Young meanwhile understood the rest of the season would not be as easy as the first couple of weeks. “A lot of people didn’t really know what I could do. And I like that a lot,” said Young early in the season. “Opposing teams are worrying more about Andre Igoudala and Elton Brand. Those are the guys who our system is built around. But that will probably change soon. Opponents are realizing that they can’t leave me alone any more. Right now, I’m getting easy shots because my defenders are helping out on Andre and Elton. I was recently talking to somebody about that and said: Everybody in this league should be able to hit wide open shots.” And Young’s words hit the nail right on the head. There are no secrets in the NBA. Every team employs a number of scouts. And those watching Thaddeus Young knock down everything open got the word out quickly. And teams started covering the Sixers’ new scoring threat. Young was being covered tighter and more intensively. So it was no surprise that his averages started dropping.

(ZÜ) Position switch

By now, Young has been able to adapt his game. He is, after all, a brilliant student of the game. “I try to hold my own more and more, both offensively and defensively. I am trying to get my hands on loose balls and score some easy baskets in transition,” said Young. But things are not as simple as the former Slam Magazine dairy writer states. Young may be an excellent fast break player who gets a lot of “easy baskets”. But they don’t add up to 20 or more points every night like they did in March. More important for coach DiLeo is that Young is a good all-arounder. And that showed at the earlier mentioned contest in Portland. Young went right and left to complete drives and also scored on mid-range jumpers, three-pointers, tip-ins, free throws (4 of 4) and slam dunks on the break. How can you defend that kind of versatility? After the game, which the 76ers won 114-108 in overtime, the box score read 25 points and seven rebounds for Young. And that proved to be a typical day at the office for the lefty.

What makes Young so much more fascinating is the fact that he is a combo-forward – more small forward than power forward. Usually players who move between two positions have a negative label. Not big or strong enough for the four, not quick and versatile enough for the three – is the usual calling. And Tweeners usually eventually lose their value and their importance. But Ratliff called Young “a postive Tweener”. “Regardless if he plays the three or the four, he always has an advantage,” said the experienced center. “He is bigger than most small forwards and as the ability and athleticism to keep up with them. And on offense he can post them up. He has really worked a lot on his low post game and become a very good post player. He is even our most dangerous scorer on the boards. He can even use his athleticism and quickness to beat fours and fives. He is a player who can switch between two positions. But that makes him better.”

Young has proven that he can become comfortable and be successful anywhere on the court. After becoming a starter for 22 of the last 38 games of his rookie season, he took over the power forward spot and scored 10.6 points in 29.2 minutes. Young started all six of Philadelphia’s playoff games, which eventually ended in a series loss to Detroit, and averaged 10.2 points a contest. After the off-season acquisition of Brand, Young made room and moved to the small forward position and as mentioned had excellent success. But Brand dislocated his shoulder in December and missed the rest of the season. The Sixers returned to their small-ball style and put Young back at the power forward position. And the tireless worker made life for his defenders a living hell.

All the position changes beg the obvious question. Which position does he enjoy playing the most? “I am ready to do whatever the team needs from me,” said Young diplomatically. “I have no problem playing power forward. I like it actually because I’m quicker than most fours in the league and can run the court better than them.” So, he would rather play PF? “No, no,” Young counters laughing. “If I had to decide then I would pick my original position small forward. But it’s an advantage if I play power forward. That just makes us a quicker team.” Once again, there are many forms of quickness – and the multi-talent Thaddeus Young seems to have them all.

Related Posts:

• Thaddeus Young: The positive tweener
• The LeBronism Era?
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• Linkin’ all over the world No.1

Text: Johannes Korge

Whenever a player shorter than 6-foot makes noise in the NBA, it sparks special feelings for the league’s fans – especially the youngest ones. Players like Muggsy Bogues (5-foot-3), Earl Boykins (5-foot-5) or Spud Webb (5-foot-6) were most likely the shortest guys on the court in their early days and often ridiculed and not taken seriously. Yet, all three not only reached the NBA but established themselves and made millions during their solid, respectable careers.

Still, if these diminutive players can play with the best, fastest and mainly tallest ballers in the world, why can’t a fan of similar stature? Maybe on the asphalt or in a local club. But not in the NBA.

Webb and company show that talent, desire and effort can make up for the missing few inches. And there are a share of players at or below the magical 6-foot who not only keep up with the rest of the league but dominate it more often than not. All-Stars like Chris Paul and Allen Iverson have led their teams for years now. But fans still ooh and ah and cringe and cross their fingers any time one of the short fellas roam with the giants in the paint. And it’s exhilarating to think about a guy playing in the NBA but needing to jump to reach the top shelf in the supermarket. Still, these guys are among the best guards in the best league in the world.

That brings us to Nate Robinson – also known as “Nate the Great” and “Kryptonate”. Armed with an enormous confidence, the 5-foot-9 guard has played his way into the hearts of New York Knicks fans – as well as onto the “Most Wanted” list of supporters from teams around the league. After many successful baskets – preferably dunks, the combo-guard lets out a scream. But what is he screaming about? Satisfaction? Probably not. Aggression? Closer. What about 100 percent pure motivation, nearing counterproductive overzealousness? Bingo!

But it doesn’t even have to be a dunk of his own. At the end of January, the Phoenix Suns were visiting the Big Apple. With 3:36 left in the second quarter, Knicks forward David Lee surprised Suns big man Amar’e Stoudemire with a nice slam – plus the foul. Robinson was so impressed with his teammate’s move that the guard jumped off the bench and gave Stoudemire a bodybuider pose, letting the 13-inch taller Stoudemire know how foolish he looked in getting dunked upon by Lee. The referee gladly gave Robinson a technical foul and the Suns followed with a 13-3 run.

New York was able to win the game but afterwards Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni offered an interesting comment about his temperamental jumping bean Robinson. “That’s the reason why we don’t carry weapons. I could have shot him at that point,” said the coach. Of course it was a joke. But there was a sense of frustration and truth after likely the dumbest technical foul of the season. “We are not good enough to just give away points. I like his fearlessness. But he has to steer it in the right direction,” added D’Antoni. But that is Nate Robinson – fearless, motivated to the end and three-quarters under control. And his averages of 17.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season for the Knicks are all career highs.

The San Antonio Spurs experienced in the first game after the All-Star break what can happen if Robinson keeps his emotions under control and lets his game do the talking. With the Slam Dunk Contest trophy fresh in his memory, Robinson showed the Spurs that he is much more than just an abnormally athletic freak – dropping an impressive 32 points and 10 rebounds.

But that was just half the story. Points 25 and 26 knotted the game just before the end of regular. In overtime against one of the top title contenders, Robinson made Madison Square Garden his own stage, scoring six straight points and bringing the Garden into a frenzy. His final basket – a spectacular layup against San Antonio’s 6-foot-11 Tim Duncan – pushed the noise level at the Garden so high that even Nate’s teammates may not have heard his primal scream. “He is a wonderful player,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich of Robinson. “Besides his athleticism, he also has a certain brashness. He really gives everything he has.”

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• “Nate the Great”?

• Carolyn of the Cleveland.com AndOne blog talked about a topic that matters: Free throws! How fitting is it that her blog is called “and one” and talks about free throws?
• Toronto onces again ties up to Europe – this time with Pops Mensah-Bonsu. Jeff of Pete Marasmitch gives us his view on the new acqusation from Spain, where Pops made his money in the Euroleague
• What if the internet existed in 1989 in the same way as it does today? How would the NBAers of 1989 use it? “A stern warning” really manages it to bring John Stockton and the iPhone together!
• I love his power rankings – but somehow his site creeps me out! Don’t you think?
• A last glance at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. If you have ever been to the Philadelphia sports complex you probably are amazed by this area. You will find the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers and of course Sixers in one place. This Italian gives us his thoughts on the former home of the Sixers: the Spectrum!
• This is what I call unselfish – when I asked the guys (and girls) for their links, this guy sent me links from other blogs. He still wrote them, but for other sites: This time: Oleksiy Pecherov is having a historic season.
• Post about the free agents of the Houston Rockets over at the dream shake
• Probably the post of the week: The lesser known nick names of the NBA
• A big fall over at interbasket to round up the first week of our links

Related Posts:

• The LeBronism Era?
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• Allen Iverson interview: part II
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• Lean back and enjoy the LeBron show
• The Big Bricker