http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/27/sports/basketball/27knicks.html

By HOWARD BECK
Published: November 27, 2005

Nate Robinson did not need to have his designer suit mangled and his shorts
coated with mentholated cream to remind him that he is just a rookie, that
New York is a tough place to work and that no matter how brightly he shines,
there will still be a burden to bear.

Robinson probably knew all of that before he hit the game-winning shot for
the Knicks yesterday, before he electrified Madison Square Garden in a
105-102 overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

But in case Robinson had any doubts, his teammates left some unsubtle
reminders. In a fit of creative hazing, they tied his suit and dress shirt
together, in knots. They lined his shorts with Icy Hot. And when Robinson
returned from his shower, his suit jacket was missing altogether. It had
been stashed in a nearby water jug.

More bemused than amused, Robinson sat half-naked, in a near-empty locker
room, wondering how to abide by the N.B.A. dress code with nothing but a
white towel to wear.

"This is what I get for hitting the game-winner? This is the appreciation I
get?" Robinson said to no one in particular, as a handful of team staffers
chuckled.

The big city can be cruel like that. Robinson may have his respect soon
enough. Robinson, a rookie guard, scored a career-high 17 points yesterday,
10 after halftime, and effectively checked the 76ers' Allen Iverson for much
of the afternoon. And he made his greatest mark in the final second.

Iverson had hit a 3-pointer to tie the score at 102-102 with 6.2 seconds
left. The Knicks inbounded immediately, and Stephon Marbury, cut off near
the top of the key, zipped the pass to Robinson in the right corner.
His 3-pointer passed through the rim as the buzzer sounded. Pandemonium
erupted.

Robinson jumped into the arms of Trevor Ariza and Quentin Richardson near
midcourt, and the rest of the team converged in a happy, hopping scrum of joy.

"That kid is unbelievable," Marbury said. "He's one of them kids you can't
live with, you can't live without."

The shot capped an emotionally draining afternoon in which the Knicks trailed
by 16, took the lead with a 23-4 run in the third quarter, pulled ahead by 9
points in the fourth, gave away the advantage and still found the resiliency
to make Coach Larry Brown beam with pride.

Channing Frye, the Knicks' top draft pick in June, had his first career
double-double - 21 points and 11 rebounds - in his first N.B.A. start.
Marbury scored a season-high 33 points, and Malik Rose added a season-high
13 points. Jamal Crawford, after missing his first seven shots, scored 11
points in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Iverson scored 40 points for the 76ers (7-7), but Robinson was roundly
praised for making him work for it.

The Knicks, after starting the season 0-5, won for the fourth time in seven
games to improve to 4-8.

And Robinson became the biggest star in the building, outshining Chazz
Palminteri, Woody Allen, Rosario Dawson and John McEnroe. Only three days
earlier, a frustrated Brown said of Robinson, "He's not a point guard.
Right now, he's a highlight film."

Robinson did not change into Magic Johnson overnight. He was typically wild
in the first half yesterday, committing three turnovers, earning a lecture
from Brown and counseling from Rose.

"I had a long talk with him this morning; I'm happy with him," Brown said.
"I just want him to listen and learn and try to get better. There's no way
we win tonight without him. He was terrific."

Iverson, a former Brown protege, passed on his own words of wisdom when he
met Robinson during pregame warmups.

"He was like, 'Coach Brown might be tough on you, but he's going to make you
better,' " Robinson said.

Iverson left the court impressed.

"The sky is the limit for him," Iverson said. " 'He's going to be fine.
He's got the best coach in the world on his side.' "

Chris Webber put back an Iverson miss with six-tenths of a second left in
regulation to tie the score at 94-94 and force overtime. After the Knicks
took a 6-point lead, Iverson hit a layup and two 3-pointers, setting up
Robinson's big moment.

"Me knocking down the game-winner is like something I've been dreaming about
forever," Robinson said. "I didn't know I'd be doing it in a Knick uniform."

Nor did he know he would leave this moment of glory wearing nothing but a
towel.

"This," Robinson said, "is the worst hazing ever."