NBA Finals: Mitchell Robinson joins Knicks practice with brace on finger
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson during practice for the NBA Finals on Tuesday in San Antonio, TX. Credit: Getty Images/Ronald Cortes
SAN ANTONIO — Officially, the Knicks listed Mitchell Robinson as questionable for Wednesday night’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals with a fractured right pinkie. But with the cameras recording his every move, Robinson joined the Knicks on the practice floor Tuesday afternoon for media day and certainly looked like a player who was going to be available.
Will he be able to do the things that he has always done on the floor? He certainly seems intent on playing and he was able to join the team in running three-man weaves at the start of practice, catching the ball with no issue — although he did not dunk on any of his drives to the rim, instead gingerly dropping the ball in. He had a sizable brace protecting the hand and for most players that might be a huge detriment to their shooting, but Robinson is a different type of player.
He never took a shot outside of 10 feet this season — and hasn’t in any of the last three seasons. From the free-throw line he was 2-for-14 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Still, the Knicks certainly need Robinson, who is a defensive force and can make Victor Wembanyama pay for roaming defensively, evidenced by the 10 offensive rebounds (15 total) he pulled down in just 18 minutes and 22 seconds in the NBA Cup matchup.
Although we got a look at Robinson on the floor, what we didn’t get was any clarity on his status or how the injury occurred — the Knicks have only said that it didn’t happen in a game or practice — as he was not made available for interviews and Mike Brown said, “He did individual stuff yesterday. I'm about to talk to our medical people to see what he can do today.”
If he’s a full go and able to do the things he excels at, grabbing rebounds, catching lobs, it’s a huge help to the Knicks in this series and he will get some of the time, along with OG Anunoby, guarding Wembanyama. If he can’t be the player he has been or is limited, the Knicks could turn to second-year seven-footer Ariel Hukporti.
“I’m always preparing,” Hukporti said. “I’m always ready. Always stay ready. When you’re in the third unit, you never know. Stuff happens, people in foul trouble.”
It means something for Robinson, too, with his impending free agency. He has had plenty of health issues, although almost always with his ankles. The Knicks carefully navigated his minutes this time, never playing him in a back-to-back set of games. Although this might be a freak injury that doesn’t figure into injury history, doing it off the court at such a crucial time could effect how teams, including the Knicks view him.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
