Knicks dealt a blow! Center Mitchell Robinson fractures right pinky finger: no return timeline yet

According to Shams on May 29, Beijing time, New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson broke his right pinky finger. There is no timetable for his return at this point.

The Knicks just swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, advancing to the Finals for the first time since 1999. This injury is a heavy blow regardless of whether their opponent is the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs. Robinson's absence will severely impact the team's strength. The Spurs have two seven-footers in Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet, while the Thunder boast Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein in the frontcourt.

Robinson is the longest-tenured player on the current Knicks roster. During the regular season, he averaged 4.2 offensive rebounds per game, ranking fourth in the league, and led the entire league with an offensive rebound rate of 20.1%.

Injuries have plagued his career. Due to an ankle issue, he appeared in only 31 games during the 2023-24 season, and just 17 games in the 2024-25 season. Last season, when healthy for the playoffs, his offensive rebounding and defensive play helped the Knicks reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years.

This season, Robinson played 60 games for the first time since the 2021-22 campaign. The team managed his workload by keeping him out of back-to-back games, aiming to have him in optimal condition for the postseason.

He has played in every playoff game so far this postseason, but his minutes have been reduced, mainly due to poor free-throw shooting. His free-throw percentage is only 30.2%, leading opponents to employ Hack-a-Robinson tactics in an attempt to disrupt the Knicks' strong offensive rhythm.

Third-year big man Ariel Hukporti will step into the role of third-string center. He logged a total of just 498 minutes of playing time during the regular season.