In the demanding and unforgiving world of what-have-you-done-for-me-lately professional sports, Alvin Williams has done a great deal.

In his last six games, the Raptors point guard has poured in 94 points ? an average of 15.6 a game ? and shot 46.4 per cent from the floor. Toss in 31 assists and 14 steals over that stretch and it's fair to say that the former Villanova point guard has done his best to keep Toronto's head above water as the team tries to weather the worst injury assault in recent memory.

And yet for all the good he's done over the last six games, Williams' inability to make a clutch free throw or two or in the last two games or sink the winning shot at the buzzer against Charlotte on Wednesday night is probably what most fans think of when his name is mentioned.

Raptors coach Lenny Wilkens believes that is grossly unfair.

"You can't say he's come up short," Wilkens said after his club's two-hour workout yesterday in preparation for tonight's clash with the white-hot Detroit Pistons at the Air Canada Centre (7 p.m., Sportsnet, Fan 590). "He's been a big-game player for us and you don't take two situations out of, say, 42 and say he was successful for 40 but missed two and as a result not give him the ball again. That's not right and I wouldn't do that."