Sleeper of the Week

The little guy is the epitome of modern NBA basketball - all the windmill and reverse dunks, the quick crossovers, and all the shake n’ bakes. Yet, many (including yours truly) saw Nate Robinson as just that, a shoot-first point guard with tremendous dunking ability and nothing more. Yet, with Stephon Marbury out, Nate was promoted to first guard off the bench, given upwards of 30 minutes a night, and is producing very nicely.

Generously listed at 5′9, Robinson is a package of pure explosiveness, he has the ability to take his man off the dribble and drive to the hoop for a vicious dunk or drain the long distance jumper. He just needs to improve his playmaking ability and leadership skills to become a more effective point guard.

With Marbury sidelined from recently completed surgery due to bone spurs, and rumors of a buyout on the horizon, Nate Robinson is going to get plenty of minutes in the near future to prove he can be a point guard in this league. Isiah Thomas is giving Robinson lots of burn on the floor, as evidenced by his past three games of 34, 33, and 31 minutes, respectively. And while minutes do not necessarily equal production, he has certainly done his part by averaging about 15 points and 6 assists per game in those three games.

If he continues get his teammates involved, it won’t be long before he sheds the label of “dunker” and becomes recognized as more of a complete point guard.

But for now, if you are looking for a quick (and cheap) fix of points, assists, and Sportscenter highlight reels, look no farther than Nate Robinson.

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