"Three-time slam dunk contest champion Nate Robinson won't defend his crown this year in Los Angeles, and even though he said he was fine with watching the All-Star Weekend event from the sideline, it didn't sound like it wasn't entirely his choice.

"I don't know what the NBA's doing, man,'' Robinson said yesterday. "You've got to ask them.''

Last year in Dallas, Robinson used a two-handed, 360-degree dunk off an alley-oop to beat DeMar DeRozan, Gerald Wallace, and Shannon Brown, adding to the dunk titles he won in 2006 and 2009. His three wins are the most in contest history."