Knicks coach Mike Brown says Mitchell Robinson’s broken pinky didn’t come from a game or practice, while the team declined to explain how it happened. With the NBA Finals starting Wednesday, June 3, New York is preparing with Robinson’s status still uncertain.
For Knicks fans, the week leading into the NBA Finals always feels like a tightrope. This time, the question isn’t just about matchups—it’s about whether Mitchell Robinson will be available at all.
Robinson suffered a broken pinky earlier in the week, and the details of how he sustained the injury have remained unclear. On Friday, Knicks coach Mike Brown pushed back on the idea it happened during preparation.
Brown told reporters that Robinson did not get hurt in a game or practice. He also said he’s aware Robinson has had surgery.
“I don’t know much about the details, obviously I know that he had surgery and all that,” Brown said. “For me it’s the same thing, I don’t want to know. Just let me know if he can play and when he can play. Just like we normally would, we’re getting everybody else ready to go.”
He added that the team is preparing based on who can actually take the court.
“For me, I’m always going with who’s available today and (Robinson) didn’t practice today, so we’re getting whoever we need ready to go.”
When a reporter pressed for specifics on how the injury occurred, a member of the Knicks’ media relations staff interrupted, saying “we’re not going to get into specifics.”
Robinson reportedly plans to play. Still, the NBA Finals begin Wednesday, June 3, and New York is already building its plan around the risk that he may not be able to go.
The Knicks are preparing to face the winner of the Western Conference finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs. As that series plays out, Robinson remains a central factor for New York’s rotation. He has been a key contributor off the bench. bringing defensive size and interior presence when Karl-Anthony Towns is off the floor.
His postseason production has been steady despite limited time: Robinson has averaged 5.3 points. 5.5 rebounds. 0.6 bocks and 0.5 steals in 14.2 minutes per game across 13 playoff games this year. He has also made his chances matter by grabbing 2.5 offensive rebounds per game, giving the Knicks additional scoring opportunities.
If Robinson can’t play, the loss would be significant. The Finals will demand size against either Victor Wembanyama or the duo of Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren. New York would need depth immediately.
The next option would be second-year, third-string center Ariel Hukporti. He appeared in 54 games this season, averaging 9.2 minutes, with that time coming mostly during the waning minutes of blowout games.
While Robinson’s availability is still being sorted out, the broader moment around the Knicks is already reaching a new level of attention. President Trump plans to attend a New York Knicks game as the team returns to the finals for the first time since 1999.
For now, though, the most urgent uncertainty remains the one that can’t be fixed by hype: whether Robinson’s pinky issue will keep him out long enough to change what New York can do in the biggest series the franchise has reached since 1999.
Mitchell Robinson Knicks NBA Finals Mike Brown broken pinky Ariel Hukporti Oklahoma City Thunder San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama Isaiah Hartenstein Chet Holmgren Karl-Anthony Towns