While Sixers' leading scorer Andre Iguodala has struggled mightily for most of the first-round series against the Pistons, rookie Thaddeus Young is playing as if Detroit is just another regular-season opponent. And that's exactly the approach Young is taking.
"I know there's a lot at stake, but I'm just going out there playing basketball and having fun," Young said. "I'm not looking at it like a playoff game -- I'm looking at it like a regular game." The 6-8 Young has started all five games at power forward, although he's a natural small forward. He and Andre Miller were the only two Sixers to score double-figure points in the first four games of the series. He is averaging 10.8 points, shooting 22-for-42 (.524) from the field and 9-of-10 (.900) from the line.
"Once we inserted him in there during the regular season, we started seeing how effective he would be at the four," said Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks. "He's been able to guard fours and attack fours at the offensive end. His intelligence on the court has been very beneficial to him being able to stay on the court."
While Young's future in the league is probably at small forward, his ability to perform so well in his first postseason as the youngest player in the 2008 NBA playoffs has the Sixers optimistic about the No. 12 pick in last June's draft.
Pistons coach Flip Saunders has been impressed, too, calling Young a "rising star."
PISTONS 98, SIXERS 81: Philly moved within one game of elimination by dropping Game 5 Tuesday at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Trailing 3-2, the Sixers must win Thursday at the Wachovia Center to extend the series to a seventh game, which would be Saturday in southern Michigan. Detroit leads the series for the first time.
The Pistons took control right away by shooting 15-of-19 in the first quarter to jump ahead 35-21 and maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the way.
"They came out and really put us on our heels," said G Willie Green.
Andre Iguodala paced the Sixers with 21 points. Lou Williams added 16 points and Andre Miller had 13.
The Sixers shot .423 from the field to the Pistons' .581. Philly had five more turnovers (18) than assists (13), compared to Detroit's 27 assists and 17 turnovers.
