The New York Knicks enter Friday’s NBA Finals Game 2 with only one player on the injury report, and it is a familiar name. Mitchell Robinson is listed as probable with a fractured right fifth metacarpal, while the San Antonio Spurs are completely clean for the matchup at Frost Bank Center.
Game 2 tips off Friday, June 5, at 8:30 p.m. ET, with the Knicks carrying a 1-0 series lead after their 105-95 win in Game 1. That makes Robinson’s status important, because even at less than 100 percent, he changes the shape of New York’s front line through rebounding, second-chance pressure, and interior defense.
Robinson has played 14 playoff games and has averaged 5.5 rebounds in just 14.1 minutes per game, a strong return for a reserve center who gives the Knicks extra size around the rim. His presence matters even more against Victor Wembanyama, who has been San Antonio’s most dominant player in the postseason with 23.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game.
That matchup sits at the center of Game 2. The Spurs need Wembanyama to stay efficient inside and on the glass, while New York will try to keep him away from easy deep catches and force the rest of San Antonio’s offense to beat them from the perimeter.
New York’s bigger concern is less about Robinson’s availability and more about maintaining the balance that has powered its playoff run. Jalen Brunson is averaging 27.1 points and 6.3 assists in the postseason, Karl-Anthony Towns has added 17.0 points and 10.7 rebounds, and OG Anunoby has given the Knicks two-way production with 19.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game.
The Spurs come in with no one listed, which gives them a clean injury report but also adds pressure to respond after dropping Game 1 at home. De’Aaron Fox has averaged 15.9 points and 5.9 assists in the playoffs, while Stephon Castle has supplied 19.1 points and 6.5 assists, but San Antonio will need sharper execution to avoid falling into a 2-0 hole.
