View From The Other Side

The reputation follows him like a stray dog.

A mangy mutt that shows up every spring and won’t go away. Complete with a choke chain and tags.

Cliff Robinson, playoff no-show; Clifford Clank, postseason bust.

“It used to bother me, especially the first few years when everyone was talking about it,” Robinson said. “But not anymore.”

With Robinson, you only hope that tomorrow is different. A man who deserves much more than to be saddled with such a legacy.

But the days are running out.

On Sunday, the Suns were smoked by the Lakers and there is little hope in sight. Jason Kidd was more question mark than answer, and his tender ankle may become an issue once again.

The ever-dependable Rodney Rogers played like he was back in a Clipper uniform. Shaquille O’Neal had a terrible first quarter and still finished with 37 points.

And Robinson’s playoff saga continued to get worse.

The Suns’ leading scorer made four baskets and missed seven shots. In the current postseason, his scoring has spiraled to 13 points a game. And when he missed his only shot of the fourth quarter, he crossed his own personal Mendoza line.

In his 11-year career, Robinson is now shooting under 40% in 90 playoff games.

“When you miss a few, you put more pressure on yourself to make the next one,” Robinson said. “I had some good looks. My shot felt good. I just didn’t get it done.”

Much of the reputation is unfair, a gross generalization. In his early years in Portland, Robinson was temperamental, immature, unpredictable. But who he was then is nothing like who he has become. A player who matured into something special. A fighter, a leader, a stand-up guy who should’ve been an all-star this past season.

But numbers are numbers, on display for everyone. Feeding a reputation, the dog that Robinson can’t seem to shake.

Every year in his lengthy career, Robinson’s postseason production has paled to his regular-season output. Two years ago against San Antonio, he shot 27% from the field. This year against the Spurs, it was 29%.

And now this.

. . . [This is] the wrong time of year to be missing jump shots.

There is no shame in losing to the Lakers. But it would be a pity if the lasting image of Robinson is what he didn’t do in the playoffs.

Overshadowing everything he did to make the moment happen.