Williams begins making progress

HOUSTON - Louis Williams had quite a few fans watching him play for the 76ers in his hometown of Atlanta, many of whom egged him on to shoot every time he touched the basketball.

After one noisy fan sitting near courtside yelled his encouragement and Williams missed a 20-footer, Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks looked at the man and said, "Don't tell him to shoot it."

On the next Sixers possession, however, after a Hawks turnover, the 6-foot-1 Williams broke free for a dunk. Cheeks sought out the same man and cracked, "Now tell him to shoot it."

Or as Williams said Saturday night after the Sixers' 104-89 victory, "That's what 25 tickets gets you; somebody's got to yell for you, right?"

Williams, the 20-year-old project who was drafted by the Sixers in 2005 out of South Gwinnett High School in suburban Atlanta, felt a lot better during this most recent stop in Georgia. It marked the third straight game in which he backed up starter Andre Miller at point guard.

With the new role, at least for the time being, Williams is apparently more comfortable.

"I'm feeling better and better every game," he said. "I just try to go out there and give these guys opportunities to score the basketball. I don't put a lot of pressure on myself. I just go out and play because there's not a lot I can lose at this point, so I'm just trying to get better game after game.

"I felt good just to know you're a part of winning, a part of losing, a part of the whole process instead of just going out and practicing and working out all the time. It always feels good when you're contributing."

Cheeks said he is getting a better measure of Williams' progress by seeing him in games, and he's liking what he sees.

"His progress has been great," Cheeks said. "We had practice [last week] and I could clearly see the difference from when he first came in to where he is now. I think the way he has approached practice has allowed him to get better. He has shown that he can get out on the floor and be productive.

"I want him to get out on the floor more. I want him in games to see his progress. Certainly, you can go to practice and you can do all these things at practice and if you never get a chance in a game, you'll never believe you can do it. He feels comfortable."

The season started in a rocky fashion for Williams, who was on the inactive list for the first seven games. The Sixers sent him to their NBA Developmental League affiliate in Fort Worth, Texas, on Nov. 28, and Williams worked his way back to the parent club in 11 days by averaging 26.0 points, 8.0 assists and 1.7 steals in three games while shooting 71.1 percent from the field.

"The way he approached going to the NBDL was so positive for him," Cheeks said. "Then coming back, I think he took all the things into account. I think he's just gotten better from them."

Williams is quick and can get up the floor in a hurry on the fastbreak, but his shot continues to be a work in progress. He is making only 35.8 percent of his field-goal attempts and 52.0 percent of his free throws. But in his last nine appearances, he has made 11 of 17 shots from the field.

He likes being in the rotation, doing his best to contribute. That's why he looked forward to seeing friends and family after the game, ready to hit the town.

"It definitely feels better," he said. "I can have a good time tonight."

Visiting Houston. The Sixers, winners of four of their last six, continue their three-game road trip tonight against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center. In their last nine games, the Rockets, without Yao Ming (fractured right tibia), have had streaks of four wins, three defeats and two wins.