yahoo - 6/3/2026 4:17:27 PM - GMT (+2 )
Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals is just hours away and the status of a key player is still up in the air.
New York Knicks backup center Mitchell Robinson, who suffered a broken right pinky finger early last week, is the lone player to appear on the injury report for both the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.
The Knicks said Robinson did not suffer the injury during a game or practice but did not provide any additional information about the origin of the injury.
Robinson, who has had several injury issues throughout his career, had been available for New York this postseason. In 13 playoff games this year, Robinson has averaged 5.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 0.6 bocks and 0.5 steals across just 14.2 minutes per game.
Robinson is the first center off the bench to spell starter Karl-Anthony Towns, but Robinson’s struggles from the free throw line — he’s shooting just 30.2% from the line this postseason — have forced Knicks coach Mike Brown to be more calculated with Robinson’s playing time. That’s magnified further because opposing teams have resorted to intentionally fouling Robinson to put him on the line.
Still, Robinson tends to have extremely impactful minutes because of his high effort and intensity. He’s also dominant on the offensive glass and is averaging 2.5 offensive rebounds in his short time on the floor.
Because the Spurs have Victor Wembanyama, one of the toughest players to guard in the entire NBA, Robinson would be a key piece in neutralizing Wembanyama’s effectiveness.
Here’s everything you need to know about Mitchell Robinson’s status ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals:
Is Mitchell Robinson playing tonight in Game 1 of the NBA Finals?It’s still unclear. According to multiple reports, Robinson had been planning to play through the injury and was planning on wearing a brace. But when the first official injury report published the evening of Tuesday, June 2, Robinson was still listed as questionable.
When asked earlier Tuesday about Robinson, Knicks coach Mike Brown declined to give too many details but said Robinson “did individual stuff” Monday, June 1.
Presumably, Robinson and the Knicks medical staff will monitor Robinson’s injury prior to the game and will see how he responds to activity during shootaround prior to making a formal determination.
Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET.
Mitchell Robinson statsIn 60 games this season, Robinson averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.
In the postseason, Robinson’s minutes have declined a bit from his regular season average, in large part because of his struggles from the free throw line.
Mitchell Robinson injury: what it means for KnicksIf Robinson is forced to miss time, third-string center Ariel Hukporti becomes the next man up. Hukporti, who is in his second season, appeared in just 54 games this season — most of that coming in garbage time — and played just 9.2 minutes across those appearances.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mitchell Robinson injury update, status for NBA Finals Game 1
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