game would undeniably get him back in good graces with a fanbase that is begging for reasons to feel good about him again.

Whether it's against Wembanayama, Kornet, or a surprise appearance by Kelly Olynyk, there's still going to be chances for the longest-tenured Knick to end the series on a positive note. And if he can, it could go a long way in helping the Knicks hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy for the first time in 53 years.