Bleacher Report - Nate Robinson

Nate Robinson's Near-Heroics Not Enough for Chicago Bulls to Survive Game 5

Grant Hughes — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:07:31 -0400

Nate Robinson gave it a shot (15 shots, to be precise), but the pint-sized dynamo's scoring outburst and gutsy effort weren't enough to save the Chicago Bulls from the 94-91 loss to the Miami Heat that put a period on their impressive season.

Apparently, missing all 12 of his shots in Game 4 also wasn't enough to deter Robinson from maintaining the ultra-aggressive mindset that had marked his play all postseason long.

And after helping engineer a remarkable offensive surge that brought the Chicago Bulls back from the dead in the early stages of Game 5, it's safe to say that his team was grateful for his unfailing confidence and short memory.

Unfortunately for the Bulls, Robinson ultimately came up short.

It didn't happen right away for Robinson and the Bulls, as the diminutive guard made just one of his three attempts in the first quarter. In fact, his only opening-period bucket came with less than a minute remaining in the quarter.

But that three-point shot cut the Heat's advantage to nine points, which was a marked improvement from the 18-point lead they'd built at the five-minute mark.

In the second, Robinson collected an and-1 with 9:15 remaining that got the Bulls to within four points. Then he assisted on Chicago's next three baskets, a jumper by Richard Hamilton and a pair of threes from Jimmy Butler.

Of course, Robinson wasn't going to stay out of the scoring column for long, as his three, which came just 35 seconds after Butler's, put the Bulls up by four.

After a couple more free throws and a triple to end the half, Robinson had put his team ahead by six points as they went into halftime.

After two more assists and a pair of foul shots in the third quarter, Robinson had either scored or directly facilitated 28 of Chicago's 77 points.

But Robinson and the Bulls stalled in the fourth quarter as the team managed only 14 points in the final period. Tom Thibodeau's typically short rotation resulted in five players logging all but 28 minutes of available court time. Robinson logged 47, himself.

Fatigue was definitely a factor, but hot and cold spells have characterized Robinson's season and career. He's hung around the league because of his ability to take over games for long stretches at a time, which he proved with 23 points in the fourth quarter of Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets in the first round.

But ugly games are just as big a part of Robinson's legacy. For every stunner, there's been a dud to go along with it. For a moment, it seemed as though the Bulls were going to get yet another huge performance from Robinson in Game 5.

They almost did.

Carlos Boozer and Jimmy Butler were excellent, and Joakim Noah remained the team's emotional leader. But it was Robinson who grabbed ahold of the game in the early going. He just couldn't hang on.

Robinson will hit free agency this summer after a breakout postseason campaign. His overall numbers aren't particularly exciting, but because of his unflappable confidence and feel for the moment, he's almost certain to cash in on the open market.

Thanks to a remarkable bounce-back effort in Game 5, Robinson very nearly helped the Bulls avoid cashing out.

Read more Nate Robinson news on BleacherReport.com

5 Players Garnering New Reputations in 2013 NBA Playoffs

Maxwell Ogden — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:00:00 -0400

With upsets and injuries abound, the 2013 NBA playoffs have provided no shortage of surprises. Moreover, players that had been viewed by the basketball masses in a certain light have redefined their reputations.

The question is, which players have helped themselves the most?

Some players are inexperienced, but have proven to be polished beyond their years. Others may have been viewed in a negative light, for one reason or another, but have shown off more talent than they are given credit for.

The postseason is truly the time when stars are born.

Harrison Barnes, Golden State Warriors

Previous Reputation: NCAA Letdown

New Reputation: NBA Rising Star

Coming out of high school, Harrison Barnes was the No. 1 overall recruit and attended the storied University of North Carolina. For the first and only time in NCAA history, Barnes was named a preseason All-American entering his freshman season.

Despite having a strong two-year college career, Barnes was labeled as something of a bust as he went from a potential No. 1 overall draft choice to the No. 7 selection in 2013.

During the 2013 NBA regular season, he did himself no favors by averaging 9.2 points and 4.1 rebounds in 25.4 minutes. Those are strong numbers for a rookie, but the notion that he would never become a star didn't seem all that far-fetched.

And then the postseason rolled around.

Barnes has been sensational, averaging 16.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Against the San Antonio Spurs, he's upped those numbers to 19.0 points and 8.0 rebounds.

More importantly, he's made history, much like he did before his UNC days.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is a breakout performance.

Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies

Previous Reputation: Above-Average Point Guard

New Reputation: Top-Tier Point Guard

Mike Conley Jr. has long been one of the more respected point guards in the NBA, but his general reputation was that he was a good, but not great, player. His regular season statistics confirmed that notion, as he posted 14.6 points and 6.1 assists per game.

The postseason has changed all of that.

Conley has been the Memphis Grizzlies' Chauncey Billups, coming up with a big shot whenever his team needs one. It also doesn't hurt that he is averaging 18.1 points, 7.3 assists and 1.6 steals, and that he out-dueled Chris Paul in Round 1 of the playoffs.

Suddenly, Conley's elite defense—per Synergy Sports (pay site), he allows 0.67 points per isolation play—is complemented by near All-Star offensive production.

According to Alvin Anol of ESPN.com, Conley finished with more points per isolation play than Chris Paul, LeBron James and Tony Parker during the regular season. During the postseason, Memphis has posted a point differential of plus-11.0 with Conley on the floor.

That number dips to minus-17.3 when Conley is on the bench—a 28.3 point differential.

You can talk all you want about reputations, but Conley has proven that he is one of the NBA's top point guards. Both defensively and offensively, he's been the catalyst to Memphis' postseason run.

If that's not enough, Conley is 11th in the NBA in clutch scoring since Rudy Gay was traded.

Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Previous Reputation: Borderline Superstar

New Reputation: Legitimate Superstar

The Golden State Warriors entered the 2012-13 NBA playoffs as an up-and-coming team with a sharpshooting point guard in Stephen Curry. Whenever they are eliminated, they will walk away with the knowledge that they have a legitimate superstar as their floor general.

Curry's proven that in every way possible.

He led the Warriors to a first-round upset of the Denver Nuggets, averaging 24.3 points and 9.3 assists on 44.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc. In Game 2, he dropped 30 points and 13 assists on 13-of-23 shooting.

In the process, he led the Warriors to an upset of the Nuggets in Denver—the first time a team had achieved such a feat since Jan. 18.

Between hounding defense from San Antonio's wings and a questionable ankle, Curry has been slowed down against the San Antonio Spurs since scoring 44 points in Game 1. Even though he posted just nine points in Game 5, he dished out eight assists and gave it his all in a losing effort.

After the heroics we've seen Curry put forth thus far, there is no logical argument against his superstar status.

Nate Robinson, Chicago Bulls

Previous Reputation: End-of-Bench Player

New Reputation: Sixth Man

Entering the 2012-13 NBA regular season, Nate Robinson was brought on to be the Chicago Bulls' backup point guard behind an injured Derrick Rose and Kirk Hinrich.

With both players battling injuries, Robinson has done more than a serviceable job. Robinson nearly broke Michael Jordan's Bulls record by scoring 23 points in the fourth quarter of Chicago's improbable Game 4 comeback—a triple-overtime victory over the Brooklyn Nets. He finished with 34 points on 14-of-23 shooting overall.

Outside of his 0-for-12 shooting performance in Game 5, Robinson has kept up that torrid pace, performing at the highest level of any player in the clutch this postseason.

This is yet another case of reality overcoming perception.

Robinson had long been viewed as a player who had no place on a championship contender. Not only does he stand at a generous 5'9", but his shot selection has always been questioned.

The time for naysaying has ended—Lil' Nate plays with big heart and plays his best when the games matter most. Expect teams to take notice when free agency starts.

Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

Previous Reputation: Ball-Stopper, Kevin Durant Hindrance

New Reputation: Vital to OKC's Title Dreams

The most common misconception about Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook is that he is detrimental to his team. Not only is Westbrook viewed as a ball-stopper with irresponsible shot selection, but he has been labeled as a player that cannot properly man the point guard position.

Since going down with a torn meniscus, however, Westbrook's impact has been made clear—the Thunder, despite huge games from Kevin Durant, are helpless without him.

Serge Ibaka has suffered the most from Westbrook's absence. The big man is shooting 39.3 percent from the field since Westbrook went down, down 18 percent from his regular-season average. Simply put, Ibaka is not finding himself nearly as open as he's accustomed to on the offensive end.

For what it's worth, Westbrook was the only player in the NBA to rank in the top 10 in points, assists and steals during the 2012-13 regular season. Last time I checked, that well-rounded production is exactly what makes not only a great player, but an elite point guard.

Westbrook's done more for his career by missing games than he has by playing.

Read more Nate Robinson news on BleacherReport.com

Highlighting LA Lakers' Top Free Agent Target at Every Position

Ehran Khan — Tue, 14 May 2013 04:31:57 -0400

With no picks in the upcoming draft, free agency will be the Los Angeles Lakers’ only means (barring a trade) of re-tooling the roster on the heels of perhaps the most disappointing season in franchise history.

But even then there’s a catch.

See, the Lakers are shoulder-deep into luxury tax territory and have zero financial flexibility beyond retaining their own free agents.

Regardless of whether the organization has money to throw at big-name free agents or not, the NBA’s laws won’t allow them to. All the team can do is woo players with the lure of a big market, warm weather and championship aspirations, and hope that they sign for the veteran’s minimum.

Factoring in cost and team need, here are the Lakers’ top free-agent targets at each position.

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