The Boston Celtics fell to a game seven defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2010. Boston was 3-2 up heading into game five, but lost back-to-back matchups against the Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol-led Lakers.
Nate Robinson was part of the Celtics rotation for that playoff run. During an exclusive interview with Heavy on Sports, courtesy of mBit Casino, Robinson shared his belief that he and Glen “Big Baby” Davis could have swung that fateful game seven in the Celtics’ favor.
“I wish Doc had played me and Big Baby a little more in Game 7 of the Finals to win the championship,” Robinson said. “I think we could’ve made a difference. We could’ve come out on top and won that championship. Instead, it was Kobe [Bryant] getting that beautiful confetti falling for the Lakers. That one hurt a lot.”
According to Cleaning The Glass, the Celtics were -2.3 points per 100 possessions worse when Davis and Robinson shared the court together. However, their two-man game and Robinson’s explosiveness with the ball in his hands may have been a beneficial spark to Rivers’ half-court system.
Unfortunately, Robinson can only sit back and wonder about what might have been.
Robinson Shares Favorite Moment With the Celtics
In game four of the 2010 NBA Finals, Davis dropped a game-winning shot to tie the series, rather than fall 3-1 behind. Moments after the bucket, Robinson jumped on his back. And while neither knew it at the time, it became an iconic moment among Celtics fans, who even dubbed it “Shrek & Donkey.
During his interview with Heavy on Sports, Robinson recalled that moment as being his favorite as a member of the Celtics organization.
“One of my favourites was when Big Baby got that air one and I jumped on his back,” Robinson recalled. “We got to talk on the podium to the media afterward. Me and Big Baby had a great energy. It was super cool to share that moment with him. That was during the Finals, playing in the Finals is something you dream about as a kid, playing in front of millions, your friends and family.”
Robinson Blames Rivers For Costly Decision
Robinson was with the Celtics for parts of two seasons. During his time with the franchise, he had a bonus in his contract. The stipulation would have seen Robinson pocket a $1.6 million bonus if he played a certain number of games. However, with just one game remaining to trigger the payment, Rivers opted to keep him glued to the bench.
To this day, Robinson believes Rivers purposely made that decision.
“Oh man,” Robinson said. “The one I wish I could get back was a game where Doc [Rivers] gave me a DNP. I should’ve played. I had it in my contract that if I played one more game, I’d get a $1.6 million bonus. My coach sat me down. I think Doc did it purposely. I wish I could get that game back… That’s a huge bonus, especially for a guy who never had that before. That was tough.”
Unfortunately for Robinson, he never triggered his additional payment. However, he did go on to play for another four seasons in the NBA, which likely softened the blow of such a large financial loss.
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