Mitchell Robinson’s Return for NBA Finals
Mitchell Robinson, the center for the New York Knicks, is set to participate in the upcoming Game 1 of the NBA Finals, despite having recently recovered from surgery on his broken right pinkie finger. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Friday that Robinson will sport a protective brace on his hand during the game.
Injury Details
Knicks head coach Mike Brown confirmed the surgery took place but did not specify exactly when the injury occurred. However, he clarified that Robinson did not sustain the injury during Game 4 or during any practices leading up to the finals.
Footage revealed that Robinson appeared to be in discomfort while clutching his right hand after attempting to grab a rebound from teammate Mikal Bridges during the third quarter of a playoff game on Monday. He managed to continue playing intermittently until he exited the court for good with just under eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, as the Knicks secured their sweep over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Knicks’ Finals Appearance
The Knicks are poised to make their first Finals appearance since 1999 and will face off against either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs, who will determine their opponent in a decisive Game 7 slated for Saturday.
Robinson’s Playoff Performance
In the playoffs so far, Robinson has contributed an average of 5.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks per game over 14.2 minutes, primarily serving as a bench player ready to support his team, especially if starting center Karl-Anthony Towns encounters foul trouble. His free-throw shooting has been a point of concern, as he has struggled significantly, making only 30.2% of his attempts (13-for-43) from the line.
During the regular season, Robinson averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in just under 20 minutes per game.
