New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson fully participated in practice on Tuesday and is expected to be available for the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, ESPN reported ahead of Wednesday night’s Game 1.
Robinson is listed as questionable for the game following surgery to repair the fractured fifth metacarpal bone in his right hand. ESPN reported that he participated in light shooting and dribbling drills during Tuesday’s open practice and wore a wrap over his shooting hand and right wrist.
An earlier report said Robinson, 28, would wear a brace on his hand. He did not speak with reporters at NBA Finals media day on Tuesday.
Robinson tallied eight points and 10 rebounds in 18 minutes on May 25 as the Knicks completed their sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals and won their 11th consecutive game.
The Knicks then had to wait for the conclusion of the Western Conference finals, with the Spurs beating the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday in Game 7.
New York coach Mike Brown said previously that Robinson was not injured during a game or practice. The coach said on Tuesday that Robinson went through individual drills in New York before the team flew to San Antonio.
The Spurs host the first two games of the best-of-seven Finals on Wednesday and Friday, then the series moves to New York for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and June 10.
The backup to six-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, Robinson is averaging 5.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 14.2 minutes per game while shooting a league-leading 73.7% from the field (28 of 38) in 13 playoff games as a reserve. He has made only 13 of 43 free-throw attempts (30.2%).
During the regular season, Robinson averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 19.6 minutes in 60 games (16 starts) and finished eighth in voting for NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
For his career, Robinson has averaged 7.5 points, 8.0 boards, 1.7 blocks and 23.4 minutes in 397 regular-season games (215 starts) with New York. The Knicks’ longest-tenured Knicks player was selected in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft out of Western Kentucky.
–Field Level Media
