Knicks' Finals Shock: Mitchell Robinson's Right Pinky Finger Broken, Uncertainty Ahead of NBA Finals

The New York Knicks had to face a serious setback days after winning their first NBA Finals ticket since 1999. According to news announced by ESPN's Shams Charania on Thursday evening, May 28, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson broke his right pinky finger. The Athletic's James Edwards III and Fred Katz also confirmed from sources. How the injury occurred is not public; no official return date has been determined yet either.

This setback experienced by Mitchell Robinson at season's end will directly affect Knicks' squad depth. The 27-year-old long pivot averaged 5.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 0.8 steals per game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals; he produced these statistics coming off the bench in 13.3 minutes. The Knicks won this series with a 4-0 sweep. Robinson's two-big lineup formed with KAT (Karl-Anthony Towns) was a critical tool in the dressing room.

Knicks' first game is Wednesday, June 3, at Madison Square Garden. The Western Conference Finals winner is not yet determined — the Spurs-Thunder Game 7 to be played Saturday will determine this opponent. Robinson's recovery and return to the court by then is uncertain. Knicks Insider Ian Begley said, "The Knicks are very tight-lipped; the team is keeping everything quiet, but Robinson is clearly expressing intent to play."

Robinson's injury history also makes the nightmare even heavier. In the 2023-24 season he could only play 31 matches, in 2024-25 he was limited to 17 matches — both due to ankle injuries. This season he made 60 appearances, reaching his highest total since 2021-22, so this time the hope to shine ahead of free agency was very strong. Now the broken finger overshadows both his contract value and Finals chances.

Knicks coach Mike Brown's ability to survive in a Robinson-less scenario will rest on the shoulders of Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns has been creating wonders in this playoff with 16.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 57.2% shooting; he's delivering a true star performance. However, Robinson's absence creates an area that's hard to fill in terms of defensive anchoring, offensive rebounding, and vertical finishing.

Robinson himself is pushing to play. Begley's expression "tape that shit up bro, it's the Finals" (from fan reactions) summarizes the player's mindset. The Knicks' six-day rest period is also a factor in Robinson's favor. Still, the NBA Finals will be played between June 3 and June 19; if the series goes seven games, Robinson has three weeks of recovery time.

For the NBA world and Knicks fans, this development is the biggest uncertainty factor ahead of the Finals. Will Robinson play or not — the answer to this question will likely become clear toward June 3.

Shams Charania (ESPN)