Young rewarded with ‘Melo assignment in return

cvito@delcotimes.com

NEW YORK – The night started with Thad Young face down on a trainer’s table, getting treatment on his left hamstring. Young followed that up by sitting at his locker, looking at the Wite-board and asking a question about New York’s starting five.

The answer to whether Young would play for the first time in seven games was contained within some of that DryErase marker text.

“Is ‘Melo at the four? Then I’ll probably have to start on ‘Melo,” Young said of Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony.

Young, who

hadn’t played since straining his hamstring Feb. 4, got the go-ahead from the 76ers’ training staff to play Sunday at Madison Square Garden. The forward had missed six straight games, five of them losses. He returned two days ahead of his three-week rehab schedule.

Sixers coach Doug Collins said he would “keep my eye on him,” in regard to playing time for Young, a workhorse who was averaging careerhighs of 7.4 rebounds in 34 minutes per game before his injury.

Of course, having to guard the always-active Anthony might hinder that plan.

“I know Coach is real big on, when guys come back off injuries, trying to limit their minutes and keep them at a certain amount, making sure they’re not getting tired,” Young said. “When they get tired, you’re more prone to get injured. Hopefully I can go out there and withstand this game.”

So, what was Young’s plan for avoiding another muscle strain?

“When I get tired, try to get that sub – quick, fast, in a hurry,” he said, laughing.

Young had been participating in the Sixers’ practices last week, a good sign that his return was imminent. However, there’s only so much a guy can do to feel included in the gameplan when he’s watching most of practice from the sideline.

If he had to guess, Young said he’s more in-sync with the Sixers, while getting reacquainted to the speed of the game could take time.

Collins said he’s not worried about that. In- stead, he said he’s concerned with Young suffering further injury.

“I always worry about that being something lingering, but he says he feels good,” Collins said. “He gives us some speed – something we desperately need. (Saturday) night not only did we have no fastbreak points, we didn’t even have one attempt. He gives us some early offense and he gives us some points in the paint. Even though he’s not a post-up player, his activity – he gets that ball and he has that little move in the paint. I think he was fifth in the league (last season) in scoring in the paint. That tells you how much we need him.”

Friday, Andrew Bynum practiced. Saturday, the Sixers lost. Sunday, they were in New York to play the division-leading Knicks. The emotional dichotemy there is palpable. It’s been that way all season.

Keeping the Sixers on-task in a season that’s featured mostly downs, sprinkled with a few ups, isn’t easy.

“That’s my job. That’s what we get paid to do,” Collins said. “I’ve never been in a situation where I’ve ever played a game that didn’t matter. That’s my message to them.”

The ever-present question about Bynum’s return doesn’t change that message, he said.

“I don’t want them to be burdened down with what we’re supposed to be,” Collins said. “We have to be the team right now that we are and continue to try to find a way to win games and try to stay in the race.”

By CHRISTOPHER A. VITO