New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson has reportedly undergone surgery to repair the broken pinky finger on his right hand. Though some had feared such a development would keep him sidelined for the start of the NBA Finals, he intends to play in Game 1.
Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Friday, May 29 that Robinson will wear a brace on his hand for at least the start of the series. The question is: Will this encourage hack-a-Mitch tendencies?
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. https://t.co/IkABI9rMsk
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 29, 2026
Robinson is a phenomenal offensive rebounder and rim protector whose defensive versatility ranks among the best at the center position. He can block threes as well as many big men contest dunks and layups, and has the mobility to blow up the pick and roll.
If there's one area in which Robinson has consistently struggled, however, it's burying free throws—and teams have capitalized on that fact by intentionally fouling him.
Robinson is a career 50.8 percent free throw shooter, but he's generally avoided what was long known as the hack-a-Shaq approach during his career. He's gone from 3.2 free throw attempts per 36 minutes during the regular season to 8.4 in the playoffs, however, in a 2026 campaign that's seemingly designed to neutralize his value.
With the brace on his hand acting as a bullseye for defensive strategy, one simply can't help but wonder if teams will be even more eager to send him to the line with his hand in rough shape.
Mitchell Robinson aiming to play Game 1, but will hack-a-Mitch limit him?
Whether fair or not, intentionally fouling bad shooters and forcing them to make their free throws is a strategy with decades of history. The intention is clear, as even a 50 percent success rate means teams walk away with a single point from a possession rather than two or three.
In an era in which three-point shooting is as much of a strength as it's ever been, trading one for three simply isn't an advisable tactic.
Unfortunately for Robinson, he's hitting just 30.2 percent of his free throw attempts during the 2026 NBA Playoffs. It's not unreasonable to draw a line between that devastatingly low success rate and his decline of 5.1 minutes per game between the regular season and postseason.
Though Robinson has still made winning plays at critical junctures during the playoffs, one can't help but feel as though his recovery from a broken finger on his shooting hand is going to be on the Knicks' NBA Finals opponent's mind.
Robinson should be able to positively impact the series despite his injury if hack-a-Mitch can be avoided. Only he can gauge the pain levels he'll experience, but his energy, intensity, and presence on the court don't necessarily rely on him handling the ball all that often.
One can only hope that hack-a-Mitch isn't as prominent as it has been in previous series assuming how painful it might be for Robinson to attempt free throws.
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