Mitchell Robinson underwent surgery for a broken right pinky finger but is planning to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals with a brace, following a performance where he recorded eight points and 10 rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench. On First Take, Molly Qerim broke down the news, noting that the Knicks center "had surgery for a broken right pinky finger, but plans to play in a fi- plans to play in the finals in a brace." On The Pat McAfee Show, Shams Charania detailed the timeline, reporting that after a brief rehab period, Robinson "fully plans, fully expects to play in game one of the NBA finals on Wednesday."
While Robinson's physical toughness is unquestioned, hosts are debating how his presence alters the Knicks' dynamics. On Pardon My Take, analyst Kirk Goldsberry admitted that Robinson is "one of the worst free throw shooters in the league," but praised his glass-crashing ability, calling him "the best offensive rebounder in the game when he gets going." This rebounding dominance was echoed by Pat McAfee on his eponymous show, highlighting a "plus 133" rebounding margin for the Knicks over their opponents through 14 postseason games. Meanwhile, on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Bill Simmons called him "Wemby kryptonite" because of his specialized ability to exploit open space at the back of the basket when opposing defenses shift.
Despite his crucial role, questions linger about how effective Robinson can be while playing through pain, and what his future holds. On First Take, Stephen A. Smith was pragmatic about the center's utility even with a compromised hand, arguing, "You could, you could foul six times. You could do something, something." Looking past the Finals, however, Bill Simmons warned that Robinson's tenure in New York may be drawing to a close, noting, "you're probably not gonna have Mitch next year," because the franchise simply cannot afford to pay him the $20 to $25 million he will command on the open market.