The veteran players had an inkling way back in the summer, in the pickup games in gyms in and around Philadelphia. They saw the skill, not to mention the will, in Willie Green. They saw a rookie who believed in himself.

They saw a no-frills approach. Nothing spectacular. Nothing dramatic. Just good, solid, basic stuff from a guy who never doubted that he belonged. The Sixers were never faced with having to find a way to keep the kid from Detroit Mercy on the roster. He made his own space.

"Willie's been stepping in like he's been playing for 7, 8 years," Aaron McKie said after last night's 103-100 overtime victory over the Atlanta Hawks. "Pickup ball isn't the same as the real thing, but we could see it, and now he's making the adjustments, playing the [shooting guard] position, creating. He's like the unknown factor for us, because a lot of people don't really know Willie Green; they might switch off him on defense, and he's been taking full advantage of the situation."

Green rang up 26 points last night, establishing a career high for the second time in the last three games, fighting through a five-turnover performance, including three in the 5-minute extra period. With the injured Allen Iverson shut down for the final eight games of the season, this stretch that has four games remaining has become the equivalent of a developmental league, particularly for Green and center Samuel Dalembert.

"I'm learning a lot from game to game," Green said. "Today, I just learned to get out on the fastbreaks, making sure I attack. I had some bad turnovers down the stretch, but the important thing is just knowing that the next play is going to come quick, that I have to clear my mind, get ready. I can't hang my head [after an error], because that might linger on, might affect me down the stretch."