The Big Apple couldn’t celebrate the New York Knicks’ historic return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 long enough before doom and gloom struck. SNY’s Ian Begley shed light on a devastating report revealing that backup center Mitchell Robinson has suffered a broken right pinky finger, throwing his availability into severe doubt just days before the NBA Finals tip-off on Wednesday, June 3.

While league insiders confirmed the fracture, the team has made no public statement beyond Begley’s report. No official timetable for his return has been revealed, leaving fans and analysts searching for answers about how the injury even happened.

Update: “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,” according to Shams Charania.

Several fans have been scouring Game 4 highlights to find out the cause of the injury (and look for a reason to blame the Cavs). Most concluded the bone snapped at the 5:25 mark in the second quarter. Robinson got heavily tangled up with several Cleveland players underneath the rim and ended up flat on the floor.

In a telling sequence, a Knicks teammate reached down to grab Robinson’s right hand to help him up, but Robinson immediately pulled his hand away in pain. Minutes later, cameras caught him holding his left hand, though the right pinky over it looked bent. But a closer look showed him actively flexing and shaking out his right pinky finger.

The bizarre plot twist is that Robinson didn’t look back after the fall. He stayed in the game and shot free throws just a minute later with no visible discomfort, showing zero hesitation utilizing his right hand through the end of the third quarter.

In fact, Begley also reported that he saw Robinson in the locker room roughly an hour and a half after Game 4 ended, noting there was absolutely no medical wrap, tape, or splint on his hand at the time. But subsequent medical scans would’ve revealed distress in his finger bone that needed surgery.

The timing of the injury could not be more brutal. Mitchell Robinson was a crucial anchor in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, logging an impactful 18 minutes off the bench with eight points, 10 rebounds, and a blistering +14 plus-minus in the clinching Game 4 victory.

Could Mitchell Robinson’s injury threaten the Knicks’ Finals?

An injury is a problem if there is one. Begley emphasized repeatedly that reports of a broken finger are “unconfirmed.” Of course, he didn’t rule out the Knicks staying mum on a key player’s availability amid a volatile phase for the fanbase.

Online, passionate Knicks fans are already demanding Robinson tape the finger up, take pain medication, and play through the discomfort, arguing it’s their first NBA Finals in 27 years and a pinky shouldn’t derail a 1973 title drought end.

However, sports medicine experts warn that this is far from a standard jam. Sports medicine expert Dr. Brian Sutterer revealed that, depending on the nature of the injury, Robinson might be able to play through a series.

“If it’s a tiny little fleck, something that may happen after a dislocation, then very likely he could splint/tape and play,” Sutterer wrote on X. “But if it’s a more substantial fracture that needs surgery or a splint that goes past the wrist, slim chance he’s back soon.”

Given that Begley confirmed there was no splint, Knicks fans can cross their fingers and hope for the best.

Regardless, Sutterer says the only upside for New York is time. “Only positive here is we have a lot of time till the finals start,” he concluded.

The Knicks training staff is certainly not going to cave to fan pressure or internet timelines, especially given Robinson’s lengthy history of lower-body and hand ailments.

Ultimately, while Begley confirms that Robinson’s fierce player mentality means he will aggressively “push to play,” the final verdict rests entirely with New York’s medical team.

If he is ruled out, it severely handicaps the Knicks. New York desperately needs Robinson’s frame to battle Victor Wembanyama if they face the San Antonio Spurs, or to pair alongside Karl-Anthony Towns to neutralize the Oklahoma City Thunder’s duopoly of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.

Until the official Game 1 injury report, the Knicks will remain completely tight-lipped.