Mike D'Antoni smiled when asked how Nate Robinson's 41-point explosion Friday night influences his rotation going forward.
"I'm going to sit him another 14 games, then get another 40-pointer," the Knicks coach said with a laugh. "That's how you do it."
Robinson's return from exile came with a bang against the Hawks. Robinson hit shots from everywhere and scored 21 of the team's final 25 points in the 112-108 overtime victory.
It was Robinson's first game since Dec. 1 against Phoenix, when Robinson found his way into D'Antoni's doghouse.
What followed was his agent asking for a trade, Robinson getting fined by the league and a whole lot of drama in Knicksville.
But D'Antoni celebrated New Year's Day with Robinson back on the floor, where he will be again when the Knicks play host to the Pacers tonight.
"He's playing," D'Antoni said. "I'm not going to grasp straws. Once you start to go down that road, I'm going to go down that road for a while.
"We're going with him."
Robinson was subdued after practice yesterday, crediting God for his performance and saying his time on the bench has not changed the way he plays.
"It was a humbling experience," Robinson said. "You don't want to take for granted the job we have. We have the best job in the world.
"I'm going to continue to be myself and keep playing the way I play."
D'Antoni went to Robinson to revive his team's offense after the Knicks lost three of their last four before Friday.
"We needed an offensive spark because I thought we were sputtering the last four or five games," D'Antoni said. "It seemed like we were slipping.
"I knew he could give us that. I just hope that the intensity, the level of concentration on defense, all of that stays the same. If it does, then he becomes a real good player for us and that's what we need."
Does the coach think Robinson got his message during the benching?
"I don't even go that far," D'Antoni said.
Robinson was ready when called upon Friday night, and said he'll remain that way.
"I'll do whatever coach asks me to do," Robinson said. "I'll be ready if I play two seconds, three minutes, 30 minutes, whatever.
"I'll be ready."
Robinson's resurgence means Larry Hughes will now take a seat on the bench.
Hughes has struggled since returning from a groin injury, leading D'Antoni to turn back to Robinson.
"I just felt like we needed something else," D'Antoni said. "Before then, Larry kind of gave us that. He was hitting 30 sometimes, 25 sometimes with good defense. He was a big part of why we were 9-6 in the month of December. For whatever reason, when he came back from injury he was kind of sliding down.
"He was like 3-for-22 in the last five games."
D'Antoni said Robinson could be a key in helping the Knicks get back to the playoffs.
"I knew at some time I would go back [to him]," D'Antoni said. "He's too talented of a player not to try again. I knew supposedly it's all personal. Nothing's personal. It's how can we make the playoffs and that's what this year is about.
"I'm going to try everything we can."
***
Jonathan Bender (sore left leg) is expected to return tonight after missing Friday's game.
The Pacers, without injured star forward Danny Granger since Dec. 5, broke an eight-game losing streak last night with a 122-111 win over Minnesota.
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