That was Nate Robinson a couple of weeks ago, explaining to an unfamiliar crowd of reporters in a new city why he’s there and what he’s out to accomplish.
You can see his love for basketball in his game. Robinson’s enthusiasm, excitement and unbridled energy is evident in every minute he plays. That’s how he has become a fan favorite in Boston overnight, and it’s how he injected life into a Celtics bench that sorely needed it.
It’s been nearly a month since the Celtics swapped Eddie House to the Knicks for Robinson at the trade deadline, and the city is starting to have an idea of what Robinson brings to the team. It’s something that goes beyond the 7.3 points and 2.3 assists per game or the 48.7 percent shooting from three-point range. It’s a state of mind that Robinson has brought to this club that fires up his teammates.
Kevin Garnett has called Robinson “pure energy.” He’s likened him to “fresh air.”
Doc Rivers has called him the Celtics’ “X-factor.” Robinson brings to Boston a style of play that fans hadn’t seen around here in a while.
The Celtics are an old team and for most of the veteran leaders on this roster, basketball has become a game of intelligence and mental toughness. But with Robinson, it’s different. His birth certificate clams he’s just 25 but he plays even younger. He plays like a kid in a schoolyard pickup game, running up and down the floor, excited for every single play.
It’s something you haven’t see around here too often prior to his arrival.
He’s made himself at home on a second unit of Rasheed Wallace, Glen Davis, Marquis Daniels and Michael Finley. Clearly this was a strong group of players without his help, but it was also a unit that needed a complementary piece — a guy who could infuse the group with energy, speed and the ability to drive to the basket and make things happen on any given possession. Robinson is clearly that guy.
House is missed in Boston, and how could he not be? He won a championship with the Celtics just two years ago, and he became a part of the veteran culture on the C’s roster. But in Robinson, the Celtics have the right guy to ignite this team with his inspirational play.
