For all his supposed immaturity, Nate Robinson has said, done and acted like a winner during his banishment by Mike D’Antoni.
“He’s been great,” D’Antoni said.
Privately, Robinson feels D’Antoni treats him with a double standard and gets punished for transgressions teammates get away with. Because Robinson signed a one-year, $4 million contract days before training camp, he can’t be traded until Dec. 15 and needs to approve any trade.
A source on Monday said the final straw to Robinson’s removal from the rotation occurred before the Orlando game last Wednesday, when Robinson fraternized with Magic center Dwight Howard. D’Antoni apparently took it as Robinson not taking the game seriously, though Howard and Robinson have become fast friends since their slam dunk contest superhero battle last February. Captain Chris Duhon complained about their lack of seriousness before a game during the season’s first week.
Since the benching, Robinson’s pre-game preparation has been ultra serious. He’s on the court 90 minutes before tipoff, usually performing a series of intense shooting drills with assistant coach Kenny Atkinson. It’s all business.
But D’Antoni can’t change now, with the club winning without Robinson, a DNP for four straight games. D’Antoni continues to tout rookie Toney Douglas with giving the team what it needs.
“He gives us something we lack — defensive energy — and he also allows the ball to get to other people’s hands,” D’Antoni said. “That’s where we are today.”
D’Antoni said he isn’t taking “Nate-Gate” lightly, knowing Robinson is playing for a contract.
“Effecting people’s careers and lives, you take it seriously,” D’Antoni said. “I’ve been cut and benched and know how devastating it can be. But my job at the end of the day is trying to put the best team on the floor that gives us a chance to win.”
⇒ Regarding the Knicks’ tentative preseason trip next year to Italy, where they are expected to face Danilo Gallinari‘s old team, Milan-based Armani Jeans, Gallinari said, “I don’t even want to think about it or talk about it because I’d probably cry, going back there to play.”
Don’t expect rookie PF Jordan Hill to get spot minutes any longer with the club rolling. Three weeks ago, D’Antoni attempted to spot Hill in for a look.
“He has to get a good feel for the game,” D’Antoni said. “We don’t have the luxury to throw him out there four minutes and hope we’ll make it up later. Our margin for error is pretty small. He has to keep his work ethic up and not fall back.”