By MARC BERMAN
The Knicks’ 103-93 victory tonight over New Orleans that broke a six-game losing streak took a backseat to the issue of Nate Robinson’s future.
Robinson had an altercation with Chris Paul, the Hornets superstar, early in the fourth quarter after Robinson got called for a foul. They both got technicals, but a Robinson shove of referee Ken Mauer could draw league disciplinary action.
After the incident, Robinson kept up the harangue, yakking in Paul’s face after he made a bucket and after he delivered a nice feed to Jared Jeffries. D’Antoni took Robinson off the floor, clearly afraid of another scrap.
Why Nate? Robinson is the most frustrating athlete in New York to cover. One minute, you love him. The next minute, you can’t stand his act, his decision-making. And I’m tired of the excuse he has to act this way because he’s 5-7½ to get an edge.
Mike D’Antoni benched him in the second quarter after he lost his dribble on a dipsy-do move. D’Antoni also disparaged him before the game when he was told of Nate’s remark that they had Mike Taylor listed as a center.
What do you do with Nate in July when he’s a restricted free agent? Do the cons outweight the pros? You can tell how much he grates on D’Antoni. My sense is he has three games at the Garden left in a Knick uniform.
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No Eddy Curry tonight despite fans chanting his name in the final minute. D’Antoni is saving him for the road, less pressure…Sunday will be two weeks since Gallinari last played. He says his back pain and leg pain are the same, which is why this surgery is the only solution…Great crowd again at the Garden. Tip your hat off to the marketing department, selling these late-season games as the Knicks essentially plays out the string. They’ve put together enough discount packages to have the building feeling near full every night.