Nate returns to Garden but might not play

Perhaps it's fitting that the last time Nate Robinson wore a Knicks jersey, it was when he won his third Slam Dunk title at the NBA All-Star Weekend on Feb. 13. His career in New York was loaded with entertaining moments by one of the league's dynamic showmen; he provided some rare joy and entertainment during an era of losing.

Yet he also was viewed as a player whose showmanship was emblematic of exactly why it was an era of losing.

Tuesday night he returns to the Garden for the first time since he was traded to the Celtics on Feb. 18. There's no question the 5-9 athletic dynamo gave his heart and soul whenever he played, but what's also certain is that he was maddening to every coach he played for here.

Perhaps even Doc Rivers is starting to lose interest. In Sunday's win over the Cavaliers, Robinson recorded his first DNP-CD since he arrived in Boston. After the game, Rivers said Robinson and Marquis Daniels were out of the rotation.

The timing couldn't be worse for Robinson, who has been looking forward to his first game back at the Garden. On his Twitter account Monday, he said, "Wonder how it's going to be, gotta love the Garden."

He has averaged 6.1 points and shot 38.8 percent from the field in 21 games with Boston since the trade, which is hardly the offensive pop off the bench the Celtics were looking for when they made the deal. With the Knicks, Robinson averaged 13.2 points and shot 45.2 percent in 30 games. He is averaging 15 minutes per game less with Boston than he did with the Knicks.

The Knicks were pleased with the trade, mainly because they believe they got something out of it in Bill Walker. Walker, 22, has proved to have the right kind of skills and athleticism to be a solid role player.

The Knicks won't be playing any retrospective video montages, but if Robinson gets into the game, there is expected to be a warm reception. "I talked to him and he said he might shed a few tears," said Robinson's closest friend, Eddy Curry.

Mike D'Antoni, who was the latest of Robinson's three Knicks coaches to clash with the ebullient guard, shrugged when told Robinson is looking forward to the game and the reception from the Garden crowd.

"The crowd loved him, and rightly so," D'Antoni said. "It should be fun for him . . . I'm worried about [Kevin] Garnett, [Ray] Allen. I'm worried about let's just make this a good show for the fans and let's just stay in the game."

Mobley waived. The Knicks waived retired guard Cuttino Mobley after the NBA granted them payroll relief on Mobley's $9.5-million salary. The move lowers the Knicks' payroll to $76 million and will save the Knicks almost $10 million in luxury-tax payments this year. Mobley was acquired from the Clippers with Tim Thomas in the Zach Randolph salary dump Nov. 21, 2008. He never played a game for the Knicks because during a physical, it was discovered that his known heart condition had worsened. He retired on Dec. 11, 2008.

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