Endless possibilities for Sixers’ Thaddeus Young Posted on November 19th
THERE ARE, in the 76ers’ scheme of things, post plays for Elton Brand, point forward sets for Andre Iguodala, back-door lobs for Samuel Dalembert, one-on-one breakdown calls for Lou Williams and Willie Green. For Thaddeus Young, there is simply a vista of opportunity that stretches the length and breadth of the basketball court.
The precocious, second-year wing player is savvy enough to understand this won’t last, but through the first 10 games of the season he is the Sixers’ leading scorer, putting together averages of 16.3 points and 5.5 rebounds, shooting 51.5 percent from the floor and 39.4 from three-point distance.
“Well, that’s shocking [that he’s the leading scorer],” Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said yesterday after practice at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. “But I think if he had two points he would still have an impact on the game. It’s not like he’s got to score 20 points to have an impact. His impact is just based on the things that he does. No flash - offensive rebounds, runs the floor, beating people down the floor.”
Cases in point: Young shot just 3-for-5 in last Wednesday’s victory in Toronto, but had four rebounds, three steals and a block and contributed by defending against 6-10 Raptors star Chris Bosh, then switching to cover a shooting guard. In Friday night’s dramatic, come-from-way-behind victory in Indianapolis, he was a major factor, with 25 points and 10 rebounds, and has dropped in 21 of 33 shots over the last two games.
He is, far and away, their most improved player, the product of a dedicated, businesslike summer that included playing with the Sixers’ summer-league team in Las Vegas, participating in Tim Grgurich’s skills camp and spending time with shooting instructor Mark Price in Atlanta. But to Cheeks, that doesn’t mean Young came back as a changed player.
“Thad just does what he’s capable of doing,” Cheeks said. “He doesn’t try and do too much. We don’t run any plays for him. He kind of offensive rebounds, spots up, [is consistent at] coming down on the break. And he’s been making shots. He’s not doing anything I don’t think he did the latter part of the second half [of last season]. He’s just doing it a little bit better, and getting more opportunities.”
Young, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2007 draft, had been projected to need a season or more to fully acclimate to the pro game. Instead, he needed roughly half a season, starting 22 of the last 38 games as a rookie. He is playing even above that level now, physically stronger, slotted at small forward - his natural position - rather than power forward, where he spent a good chunk of last season. He runs and jumps just as effectively, but has extended his shooting range and improved his accuracy.
When somebody asked Cheeks whether, as Young continues to develop, he would begin calling plays for him, the coach laughed and said, “Why would I screw it up? . . . Because he may not realize he’s our leading scorer. If I start calling plays, he may start thinking about that; I want him to play the way he’s been playing, not thinking that he has to score. It’s not like he’s taking over the game, like you’re throwing the ball to him 20 times.”
Oh, he knows. But he also has an appreciation for what is coming next.
“I’m still kind of under the radar,” he said. “I kind of like it that way. [Opponents] pay more attention to Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand; those guys get the plays called for them, so they have to do a little more. Right now, I’m just out there playing - rebounding, getting steals, trying to get on the break, to do other things to help my team win games.
“It feels pretty good, but I know that’s probably going to change soon because a lot of guys are going to realize they can’t double [off me] anymore. Right now, I’m getting easy shots off them doubling Andre and Elton; I’m just making shots. I was just telling somebody, anybody in the league should be able to make a wide-open shot.”
Six shots
Samuel Dalembert (swelling, left knee) did not practice. Reggie Evans (bruised left thumb) was limited to noncontact, which, a reporter insisted, was “an impossibility” . . . The Sixers play tomorrow night at Minnesota, where the Timberwolves (1-8) have dropped their last eight, matching their longest losing streak of last season. They blew a nine-point lead in the final 6:25 and lost, 90-84, in Denver Sunday night, and have given back leads of at least nine in five of the last seven games . . . The Sixers are making 2,000 tickets priced at $10 available for the four remaining home games this month and all home games in December, beginning Friday night vs. the Los Angeles Clippers. The tickets are available exclusively via Comcast TIX at www.sixers.com, at 1-800-298-4200 or at select Acme Markets. Coupons also will be available starting starting Dec. 1 at participating Taco Bell and KFC locations. *
For more Sixers coverage, read
the Daily News’ Sixers blog, Sixerville, at
http://go.philly.com/sixerville.