Monday, April 11, 2011
Posted: 12:18 a.m.
By Dei Lynam
CSNPhilly.com
Eighty games down and two left to play leaves little for the imagination. However when the Sixers said Lou Williams was talking after practice Sunday, ears perked and minds raced.
Is he healthy? Will he play in the postseason? There were compelling questions that received obvious answers.
I had to swim 15 to 20 minutes and stretch all these chords, Williams said of his Saturday workout that was productive for his body but taxing on his brain. I do feel really confident that I will be able to play come play-off time. I am feeling good.
As good as he feels, dont count on Williams keeping swimming and weight lifting as part of his regiment when he is healthyit is just not his thing.
I am not having a lot of fun, Williams said laughing about the rehab he has to do in order to reach his goal of returning for the playoffs. It is a lot of good stuff that I do for me to get back on the court but hopefully once I am back on the court I can continue to do what I was doing before.
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Williams is definitely missed. He has a knack for scoring. He brings great energy. And he is a bubbly personality on a team that has good guys but is difficult when it comes to taking their pulse.
The Sixers lost the game in which he strained his hamstring and the two games that followed. They did beat the Raptors on Friday but it was a struggle. Williams comes off the bench, but he arguably is as important as any starter.
The good news is when he returns, history says he will play as if he never missed a beat.
He was away for his babys birth and then came to Phoenix and played very well for us, Doug Collins said. I was one of the guys who did not come back well if I was out for a while. Lou seems to respond well.
When Williams joined the team in Phoenix in late December, as Collins pointed out, he had 10 points and four assists in a victory. And the next game against the Lakers he had 18 points.
Last year when Williams missed nearly a month because of a broken jaw, he returned and shot 2 for 9 in his first game back. Shortly thereafter, Williams was back to his old selfwhich is a streaky shooter with or without injury. But he attracts attention and defenses fear him because he can get on a scoring roll in a hurry.
As for the rest of the team, they had a full 24 hours away from the gym and each other. Collins believes that was the perfect remedy for a team that admitted it was tired.
After that day of rest Sunday was a good contact practice because six days from now the Sixers could find themselves in their first pla-off game and no matter whom the opponent and the Sixers need certain things to be sharp.
We have to start reviewing some things we havent done in awhile, Collins said. Our guys were good today. They had a bounce in their step. I think guys seeing the sunshine helps; it puts you in a good mood.
A good mood, healthy bodies and sharp minds will all be necessary come next weekend when the Sixers will face either New York or Miami in the first of a possible seven game series.
E-mail Dei Lynam at dlynam@comcastsportsnet.com
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