Before Tuesday afternoon’s media day kicked off, one name was glaringly omitted from the media availability list. As some had suspected, Mitchell Robinson wasn’t going to be fielding questions from reporters. That isn’t necessarily indicative of anything, and shouldn’t be categorized as good, or bad news. But Robinson, and the Knicks, knowing just how many eyes, and questions would be on his recently injured pinky, made the call to keep him away from the media. Still, Knicks fans couldn’t have felt
particularly great about seeing the longest tenured player on the team-one that should be a major factor this series-be absent from the sheet.
Shams Charania of ESPN also reported the latest on the injury, saying that he’d need to wear a pretty sizable brace in order to play. He also added, “I’m told that Mitchell Robinson fully plans, is resolute, on playing Game 1 on Wednesday night against the Spurs. The Knicks still must clear him for that game. What he has is a broken pinky, but even more specifically, damage to his fifth metacarpal.”
Charania also spoke about the mysterious nature of the injury. “How did this all happen during the next off week? That is the question,” Charania said. “The details are murky. What I can say, what I do know, is that Mitchell Robinson hurt himself at his own home, and so it’s an ill-opportune time for an injury, of course.”
Some concerns were eased though when videos of Robinson on the court started to circulate. As seen in the video clips above, Robinson is seen with a relatively minimal tape job, and is seen dribbling the ball, and even giving out firm handshakes with his right hand.
That being said, Robinson doesn’t seem to really be dunking the ball above, which is and of itself, doesn’t mean much, because why would he do it, even if he could. But as Charania mentioned, he still isn’t even cleared technically. And while Knicks fans likely expect him to play, Mike Brown also noted that he still isn’t certain of how Robinson will be listed on the injury report prior to tomorrow night’s game.
In what has turned into a puzzling injury with all kinds of unexpected twist, and turns, the only things we truly know, are that he did injure it at home, will need a brace, and wants to play.
But if he plays, how much he plays, and how effective he will be can only be left up to speculation for the time being.
