Not every record is something to be celebrated. The 2026 NBA Finals has revealed just how talented this Knicks team is, but Game 2 exposed an uncomfortable truth in a single statistic that has plagued Mitchell Robinson for years.
Robinson serves as the Knicks’ reserve center, coming off the bench for Karl-Anthony Towns, and his role is quite clear: protect the basket, pull down rebounds, and be a physical force. He has done that well enough to be part of a team that won 12 straight and went 12-2 through the playoffs.
But none of that came up when his name flashed on screen in Game 2.
Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson’s Playoff Free Throw Percentage Is the Lowest in NBA History
GettyMitchell Robinson Makes Unwanted NBA Playoff History With Brutal Shooting Record
A broadcast graphic during Game 2 against the San Antonio Spurs said it plainly: Robinson has shot 36% from the free throw line in his playoff career, going 13-for-44. That is the lowest mark in NBA playoff history. In these 2026 playoffs, that number had actually gotten worse, dropping to 29.5% heading into Game 2.
This is not a new problem. Robinson shot 40.8% from the line during the regular season, and his career average sits at 50.8%. The playoffs have a way of making weaknesses louder, and this one has followed him for years.
How the Spurs Used Hack-a-Mitch to Disrupt the Knicks Early in Game 2
GettyKnicks Star Mitchell Robinson Sets Record No Player Wants in NBA Playoffs
The Spurs did not need much convincing. San Antonio intentionally fouled Robinson multiple times in the opening quarter of Game 2, running “Hack-a-Mitch” to stall the Knicks’ offense right from the tip. It worked early, keeping New York from finding any rhythm.
Teams have been doing this to Robinson for years. The math is straightforward: a player making fewer than 3 in 10 free throws is often a better foul target than letting a real possession play out. Shaquille O’Neal dealt with the same thing during his prime, and the comparison has come up plenty this postseason.
The reason that Robinson remains on the floor despite all this is the other aspects of his game that he contributes. During the playoffs, he reached the average of 5.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in 14 minutes per game, with a field goal percentage of 72.5%. Besides the fact that he is doing all these through a fractured fifth metacarpal, as he was operated on it just a few days before Game 1.
The free throw problem is real, and the Spurs are not going to stop exploiting it. But Robinson has shown enough on the defensive end and on the glass to stay in the rotation. Whether that holds up as the series goes deeper is the question worth watching.
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