Why so surprised by Nate?

What is it about Nate Robinson that makes his success in tonight's NBA Eastern Conference Finals game 6 so surprising?

Is it the freakish athleticism? He's been arguably the best pound-for-pound athlete in the NBA for several seasons, so it can't be that. He's made enough jaw-dropping plays to prove this.

Is it the sometimes-phenomenal outside shooting? Nate the Great has been a streaky 3-point shooter since his days at the University of Washington. When he's in rhythm, he's about as good as they come from beyond the arc.

Is it his upper-tier intensity? OK, this hasn't always been at the forefront of his game. But when Robinson is put in high-pressure situations — rarely happened in New York — he's an alpha dog. Think Dwight Howard and Vince Carter, except the opposite.

Yeah yeah yeah, this 5-foot-7 jumping bean is a Dunk Contest sideshow who famously defeated Superman himself, Dwight Howard. But earlier tonight, he proved kryptonite works in regulation, too.