NBA Finals Fantasy Basketball: Will Mitchell Robinson Play Amid Pinky Injury?

Mitchell Robinson, a.k.a 'The Wemby Stopper,' aims to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals matchup between the Knicks and Spurs.

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 have reached their first NBA Finals in 27 years. That series was one the Knicks had lost to the San Antonio Spurs, whom the Knicks face in Game 1 on Wednesday, June 3. The team has quite a hill to climb to win the series. The Spurs are minus-210 betting favorites, depending on your favored sportsbook.

The Spurs are led by the 7'4" Victor Wembanyama, who ranges even larger with an 8'0" wingspan. Luckily for the Knicks, they have a form of a 'Wemby-Stopper' in Mitchell Robinson. While the matchup will be fun to watch, Knicks fans hope that it is one that they can watch.

Robinson underwent surgery for a broken pinky following the Eastern Conference Finals, which the Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers. While Robinson intends to play in Game 1, it is not set in stone. What does this mean for daily fantasy basketball? Let us work that out...

Fantasy Basketball Outlook

The benefit here is that Robinson is an interior defender. He does not require sharp-shooting ability off the roll of his fingers, notably his broken pinky. Robinson can play with his pinky taped up to his ring finger and grab boards with minimal reduction in his level of play.

The NBA Finals are a time to go no-holds-barred. No team nor a player can step off the gas pedal. Robinson must be a full-go, and he shall be expected to play just so. Yes, the Knicks will favor Karl Anthony-Towns in usage. However, Robinson is much preferred to his backup, Ariel Hukporti.

Hukporti is averaging 9.2 minutes per game in 2025-26 with 2.7 rebounds and 0.5 blocks. He is dead last among the Knicks in usage rate (12.4%). Though Hukporti boasts a strong 43.7% rebound rate, his player efficiency rating is a mere 4.9, far worse than Robinson's 14.9. The Spurs would gain about a 2-3% advantage if Robinson were out, per this metric. While that number sounds low, it is 2-4 points in total.

Given the expectation of Robinson to be a full-go, he would maintain great daily fantasy basketball value. After extra rest, teams tend to come out rusty in the first half. The Spurs have not played since Saturday, so they have been off for 4 days in total. The Knicks will be without having played any NBA basketball in over one week.

Rusty basketball favors rebounding via missed shots. Naturally, Robinson might have more opportunities than average. He is priced at $2,800 on FanDuel and $4,000 on DraftKings, cheaper than the likes of Miles McBride, Julian Champagnie, and Devin Vassell.

Robinson is by no means a contest-winner, but he is averaging well over five times his listed salary for Game 1. Stay tuned for confirmation of his active status to come on Wednesday, June 3.