ORLANDO — Nate Robinson’s playing days with the Knicks may not be over, but are on hold and in jeopardy.
In a stunning development, Mike D’Antoni finally got fed up enough with Robinson’s antics and did not play him in last night’s 118-104 loss to the Magic at Amway Arena. The Knicks coach did not rule out the possibility of this being a permanent move and not a one-night message.
Robinson’s benching did not help them compete as they allowed the Magic 41 points in the third quarter, including eight 3-pointers, four by Rashard Lewis (20 points). It was Robinson’s first DNP-CD since December, 2007, and first of the D’Antoni era.
After the Knicks fell to 4-15, a testy D’Antoni repeatedly alluded to finding “winning” players and trying to “find a winning formula.”
“We want to win,” D’Antoni said. “If he’s conducive to winning, he’ll get back into the lineup. If he’s not, he’s not.”
Ironically, Robinson’s 22-point fourth quarter on Sunday kept the Knicks competitive vs. the Magic at the Garden. But the breaking point came Tuesday night vs. Phoenix when Robinson committed a ridiculous away-from-the-play foul on Goran Dragic after Grant Hill scored on a layup.
D’Antoni chewed out Robinson during the next timeout Tuesday for probably the millionth time, and the guard played just 10 minutes. He went scoreless in the Knicks’ 126-99 rout of Phoenix.
That propelled D’Antoni to make last night’s move and give rookie Toney Douglas 20 minutes. Douglas made the most of the chance — hitting 7 of 11 shots and scoring 17 points. Douglas is part of the future. Robinson is not.
D’Antoni got more defensive as he was being pressed on the Nate issue.
“I’m not going to explain everything,” D’Antoni said. “Why didn’t I play Darko [Milicic]? Why didn’t I play Marcus Landry last game? I’m not going to sit here and explain it. We want to build a winning group.”
As for permanence, D’Antoni said, “This is the way it is. Everything is fluid. We’re trying to get the best winners on the court at all times. There’s nothing definite.”
Robinson moved deep into D’Antoni’s doghouse 2½ weeks ago in Jersey when he shot at his own basket after taking an inbounds pass in the backcourt with .8 seconds left in the first quarter. The shot went in but didn’t count for the Nets as it came barely after the buzzer.
D’Antoni lit into him twice on the sidelines, but Robinson appeared to redeem himself and became their most prolific scorer off the bench, threatening to crack the starting lineup. Before Tuesday’s Phoenix game, Robinson had averaged 18 points in the five games prior, but D’Antoni still seethed over his defense.
Robinson, who signed a one-year, $4 million contract days before training camp, sat on the bench placidly and wasn’t his usual animated, towel-waving self. He took the demotion well but admitted to being “hurt.”
“You got to take the good with the bad,” Robinson said. “I want to help this team win and want to be that good teammate. I think I’ve been doing it. I have to get better at it.
“It’s the coach’s decision. He knows what he’s doing. I have to be patient. I want to play and help the team. It hurts. I’m a competitor.”
Eddy Curry (knee) didn’t make the trip, missing his fifth straight. . . . Danilo Gallinari, off his 27-point outburst, shot 5 of 14 (20 points).