Either Love or Hate Nate

When you imagine a player celebrating on the court, you might think of Michael Jordan after crossing over Bryon Russell and hitting the game winner, or Derek Fisher after his miracle .4 shot. Each of these plays sealed a victory in an intense playoff matchup so the reaction was expected. But what about a player that sits on the bench for most of the game and then makes one good play and starts celebrating?

In the 2010 NBA Finals, Celtics backup point guard Nate Robinson did just that. He averaged 10 minutes per game and the second that he forced a turnover or delivered a solid assist, he began pounding his chest and flexing his muscles. An NBA fan of any team other than the Celtics would have cringed - why is this little guy celebrating when he has hardly done anything? But as a Celtics fan, you have to love Nate. The 5-9 point guard can step on the floor and immediately provide a spark off of the bench, particularly at a time when the offense is stagnant. Even when he is not on the floor, he is active on the sidelines, cheering his teammates on. A player that can single handedly shift momentum back to his team is a valuable player, albeit one incredibly frustrating to watch if he is on the opposing team.