Did Nate Just Play His Way into the Rotation?

If you're a Knicks fan, you're happy for Mr. Robinson. It's like seeing your kid grow up and graduate college. Actually, it's more like seeing your kid grow up, graduate college, flip you off and drive away in an expensive car with another, cooler family.

--Wall Street Journal

Doc's playoff rotation has been tight . . . and successful. The starters plus Sheed, Baby, and TA. Throw in Michael Finley for a minute here and two minutes there, and call it a day. Except when you let Nate Robinson escape from the dungeon and he responds with one of those classic Celtic bench performances provided by little used scrubs at critical junctures in the post-season. In other words, it's a good bet Nate Robinson is now part of Celtics lore, especially if the Celtics win banner 18 against the purple and especially if he makes a meaningful contribution in the Finals.

But will he?

Nate has been a little Sam Cassellish to me. Don't get me wrong. I'm not Hatin' on Nate. If you've read this blog for any time, you know that I still defend Sam Cassell's end-of-season performance for the green. In his first game with the Celtics, he dropped the game-winning three on the Spurs (on the road, no less), and played pretty well at home in the first round. Cassell had his share of disappointing performances, too. And that's what makes Nate's tenure with Boston "Cassellish." He's up and down and a bit unpredictable.

This is not what you need in the NBA Finals, particularly when the Finals start on the road, where a 3-point deficit can become 18 in the blink of an eye, aided by point-guard boneheadedness. It's no secret that most players play better at home in the playoffs. Often it's a difference of night and day. It says here that Doc didn't just wait for the right playoff game to insert Nate, he waited for the right home playoff game to do so. Now with the Finals starting in LA, Doc has a bit of dilemma, made more difficult by the fact that Tony Allen, the back-up point guard Doc employed for most of the post-season, will likely be spending a few tours of duty guarding Kobe.

Who plays the point then? Nate? On the road? Did his game 6 performance in Boston constitute a moment that the Celtics' bench rides into the Finals? Or did his forgettable second-half performance in game 6 represent his return to earth from the rarefied air of quarter number 2?

I'm gonna say Doc plays Nate in the first half of game 1, but keeps him on a short leash.

What say you?

Hatin' on Nate

I've been on a Celtics email distribution list since 1999, and I can tell you one thing: the amount of hatred poured on Mighty Mouse was unprecedented. "Worst trade in Celtics' history," one fan wrote. Obviously, the Joe Johnson and Vin Baker trades weren't fresh in his mind. Another fan compared him to Stephon Marbury. Starberry had exactly one good game as a Boston Celtic, his first. I wasn't a math major, but I'm pretty sure there's a word to describe something that has a starting point but no ending point: infinity. That was a long silence between good games for Steph. Nate? Last night marked another in more than a handful of games in which Tiny II made a memorable and meaningful contribution.


Sometimes we Celtics fans go a little overboard and a little over the edge.

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Tiny II a Uniting Force

“Nate came here and just gave us a light of sunshine, if you will,’’ Garnett said. “He’s a big energy spark. He’s a positive energy and a great presence. I think it’s uniting the locker room a little bit. It’s like fresh air.’’

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Tiny II?

“He’s the reason, really, why we turned the corner like we did,’’ Garnett said of Robinson’s performance. “I think he took the momentum himself and just ran with it. We were talking about the possibilities of what this could be with him, especially with he and [Rajon] Rondo on the court. Defensively, that’s going to be hell for opposing guards bringing the ball up."

Nate "Tiny" Archibald, er, I mean, Robinson.

Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain

Clearly, the 2009-10 Boston Celtics have my full attention for the first time in some time. Should they have your's, too? If you're like me, getting excited about the Celtics when the snow starts to melt is nothing new. I remember getting excited about the Celtics signing Artis Gilmore in 1988, and then adding Jim Paxson not long thereafter. 1988 was also the year that Bill Walton was supposed to return to health, and that really cranked up the noise in Celtic Nation.

Then there was the 1989 trade for Joe Kleine and Eddie Pinckney, the 1991 acquisition of Derek Smith, and the 2002 Joe Johnson trade for Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers. Boy was I excited. So excited, in fact, I remember going on long runs after both the Pinckney and Kleine deal and the Delk and Rogers deal and returning home still feeling like I could run another ten miles. The key question, of course, was how did all those deals turn out? Some better than others, but none yielded a championship. In hindsight, everything is so clear.

But right now, we don't know a damn thing. Will Rondo become Boston's D.Wade in the fourth quarter as the regular season comes to a close? Will KG and Sheed become the Twin Tower combination we contemplated in August? Will Shelden Williams earn more and more PT, and eventually play a key role in a playoff series against the Hawks, rebounding and blocking shots in a big time payback against his former team? What can we expect from Mighty Mouse? Can the Celtics defeat either Orlando or Cleveland in a 7-game series? Will the Nuggets oust the favored Lakers from the Western Conference playoffs?

Nobody knows. But right now I like our chances a helluva lot better than I did last year. Last year the writing was on the wall once KG went down, just like with all the injuries in 1987. I hate those kind of springs. All I want is a chance, and a chance is what we have right now.

So it's OK to put your toe back in the water. This is where the fun starts. The 61-game exhibition schedule is O-V-E-R.

Nate Robinson: Already What Marbury Never Was

On back-to-back nights this week, the Boston Celtics guard came off the bench and provided instant offense in a pair of victories. Robinson, acquired from the New York Knicks on Feb. 18, had 14 points in 15 minutes against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night, then scored 16 points in 21 minutes against the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night.

“That’s Nate,’’ said Coach Doc Rivers after his team’s 104-80 victory over the Bobcats at the TD Garden. “Nate’s going to do that. He’s our X-factor in a lot of ways. I don’t know if we need him to play great to win, but I know when he plays great, it’s tough for us to lose.”

“Nate’s pure energy,’’ Kevin Garnett said. “I’ve said from Day One that we hated to lose E-House, but not only is he pure energy, he’s good energy. He’s almost like fresh air. He fits right in on our team.

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When you see the word X-factor, it's difficult not to think of Stephon Marbury, who was acquired this time last year. Marbury wasn't an unmitigated failure, but he was less productive and more disappointing than Sam Cassell in 2008, and that says a lot.

The Boston Celtics' second unit looks like it's own team again for the first time since early in the season when the bench was scoring 50 points a game, sometimes outscoring the first unit and even outplaying them.

Having a bench that plays together is huge. Bringing in random pieces-parts off the pine is really just another way of saying "hold the fort, guys. That's all we expect." When a bench comes together and develops its own identity, the message is different: "OK, boys. Go have at it. Wreak some havoc. Leave some destruction in your wake."

Can We Start the Bench?

Wow.

Inspired play. Attitude. A sense of urgency, energy even.

Of course, I'm just talking about the bench, and I'm just talking about the end of the third quarter and the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter, but you gotta start somewhere.

During that time frame, we saw Tony Allen clogging up passing lanes (on defense) and making steals a la James Posey. We saw Give It to Me Big Shelden throwing people around in the paint at one end of the floor and dunking in their face at the other. We saw Glen Davis time and again score from inside, and we saw Mighty Mouse draining threes like his name was Drazen Petrovic.

When Doc Rivers removed Shelden Williams from the game and replaced Glen Davis with Kevin Garnett, at least one viewer (this one) was left to ask, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? Do you understand that the Boston Celtics are actually playing basketball and playing it, dare I say, well? Sure, it was against the Pistons. Undoubtedly, we still gave up too many points in the paint. But for the love of pete, Coach, can you possibly let the players stay on the floor when they're on a roll and have some momentum?

I mean, the starters egos can't be that fragile. Hell, having KG, Pierce, and Jesus watch the reserves close out a game might even remind them how its done.

Short-handed Celtics Travel to Portland

Even at full-strength, the Celtics roster stands at a mere 13 players, and that includes Marcus Landry, who is now being called a practice player. However, Landry and fellow former Knick Nate Robinson are unlikely to be eligible to play tonight because of the logistics and timing of the trade. That leaves 11 Celtics to compete . . . except that Tony Allen hurt his leg last night, and Doc (see video below) pronounced him doubtful for tonight.

Which brings us down to 10 players.

That means extra PT for Marquis, right? Probably, but he was kinda, sorta AWOL last night, and, I thought, looked way skinnier than usual. Perhaps he's sick? In any event, look for some creative coaching to get around these hurdles.

I had a good feeling about last night's game, and do again for tonight's game. But we'll need everyone to contribute. NO 2-11s from Sheed, and no gooseggs from Squisy.

Doc to Nate: Go to the Rim, Young Man

“I want him to be free and I want him to be aggressive,’’ Rivers said. “That’s when he’s at his best, so there’s no reason for me to try to screw that up. “I do know he’s competitive, and hopefully that comes out. I can’t wait to get him and to get to work with him. I want him looking at the basket, I don’t want him thinking about the X2Z play. I want him to look at the rim, and that’s why we’re bringing him in here.’’

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If we put aside our concerns about Nate for a moment, he could be a little like Rondo Gordon Orr, Jr. Nate might be a havoc-wreaking menace out there who creates opportunities for his teammates simply because the other team is so worried about him. The one thing about playing on a bad team is you never get an accurate feel for how good someone is.

Hence the need to keep an open mind about Nate and see if he can surpass our expectations. There's a decent chance he will.

Doc Plans to Play Rondo and Nate Together . . . for Defensive Purposes

“He knows that’s one of the main reason we wanted him,’’ Rivers said. “He gives us defense. He pressures the ball. We can use lineups with Rondo and Nate at times against certain teams and the ball pressure alone would be phenomenal.’’

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I'm just going to keep banging the same drum:

Defense is part athleticism and part heart. Nate's a great athlete, and has the desire to score. If he can transfer some of his offensive intensity over to the other side of the ball, then the only thing lacking is height. Maybe Rondo defends the 2 Nate defends the 1. With Rondo's long arms, maybe that works out OK.

Relief from Trade Rumors may Give Team a Boost

Days before the All-Star break, Allen saw Glen Davis in the team hotel in New Orleans. Davis’s name, like several others, also had been mentioned in a possible trade, and Allen had no clue whether it was official or not. There was an awkwardness to the exchange.

“I didn’t say anything to him,’’ Allen said. “But I was like, ‘Is everything all right?’ He said, ‘Yeah, everything’s cool. I’m just about to go see some family.’ ’’

But it was like avoiding the elephant in the room.

“I’m sad to see Eddie go,’’ Allen said. “He was a brother of ours. We won a championship together, so we’ll be forever connected. “As a player, you feel a little more comfortable knowing you’re here for the rest of the season,’’ said Davis. “You’re not getting traded to another team, you’ve just got to keep playing, staying focused on what we have to do, staying focused on the main goal.’’ Said Allen, “We were saying how it’s a lot of guys in grocery carts this past month, because a couple of us have been shopped left and right.’’

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It's hard enough to get on the same page and play like a team when you have players coming and going due to injuries. Throw in trade rumors involving rotational players, starters even, and the task grows more complicated.

Now the focus can return to where it should be--basketball and winning banner #18.

Dimensions

House has been a huge help to the club, and his shooting was a key in the win over Sacramento Tuesday (the three second quarter treys helped open a 10-point lead). But the Celts see him as basically a spot-up shooter from the perimeter. Eddie catches; Eddie shoots.

And when he has room and time to set his feet, Eddie usually hits.But Robinson can score in more ways, and his offensive package could mean a great deal in spreading the threat through the rotation.His extra dimensions would make the Celts more difficult to defend.

Robinson’s abilities on the pick and roll will keep opponents more honest because he is just as likely to turn the corner and drive as he is to pull up for a jumper.And while Robinson isn’t the true point guard the Celtics have been seeking as a backup to Rajon Rondo he is a better ballhandler than House.

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The Eddie House Luxury

The funny part of all this is that, for the past two trade deadlines, the Celtics have gone out to get someone to take House’s minutes. In 2008 it was Sam Cassell, and last year it was Marbury. In each case, House had the job back by the end of the year, most famously stepping out of the shadows and limited playing time in the ’08 postseason and playing a large role in the championship run.

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At the beginning of 2008 playoffs, I distinctly remember writing a piece entitled Is Sam Cassell the new Eddie House? It did indeed appear that Eddie House had lost his job to the Alien. But when Cassell failed to perform consistently, Doc enjoyed the luxury of being able to call Eddie's number, and, as House would prove time and again, #50 rose to the occasion and played an indispensable role in helping Boston bring home banner 18. The same thing happened all over again last year with Stephon Marbury.

Who will Doc call on if the Nate Robinson experiment fails?

More Nate Shortcomings

NATE ROBINSON gives the Celtics electric scoring, a short-circuited understanding of the game, no defense, foolish decision-making in the clutch, and a profound lack of seriousness -- plus he's also not wired to pass the ball. He's at his best when his team is down by 20+ points and there's no pressure for him to make wise decisions.

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The Celtics have been interested in Robinson for months, and the sparkplug guard has the ability to score 30 points in 20 minutes or on other nights go 2 for 15.

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Done Deal (Giddens Likely Included)

A league souce close to negotiations just said the Celtics and Knicks have finalized a trade that will send Eddie House to the Knicks in exchange for guard Nate Robinson. A second source also confirmed that Celtics forward J.R. Giddens has likely been included in the deal. There is also still much that could happen, with the Knicks still attempting to send other players to other teams. “(Giddens) is probably going to be part of this,” said the source. “And at the end of the day Eddie is probably going to end up in New York. But there are so many moving parts to this, a number of things can still happen.”

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Might Nate Surprise Us on Defense?

You may recall that sources had the Celtics turning their focus after missing out on Caron Butler toward improving on House’s defense. In this regard, some close to the Knicks did a double-take when told that was one of the reasons the Celts wanted Robinson. But he is seen by some as a pretty good defender on the ball, and some feel he can maintain at least to some smaller degree the type of pressure Rondo presents. And with the way the Celtics use rotations and schemes, it is hoped he will fit into the formula.

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A huge part of defense is athletic ability. Just ask Dennis Rodman. Nate Robinson isn't lacking in this department. For NBA players, another component is height. Smaller players get shot over, passed over, and dunked over. Nate is 5'9", tiny by pro basketball standards, even for a point guard. So even if Nate had the will and desire to play defense, he's starting out with one sizable disadvantage.

The question then becomes how much he wants to play defense and how much his teammates coerce him into playing the defensive sets. At the very least, small point guards can be a pain in the ass defensively, when they wanna be. Hopefully, Nate wants to be.

Nate a Serious Defensive Downgrade

All reports have placed Boston in the market for either an offensive capo to replace Ray Allen, or a defensive-minded back-up point guard to spell Rajon Rondo. Nate is neither. He's a scorer, plain and simple, but not a dude you build anything (except perhaps a moat) around. He's a brilliant spark plug, one of the select few in the NBA capable of 40 off the bench. But when he comes in for Rondo, that's a serious defensive downgrade.

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Nate Robinson: The Warts

Robinson lost his standing for a variety of reasons — his showboating, his impulsive play, his lack of defense. His frantic energy is appreciated, but team officials want him to show more professionalism and self-control.

There was nothing surprising in Robinson’s performance Friday. His talents are well known, and he has had big games under D’Antoni. The key is what happens on the nights when Robinson is not the center of the offense, or not making 75 percent of his shots. Can he stay within the system? Can he shine without detracting from the team? Will he play consistent defense? Can he celebrate without losing track of the next play?

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Dig the Crooked Numbers in the Assists Column

Game By Game Stats

Date	Opponent	Result	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OFF	DEF	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Regular
Feb 09	vs. SAC	L 114 - 118	27	4 - 15	1 - 6	2 - 2	0	0	0	4	1	0	3	4	11
Feb 06	@ CLE	L 106 - 113	38	9 - 18	5 - 7	3 - 3	2	2	4	6	1	1	1	0	26
Feb 05	vs. MIL	L 107 - 114	33	3 - 12	0 - 1	7 - 9	1	3	4	7	1	0	0	1	13
Feb 03	vs. WAS	W 107 - 85	35	10 - 15	1 - 3	2 - 2	2	4	6	8	2	0	2	2	23
Date	Opponent	Result	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OFF	DEF	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Jan 31	@ MIN	L 91 - 112	25	1 - 10	1 - 5	1 - 1	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	3	4
Jan 30	@ WAS	L 96 - 106	25	7 - 12	0 - 3	2 - 2	1	1	2	3	2	0	0	2	16
Jan 28	vs. TOR	L 104 - 106	28	5 - 14	1 - 6	3 - 4	0	1	1	5	2	0	2	0	14
Jan 26	vs. MIN	W 132 - 105	23	4 - 7	3 - 5	2 - 3	0	4	4	6	2	0	0	3	13
Jan 22	vs. LAL	L 105 - 115	10	1 - 5	1 - 2	0 - 0	0	3	3	4	0	0	0	0	3
Jan 18	vs. DET	W 99 - 91	33	11 - 18	5 - 9	0 - 0	0	1	1	4	1	0	1	2	27
Jan 16	@ DET	L 90 - 94	23	4 - 10	3 - 3	0 - 0	2	0	2	5	2	0	2	5	11
Jan 15	vs. TOR	L 104 - 112	16	2 - 7	1 - 3	0 - 0	0	1	1	2	0	0	0	1	5
Jan 13	@ PHI	W 93 - 92	16	2 - 7	0 - 3	0 - 0	2	0	2	3	1	0	1	3	4
Jan 11	@ OKC	L 88 - 106	32	8 - 17	2 - 6	1 - 1	2	2	4	3	2	1	3	3	19
Jan 09	@ HOU	L 96 - 105	28	7 - 13	3 - 6	3 - 4	0	3	3	1	2	0	4	2	20
Jan 07	vs. CHA	W 97 - 93	19	3 - 6	2 - 4	2 - 2	0	2	2	1	0	0	7	2	10
Jan 03	vs. IND	W 132 - 89	23	2 - 11	0 - 5	2 - 2	1	5	6	3	0	0	2	2	6
Jan 01	@ ATL	W 112 - 108	38	18 - 24	3 - 5	2 - 5	3	3	6	8	1	0	4	0	41