Mitchell Robinson’s Injury Has Stephen A. Smith Worried For His Knicks: “You Better Play This Damn Series”

News of Mitchell Robinson breaking his right pinky finger earlier left passionate New York Knicks fans in a tizzy.

Mitchell Robinson’s Injury Has Stephen A. Smith Worried For His Knicks: “You Better Play This Damn Series”

Mitchell Robinson and Stephen A. Smith (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Mitchell Robinson plans to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals despite undergoing surgery on his broken right pinky finger.
  • Stephen A. Smith expressed his concern for Robinson's injury, emphasizing the need for him to play in the series.
  • Robinson's presence is crucial for the Knicks' defense against opposing big-bodied stars in the Finals.

With the New York Knicks enjoying their days off, the last thing any of their fans would want is for one of the players to get injured. Starting center Mitchell Robinson has joined that list, and has left many worried.

The 28-year-old may not be a starter anymore after Josh Hart’s improved all-round performances made it senseless to bring him off the bench.

But the center is still a valuable piece of the puzzle that is the Knicks. Without his defense and interior presence, the team cannot hope to dominate the way they have done so far.

For someone who plays just 14 minutes a game, his 5.3 points and 5.5 rebounds may not sound much. But his effort is crucial whenever they need to give starting center Karl-Anthony Towns some rest.

There is a reason why Joel Embiid once tried to take him out. The Florida native’s impact and toughness have been instrumental for the Knicks. That explains why longtime Stephen A. Smith threw a fit on First Take.

I’m so glad y’all didn’t see me last night when the news first came out… It’s the off week, you’re supposed to be chilling… You’re supposed to get rest and get yourself ready… Let me tell you something, Mitchell Robinson,… you better play this damn series.

Stephen A. Smith said

The 58-year-old repeated the last sentence quite a few times. With every repetition, he was getting more and more animated, and eventually left his seat to take a break and calm down.

Smith pointed out that since both teams in the Western Conference Finals have big-bodied stars, the Knicks need Mitchell Robinson to play. The ESPN analyst even suggested cutting his pinky off if needed.

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Mitchell Robinson will play in the NBA Finals with a brace

It is not certain whether it was Stephen A. Smith’s rant or the fact that it is not easy to get a chance to play in the NBA Finals, but Mitchell Robinson seems to have received the message.

Mitchell Robinson has undergone surgery on his broken right pinky finger — and fully plans to play in the New York Knicks’ Game 1 of the NBA Finals against OKC or San Antonio next Wednesday while wearing a brace on his hand, sources tell ESPN.

Shams Charania revealed on X

This means that he would not have to cut off his broken right pinky finger as Smith would have wanted. Instead, he is going to slap on a brace and get ready to battle in Game 1.

It happens to be in his dominant right hand, which means he may not be able to block as efficiently as he is known for. When facing the likes of either Chet Holmgren, former teammate Isaiah Hartenstein, or the French phenom Victor Wembanyama, the Knicks will need elite interior defense.

The best he can do is at least slow them down or force them to alter their shots. That will be more than enough. The Knicks would rather have him at 50% than not have him at all.

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Mitchell Robinson will have to wait to know his paint opponent

The New York Knicks still have a day before they can start preparing for their NBA Finals opponent. Since the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are still waiting to book their tickets, anyone can be in the mix for the 2026 title.

Mitchell Robinson defending against Victor Wembanyama
Mitchell Robinson defending against Victor Wembanyama (Image via NY Post Sports/X)

They will know for sure once the curtain comes down on Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Once that is over, Mitchell Robinson will know just how hard his job will be.

It is not as if the center has not had his fair share of success in these playoffs. But playing with a brace on a surgically repaired, broken pinky will not make it easy.

Either way, he will have to be at his best if the Knicks are to win their first NBA championship in more than five decades. The last thing on Robinson’s mind will be that he is the reason they lose, especially with the President seated courtside.

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