The Knicks will attempt to even their home-and-home series with the Raptors tonight in Toronto, last night’s 102-95 defeat officially eliminating New York from playoff contention. Amidst the never-ending Chris Bosh speculation, the New York Times‘ Howard Beck take time to note Nate Robinson’s new barnet.
While he gushed about New York and called D™Antoni œan offensive genius, Chris Bosh may fairly wonder what sort of team he would be joining here. Most of the current Knicks are not under contract in 2010. Their best prospect, Danilo Gallinari, is heading for back surgery. And their most talented guard, Nate Robinson, is a restricted free agent who showed up Saturday with orange and blue stripes on his head.
Robinson, ever straddling the line between competitor and entertainer, spray-painted the stripes to highlight his mohawk haircut. At a distance, he looked like a stray member of the Knicks City Kids dance team. As it turns out, the kids lent Robinson the spray paint and goaded him into the new look.
œThey kept asking me for the last, like, three or four years, so I was like, ˜All right,™ Robinson said. œJust trying to put a smile on everybody™s face.
Teammates jokingly referred to him as œthe new Dennis Rodman. D™Antoni had a different impression.
œThe circus is in town, he said with a smirk. œI thought it was a tribute to it.