The New York Knicks have had plenty of time to get ready for the NBA Finals after sweeping their way through the last two rounds of the playoffs, but that time off didn't come without some adversity. Center Mitchell Robinson suffered a hand injury that required a procedure and put his status for the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in doubt.
Thankfully, it looks like Robinson is going to give it a go in Game 1 on Wednesday night in San Antonio. He is expected to play, but he was spotted wearing a protective wrap on his injured right hand.
Here's what Mitchell Robinson has on his hand during warmups pic.twitter.com/OfZo6QKpcn
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) June 3, 2026
Robinson will be a key player for the Knicks in this series and will likely be tasked with defending Spurs star Victor Wembanyama on a regular basis. As a result, having him on the floor and healthy is crucial for New York's title hopes.
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The Knicks will roll with all kinds of lineups, including groups with Robinson on the bench both due to free-throw shooting and spacing on offense. Mike Brown's groups with Karl-Anthony Towns at center have been very effective in these playoffs, so he will surely roll with that group more in these finals.
Still, Robinson is the Knicks' best defensive big man and brings a ton of size and physicality that New York will need in order to deal with Wembanyama. The Oklahoma City Thunder took a similar approach, putting Isaiah Hartenstein on Wemby throughout the Western Conference Finals instead of Chet Holmgren.
When Robinson is not on the floor, expect OG Anunoby to also see some time on Wembanyama on the defensive end along with Towns. Josh Hart could also see some reps, even if he is giving up a ton of size in that matchup.
It remains to be seen how limited Robinson will be or how many minutes he will be able to play with this injury. However, the fact that he is available and ready to go for Game 1 is a good sign that he will be healthy enough to make a big impact on the series.
The New York Knicks have had plenty of time to get ready for the NBA Finals after sweeping their way through the last two rounds of the playoffs, but that time off didn't come without some adversity. Center Mitchell Robinson suffered a hand injury that required a procedure and put his status for the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in doubt.