Deep Sixer

There is something to be said about winning ugly. Then again, the Sixers aren’t in the position to give back any games.
So at least it was encouraging that on a night when they couldn’t shoot their way out of paper bag, a plastic bag or any bag for that matter, they were able to record a W.
The only thing worse than winning an ugly game is losing one, something that could have happened had Nick Young’s last-second three-pointer gone in.
Instead the Sixers were able to overcome the shooting deficiencies of two of their top offensive threats to beat the Washington Wizards, 85-84.
Let’s face it, the Sixers aren’t going to win many games when Kyle Korver and Andre Iguodala are a combined 5 for 29 from the field. Or on a night when Iguodala misses his final 16 shots.
So there is something positive to take out of this. The Sixers did two things well that they haven’t done for much of the season – they converted clutch free throws and did a good job taking care of the ball.
Overall the Sixers were 19 for 26 from the foul line (73.1 percent) and were 13 for 15 in the fourth quarter, when they outscored Washington, 17-16.
The Sixers got 19 points and 11 rebounds from Samuel Dalembert and more importantly he played more than 41 minutes.
Whether people think he is a top center or not, the Sixers are better team when he can stay out on the floor for substantial minutes
We’re not so sure the Sixers defense was great or that the Wizards offense was inept, but for now that doesn’t matter.
This is a team that has been going on a win one, lose three mode and now the Sixers have won 2 of 3.
It might be small progress, but the Sixers need wins because their confidence isn’t at an all-time high yet.
In the locker room afterwards, the players seemed pleased to win when they were far from being at their best, but were smart enough to realize that this is a path they can’t consistently follow.
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Here we go again, addressing the same subject about criticizing the 76ers.
In the most recent blog, one reader in particular has criticized yours truly for not ripping the players more. (By the way, if you want any personal answers, leave your e-mail address and we’ll get back to you whether you rip us or not. Just like the players, we have to be able to take the heat).
In blogsville, fans are calling for more criticism of the players, specifically Willie Green.
We wrote this last month, but apparently people aren’t happy until they see somebody destroyed in print.
Green is who he is, a streaky offensive player (who hasn’t been on a very good streak this year).
He is shooting 37.6 percent from the field. On a good team he would be coming off the bench and being part-time contributor.
On the Sixers he is averaging nearly 30 minutes per game. Is that too many?
Sure, with the way he is playing right now, but all those people who want to flat out insult the guy with one unflattering comment after another, aren’t going to get that here.
The people who want him out will say that Lou Williams or Rodney Carney deserve the minutes.
Williams has been playing well lately, and has been a major spark off the bench. If the Sixers want to give him more minutes (he is averaging under 22) that’s fine. Although with Williams and Andre Miller on the floor at the same time, opposing guards will be licking their chops at the prospect of driving to the basket.
Despite his recent play, it says here that Williams is still better off the bench, unless of course Miller gets traded.
As for Carney, it’s hard to say that he has earned more playing time with the way he has shot (3 for 20 from three- point range).
Carney played well in the preseason, but has not looked comfortable in the regular season. And it hasn’t helped that now when he goes in, he’s trying to impress so much that the mistakes are multiplying.
So that brings us back to Green. So many people say to trade him.
My response - good luck.
He is making between $3 million and $3.9 million in each of the next four seasons, counting this one. While it’s not an outlandish contract, it also isn’t easy to move for a player most perceive as a backup.
Could the Sixers do other things such as start Andre Iguodala at the two-guard and give Thaddeus Young more minutes at the three?
That might work. Maybe Green could be a better player giving a spark off the bench.
But for people to make him the whipping boy for the problems is kind of ridiculous.
The major problem is that none of the five starters is playing as well as they did last year.
Iguodala is showing signs of coming out of his early funk. Andre Miller isn’t close to what he was at the end of last year. Samuel Dalembert, after a good start, has reverted back to being inconsistent.
Reggie Evans has had good games and bad games, and while he rebounds well, he has shown some holes in his defensive game. We won’t even get into the offensive aspect.
And other than the opener against Toronto and the win over Milwaukee, Kyle Korver has been way below his play from a year ago.
If the other players would step up their game, maybe everybody wouldn’t point to Green.
The fact is that all of the main players have to show significant improvement.
As stated below, there isn’t much more to say. There is no sense beating these players into the ground. We all know they have to play better and that they are capable of more. It’s as simple as that.
And for those in blogsville who are seeking character assassination, the suggestion is to go look in another direction.

It would be too simple to suggest that the 76ers didn’t come to play in Wednesday’s 106-95 loss to the visiting Utah Jazz.
No, the Sixers didn’t come close to matching their performance in Tuesday’s 114-99 win at Milwaukee, but they didn’t give a haphazard effort.
They were simply outplayed by a better team.
Keep in mind, that the Sixers were playing a very good team. And we know that the Jazz lost to the New York Knicks on Monday, but Utah was a Western Conference finalist last year and will be a threat this season.
Few teams play team basketball as well as the Jazz. And if the Sixers ever want to entertain thoughts of beating Utah, then they have to play out of their minds. That obviously didn’t happen.
What the game showed is that the Sixers continue to have trouble defending top-flight point guards.
They had no answer for Deron Williams, who had 15 points and 15 assists. Even though Jason Kidd earlier had a triple double (16 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists) against the Sixers, Williams may have controlled the game more.
The Sixers quickly discovered the difference between playing against Milwaukee’s Mo Williams and Deron Williams. And it was more than just one syllable in the first name.
Don’t be surprised if Deron Williams, now in his third season, earns his first all-star berth. And if he does, also don’t be surprised if many of the plays on his highlight tape come from Wednesday’s game.
The Sixers at least weren’t using the excuse that they were playing back to back games. That is a good sign.
The players realized that their defense was lacking, especially against a team that cuts of screens as well as Utah.
The Sixers also missed several makeable shots inside.
What is most disappointing is that they had gained real momentum by winning in Milwaukee and in less than 24 hours, it had dissipated.
Now the Sixers have to once again rebound off the canvas as they continue to try to string two consecutive wins together.
While everybody (especially the writers) would have enjoyed a day off, it’s actually good that Cheeks called practice for Thursday, coming off back to back games.
The message was sent loud and clear – that there were too many flaws in the Utah game to be rewarded with a day off.

MILWAUKEE -- The 76ers showed what happens when they have crisp ball movement and are able to hit from the perimeter to stretch a defense.
Both attributes were there in arguably their best effort of the season, a 114-99 win over Milwaukee, handing the Bucks their first home loss after six victories.
The Sixers had 31 assists to 10 turnovers, a ratio that will win a lot of games in the NBA.
The return of Kyle Korver - the Korver we saw opening night and for much of last year - made all the difference for the Sixers.
Korver had 20 points and was 4 of 5 from beyond the arc. When he is hitting his jumper, it stretches the defense, pulls them out and then provides great spacing for the Sixers.
In so many games, the Sixers have dribbled the ball too much in half-court sets, but not against the Bucks.,
Another key was that Andre Iguodala was hitting from the perimeter.
Teams had to play him honest in the outside and then he was able to drive by defenders, which was mainly the way he earned 11 assists.
And the Sixers decided to welcome Samuel Dalembert back to the offense.
He had been the recipient of mainly garbage points recently, but against the Bucks, especially in the second half, he was highly effective on pick and roll plays. Dalembert had 22 points, 16 in the second half.
And it was also the best all-around effort from Andre Miller who had 18 points nine assists and eight rebounds.
Throw in solid effort sof fhte bnech from Lou Williams (6 assists) and Jason Smith and it all added up to an impressive showing.
One thing the Sixers continue to show is resiliency. They could have held their heads low after losing to Detroit and Golden State by a total of seven points over the weekend.
This was against a Bucks team that was 6-0 at home and had just beaten Dallas.
Of course in the NBA, the Sixers can only enjoy this win a few hours because of Wednesday’s tough matchup against the visiting Utah Jazz.
Still, this is a win that the team should build on. The players seemed as happy as they have been all season in the locker room and rightfully so.
This was total team work and after losing seven of their last eight games, the Sixers were finally rewarded for their persistence.

The 76ers have dealt with their share of criticism over the last few years and much of it has been deserved.
Yet one thing that can’t be disputed is the Sixers’ desire to win, something that was questioned in Sunday’s New York Daily News column by Mitch Lawrence.
It was also suggested that Larry Brown would take over as coach next season for Maurice Cheeks, which is far from a new or an outlandish thought.
The article stated the Sixers are open to fielding offers for Andre Miller. The team vehemently denied that last week.
And if one takes the team at its word, nobody would still be shocked if Miller is dealt by the Feb. 21 trading deadline.
The part of the article that the Sixers took offense to the most was when Lawrence wrote that Brown wouldn’t be replacing Cheeks anytime soon, meaning this season.
“The idea expressed in private by team execs, is to keep losing during the post-Allen Iverson rebuilding era to secure a top draft choice in June,” Lawrence wrote.
Again, this is not to attack Lawrence, who I spoke to and who said he stands by what he wrote. He certainly has a large number of sources from his many years of covering the league.
The response of team president and general manager Billy King was that the article contained nothing but fiction.
Nobody expected the two sides to agree. However, if Lawrence or anybody thinks the Sixers would lose on purpose, they are dead wrong.
There can be no worse accusation than to suggest a team is tanking games. And the Sixers, while they may not win many, certainly will be attempting to secure a victory every time they step on the court.
How would I know?
It’s just from being around King since the end of last season and this year and to see how upset he gets even at the mention of losing on purpose.
King realizes more losses equals more ping-pong balls in the lottery, but the cost is also a loss of integrity.
Few sports figures in this city have received more criticism than King, but he is genuine in his intention to have this franchise do things the right way, which means attempting to win each and every game.
After a loss, one should see how upset King and the rest of the Sixers braintrust are while standing outside of the locker room. It’s never a happy scene.
There will always be skeptics who feel this is just an act, but try looking at King, Tony DiLeo and others after a loss and one can see the hurt and pain they feel.
Some people won’t believe this no matter what, thinking this reporter has been led down a wrong path.
That’s fine, but covering this team means not only judging the team on the court, but the emotions of those off it.
And nobody will ever convince me that the Sixers prefer to tank games.
This comes from conversations with people in the organization, not to mention personal observations.
The Sixers didn’t lose on purpose last year when there were two so-called difference makers at the top of the draft, Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.
And this year’s draft, especially with a super freshman class, may be deeper than last season.
None of that matters.
Anybody can throw stones all day at King for personnel moves, but he is neither a good or willing loser. And the organization follows that lead, no matter how many ping-pong balls it may cost them.

Now we will see what the 76ers are made of. They had a weekend where they lost two games to playoff teams of last year by a total of seven points.
First it was 83-78 Friday at Detroit and then the Sixers dropped to 3-9 after
Now at 3-9 after Saturday’s 100-98 overtime loss to Golden State.
The Sixers could see their season go to ruins before the holiday shopping season ends.
The worst part of the loss to Golden State is how the Warriors dominated on the boards in the fourth quarter, outrebounding the Sixers 19-9. They also outrebounded the Sixers, 4-2, in overtime.
The Sixers best rebounder Reggie Evans, didn’t play a single second in either the fourth quarter or overtime.
We know the Sixers take Evans out when they need to score because he is flawed offensively.
But he wasn’t in foul trouble with only three and they could have used his toughness. Even if it were for a minute or two, Evans, who had nine rebounds in just under 22 minutes, could have aided the Sixers on the boards.
Maybe it wouldn’t have made a difference, but it was painful seeing the Warriors just retrieving one key rebound after another.
The Sixers pride themselves on working hard, but the Warriors, led by Andris Biedrins, simply put more effort into going after the ball.
Of course the Sixers lost this game for many more reasons than not having Evans in after the third quarter.
Rebounding was only part of the problem. An old nemesis – free throw shooting bit the Sixers. They shot 25 for 38 (65.8 percent) from the free throw line.
And the team half-court offense continues to struggle, with the Sixers often playing one-on-one, winding the shot clock down and then taking a forced shot.
On defense, they continue to be hurt by opposing guards. Baron Davis and Monta Ellis (who came off the bench) combined to score 53 points.
Lou Williams has been a great offensive spark off the bench, but he allows as many points as he scores. The same can be said of Andre Miller.
To the Sixers credit, they continue to grind and work hard, but one wonders how much toll the losing will begin to take.
The players keep insisting that the team is sticking together and it’s early in the season. Pretty soon, it will be too late to be giving that excuse if things don’t turn around.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- After arguably their worst defensive effort against the Washington Wizards, the 76ers showed tremendous defensive intensity.
Of course, it happened to be on an evening when the offense took a hiatus, thus an 83-78 loss to the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
Actually for those looking for that proverbial silver lining, the Sixers played on almost even terms against one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, one game after trailing by as many as 37 points to Washington.
The Sixers entered the fourth quarter against the Pistons trailing 64-54 and got within one point on Andre Iguodala’s three-pointer with 14.9 seconds left.
It was the ninth time in 11 games, the Sixers have trailed by double digits.
And even though the defense was strong, Detroit missed a high number of open shots.
In fact this was the night that Detroit was far from being at its best. Guards Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups shot just 7 for 25 from the field.
That isn’t going to happen too often, but the Sixers weren’t able to capitalize. The Sixers also got a break because Rasheed Wallace was sidelined with a sore knee.
Still, as coach Maurice Cheeks said after the game, the Pistons don’t beat themselves. They had just six turnovers, compared to 17 for the Sixers.
That in essence was the game. It also showed the difference between a talented and veteran team and a young squad that is looking to find itself.
For the Pistons to win when they were well below average is a testament to Detroit. And also an indictment of the Sixers. They have to learn how to pounce on teams when the opponent is struggling.
Anyway, another difference was that Detroit looked much sharper in the half-court offense, getting wide open shots (even though many were clanging off the rim).
The Sixers still aren’t smooth in the half-court, but they did do better in transition (outscoring Detroit 15-6 on fast break points).
So the Sixers are doing some things right on many nights, but rarely all of them correctly in the same game. It’s part of growing pains and this one probably should hurt a little more, especially since the Pistons were there for the taking and the Sixers couldn’t close the deal

Originally the 76ers were planning to take a day off either Wednesday or Thanksgiving, but the team was hard at work both days after Tuesday’s 116-101 defeat at Washington against the Wizards.
That’s a good thing.
According to coach Maurice Cheeks the team worked on some of the deficiencies that were exposed against the Wizards, namely allowing easy shots.
Coming into the season, defense was supposed to be a given for this team, but that hasn’t necessarily been the case.
On paper, the stats don’t look awful. The Sixers are allowing 94 points per game.
Of course that figure was helped when the Sixers beat Charlotte, 94-63 in the fourth game of the season.
(By the way, who would have thought after the win over Charlotte that the Bobcats would have twice as many wins as the 3-7 Sixers at this point?).
Anyway, not to minimize the Sixers effort that evening, but Charlotte played without point guard Raymond Felton and was playing the second of a back to back while the Sixers had three nights off.
The Sixers have shown flashes of good defense – against Chicago and for the fourth quarter against Portland, but by and large, the defense has come up short.
On a team that isn’t particularly proficient from the perimeter, the defense needs to be better.
Opposing point guards are driving through the Sixers defense with little resistance. And opponents are taking an inordinate number of wide-open shots.
Of course having the defense step up won’t be easy in Friday’s game at Detroit. The Pistons are one of the most difficult teams to defend, simply because they have so many offensive options.
Then again, the Sixers have little option but to step it up defensively. Cheeks has said time and time again that defense is nothing but hard work.
If the Sixers don’t outwork their opponents, they have little chance because the simply don’t match up talent wise with most teams.
So as much as the Sixers need to find consistency on offense, they have to establish a presence on defense, something that has been missing most of the season.

By the way, Happy Thanksgiving everybody. We’ll talk to you next from Auburn Hills, Michigan.

For the latest Sixers podcast, go to http://go.philly.com/sixerscast

WASHINGTON -- Sometimes change is needed just to shake things up. The 76ers are at that point after Tuesday’s 116-101 loss to the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center.
This game wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. The Wizards led by 37 points late in the third quarter.
After the game, coach Maurice Cheeks complained about how the starters are putting the team in a hole.
He also complained about the defense, the offense and just about everything else.
Andre Iguodala talked about how the Sixers have been less than efficient in practice and of course that has carried out to the games.
This is a fragile team, one that couldn’t carry on the momentum of Friday’s dramatic 92-88 comeback win over Portland.
So now 10 games into the season, the Sixers are crying for change.
There could be changes involving personnel. Even though the Sixers denied having trade talks with Miami (for a rumored deal for Jason Williams), it would probably be wise to shop him, especially if they can get an expiring contract in return.
There could definitely be a change in the starting lineup. The Sixers have had the same starters – Miller, Andre Iguodala, Reggie Evans, Samuel Dalembert and Willie Green – all season.
That hasn’t worked out too well during this 3-7 start.
Lou Williams had his second straight strong game, with 25 points against the Wizards. One of the knocks on Williams has been his consistency, and it will be interesting to see if he can string a number of successful efforts together.
It will also be interesting to see if he moves into the starting lineup.
Even if the Sixers make a change for change’s sake, that wouldn’t be a bad thing. They can’t keep going this way and something has to be done.
When the second stringers are gaining more notice than the starters, something is wrong. And that usually means that some of those second stringers should soon be finding themselves in the starting lineup

One of the ideas that is posed frequently by the readers in blogsville is that the Sixers could sign Los Angeles Clippers forward Elton Brand next year.
If fans are banking on this to happen, they could end up awfully disappointed.
Brand has a player option for next season. If he stays with the Clippers he would make $16.4 million. If he opts out, it seems that it would be difficult to get that amount anywhere else, including from the Sixers.
And even if he opts out, Brand has been sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury. While he is among the hardest working athletes in the NBA and is expected to return in great shape, nobody knows for sure.
Would any franchise like to risk more than $16 million a year on somebody coming off this type of injury?
And it’s hard to imagine Brand leaving the Clippers for a team like the Sixers and giving a discount.
The only teams that usually earn a discount from free agents, are the ones that have a proven winning track record.
Right now if anybody hasn’t noticed, the Sixers don’t fit that profile.
Some players do value winning over receiving every last dollar.
If Brand came to the Sixers, he likely wouldn’t receive either.
While stranger things can happen in the NBA, it’s just hard at this point to imagine the Sixers paying Brand the type of money he is receiving now. And it’s even more difficult to imagine Brand giving up $16.4 million next year for the right to be an unrestricted free agent.
Brand would be a fine addition, but his health and salary would be concerns. And for those who hope the Sixers improve via free agency, it doesn’t seem realistic to include Brand as part of the rebuilding plan.

Last season point guard Andre Miller was a welcome addition to the 76ers after being dealt in the Allen Iverson trade.
His presence seemed to rejuvenate the team and Miller had the ability to make those around him better.
This preseason more of the same occurred. It could be argued that Miller was the Sixers best player in the preseason.
Yet since the regular season, Miller has been an enigma and at least through the first nine games, hasn’t come close to meeting last year’s performance.
That’s not to say he hasn’t done some good things. In fact even though he didn’t play in the fourth quarter of the Sixers’ 92-88 comeback win over Portland, it can’t be forgotten that Miller scored a team-high 11 points in the first half when the Sixers trailed by 18.
And there have been other moments, but for the most part, Miller has not stood out.
He has 38 assists and 25 turnovers, a rate that is far from acceptable, especially for a point guard who is in his ninth NBA season.
More than that, he hasn’t been particularly effective defending opposing point guards. (Then again, neither has Lou Williams, or when he has guarded the opposing point, Willie Green).
Miller is a highly respected player who the youngsters look up to for his work ethic and his basketball I.Q.
It’s not that he isn’t trying, because Miller is usually among the last to leave the court, long after practice has ended. He is always working on something in his game, always looking at tape of the opponent in the locker room.
Yet his production has to step up for the Sixers to be a competitive team.
It’s hard to believe that Miller’s game has gone in decline so fast. It’s not as if he has lost much speed, because he never had much to begin with, but better decision making is surely needed. He has appeared to force passes that have turned into turnovers, trying to force the action instead of allowing it to come to him.
Miller will turn 32 in March and most don’t see him as the point guard of the future. (He is signed through the 2008-2009 season). In fact his name will no doubt be mentioned up to the Feb. 21 trade deadline.
Still, the best scenario is for him to gain more consistency, the type he achieved last year after being traded from Denver.
The Sixers have so little margin for error against opponents. The Miller of last year has to emerge for them to improve. Nine games is too early to write him off, but not too soon to expect more from the starting point guard position.

Where do you start?
The significance of the 76ers’ improbable 92-88 win against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Wachovia Center can’t be emphasized enough.
The Sixers trailed by 25 points in the second quarter and 17 to begin the fourth period.
Had they lost, the Sixers would have extended their losing streak to five and more importantly, morale would have been lower than the Sixers’ shooting in the second quarter when they missed their first 14 shots.
After the game, the Sixers seemed almost giddy because they had accomplished such a spirited comeback.
“I’ve never been part of anything like this,” Andre Iguodala said.
More importantly, coach Maurice Cheeks found out that he might be able to use some players who hadn’t played meaningful minutes up to that point. Specifically Kevin Ollie and Thaddeus Young.
Since Kyle Korver is out with a groin strain, there are minutes to be had. Cheeks suggested before the game that Rodney Carney and Lou Williams would likely get extended time in Korver’s absence.
Yet Cheeks always goes with the hot hand, and Carney, who shot 2 for 7, played under 13 minutes.
Williams of course scored 9 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, his third big fourth period of the season.
Cheeks didn’t mind sparing the feelings of point guard Andre Miller, who didn’t play a minute in the fourth quarter, despite not committing a foul in the game.
Again, Williams was too hot and Ollie was playing such a solid floor game, that Miller didn’t get off the bench. It must be noted that Miller’s team-high 11 first half points, kept the Sixers within distance, down by 18.
Starter Reggie Evans also didn’t play in the fourth quarter, but that’s not rare, especially when the Sixers are looking for more offense.
So instead of having a dour outlook, the Sixers now gained some confidence. Whether it can be carried over until Tuesday’s game in Washington remains to be seen.
What is known is that if they had lost, this would have been a team still searching for confidence. Now at least, for one night, it’s a team that believes in itself and is certainly looking forward to taking on upcoming challenges.

As if the 76ers aren’t going through enough adversity with losing four in a row and six of their first eight, now they have to overcome an injury to Kyle Korver.
The team announced that Korver underwent an MRI on Thursday and has a second-degree groin strain. The timetable for his return is 7-10 days.
Korver said he suffered the injury in Tuesday’s 99-84 loss at Dallas. He tried to play the next night, but lasted just 5 minutes and 30 seconds before leaving for good during the Sixers’ 95-76 loss at New Orleans.
In the locker room afterwards Korver said it was the same injury that he had during the preseason.
Korver suffered the injury on Oct. 7 during a training camp practice. He missed the first two preseason games, but returned to play the final five.
Korver was sensational in the Sixers opening regular season game, a 106-97 loss at Toronto. He scored 20 points off the bench, shooting 7 for 12 from the field, including 4 of 7 from beyond the arc.
Since then he has struggled to find his stroke. Now he has suffered another setback.
Even though he is shooting just 35.3 percent from the field, Korver is given little freedom to roam by opposing defenses.
He also opens things up for his teammates because teams have to extend their defense to guard him.
Even with a healthy Korver the Sixers bench has been below par, although the starters haven’t exactly distinguished themselves either.
Somebody will have to fill those minutes, and it could be Rodney Carney. Yet Carney is 1 for 13 from three-point range, so teams obviously won’t show him the same respect from the perimeter that Korver receives.
Simply put, the bench has to step up in Korver’s absence. Somebody such as Carney, has to take advantage of possible additional playing time.
Who knows, maybe Thaddeus Young will get a shot at meaningful minutes.
Lou Williiams, other than a sensational 19-point fourth quarter against Toronto and a strong 9-point fourth quarter against New Jersey, has been inconsistent off the bench.
Actually one of the top players off the bench has been rookie Jason Smith. He still gets overmatched at times physically, but the effort is always there and Smith never backs down from attempting to block a shot. (He’s second on the team with seven blocked shots).
Here’s also one vote to give veteran Kevin Ollie some minutes. His intelligence and approach to the game is respected by all his teammates and now may be a time to give him some playing time after he appeared in just one of the first eight games.
None of this will turn the team around immediately. The bench’s lack of production wouldn’t be as necessary if the starters were playing better.
Right now things aren’t working for the Sixers, but it’s not the time to feel sorry for themselves.
Last season they were able to overcome adversity. This year the Sixers have yet to show the same resiliency and right now wouldn’t be a bad time to rally around yet another difficult situation.

NEW ORLEANS – Another team has solved the 76ers perimeter defense, but the key question is whether the Sixers collective spirit is being broken down.
The Sixers fell to 2-6 with Wednesday’s 95-76 loss to the New Orleans Hornets. The winners shot 11 for 20 (55 percent) from beyond the arc.
This was another instance of having the same story, different day. The Sixers were competitive against a better team for more than a half, but fell apart toward the end of the third quarter and never recovered.
In the locker room, some of the players realized that it could all fall apart if they don’t stay together.
And that’s not easy when the losses start to pile up.
“I think we have to watch and make sure we keep our spirits up,” Andre Iguodala said. “We have to make sure we stay together and players pick each other up.”
Again, that won’t be easy. Kyle Korver has re-aggravated the groin injury that bothered him during the preseason.
Another problem is that two of the Sixers expected major contributors – Iguodala and Andre Miller, have been playing well below the level they were toward the end of last season.
Teams are trying to take Iguodala away and make somebody else beat them and it hasn’t happened.
Out of the eight games, the Sixers have been competitive in seven, but even that is getting old.
The players need to be rewarded with a W and one can see the confidence is beginning to slip.
During the preseason and beginning of the year, the Sixers seemed to have the attitude that they didn’t believe all the negative comments that forecasters said about them.
Now doubt appears to have crept in. It’s still very early, but the Sixers already face a critical stage. They need a win and if anybody has noticed, Portland, who comes to the Wachovia Center on Friday, is no punching bag. Remember, the Trail Blazers beat Dallas and we all know what the Mavericks did to the Sixers on Tuesday.
So for now, the Sixers have to stay together and keep plugging. Because this is a team that is based on its heart and once the spirit is lost, the season is sure to follow.

DALLAS -- For the most part, it’s hard not to admire the grit of the 76ers, but the simple fact that talent wins in the NBA was clearly evident in Tuesday’s 99-84 loss to the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
The Sixers scrapped and fought and were impressive in taking a 50-43 first half lead.
Still, Dallas had played as poorly as possible and was only down by seven, while the Sixers arguably played their best half of the year, with only six turnovers, shooting 4 of 6 from beyond the arc and outrebounding the Mavs, 28-23.
The Sixers even held Dallas to just five fast break points in the first half.
Dallas then turned it on in a dominating second half.
Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry, who both struggled in the first half, combined for 37 second half points.
The Sixers expended so much energy in earning that first half lead, that they were spent by halftime.
It showed in the beginning of the third quarter when Dallas went on a 16-2 run.
When the opponent is a far superior team such as Dallas, the Sixers have to play over their heads for four quarters.
Nearly three quarters won’t cut it.
Then again if anybody wants to take something positive out of this it’s the fact that the Sixers came out and showed some true fight after their worst performance in Sunday’s 93-72 loss to New Orleans.
For now, the Sixers will have to hang their hat on the fact that they stayed with the Mavs for most of three quarters.
That’s little consolation to a team has a winning spirit, if not talent.
So the Sixers can’t get down on themselves and must as coach Maurice Cheeks said, learn how to close out games.
Teams like Dallas, with the help of a deep bench, know how to get it done.
The Sixers are still learning and the lessons at times can be awfully painful.

Toward the end of last season and the early part of this year, the 76ers have prided themselves, and rightly so, for outworking the opposition.
That work detail took the night off in Sunday’s 93-72 loss to the visiting New Orleans Hornets.
And now that is why the Sixers are at a critical point, yes even though they have only played six games this season.
At 2-4, they will be underdogs for the upcoming two-game road trip at Dallas and New Orleans.
The best they could hope is to steal one, but even that could be wishful thinking. What the Sixers need almost as much as a win is to restore their pride.
The players and coaches seemed to be embarrassed at Sunday’s loss. First of all, New Orleans is a good team and should earn a playoff berth in the competitive Western Conference, so it is no disgrace losing to the Hornets.
It’s the way it happened that bothered coach Maurice Cheeks and the players.
After Sunday’s game Andre Iguodala among others talked about how flat the Sixers were, even saying the team was playing through the motions.
The Sixers aren’t good enough to do that against any team, especially one as talented as the Hornets.
It seemed that the Sixers were stung not so much by the loss, but by the way it was achieved, with a listless effort.
That is why the Sixers have to come out and show they can play hard and with a purpose.
Even that may not be enough against a 4-2 Dallas team that is smarting from Saturday’s 91-82 loss at Portland.
Still, the Sixers suffered a major wound to their pride. And the only way to restore it is to show that Sunday’s effort was an aberration, instead of a sign of things to come.

Adjustments are part of the NBA game and now it’s the 76ers turn. Their days of free-wheeling and fast-breaking seem to be closing fast.
The Sixers looked disjointed in Sunday’s 93-72 loss to the New Orleans Hornets.
And while coach Maurice Cheeks talked about how the team didn’t defend and the players also talked about the need to step it up defensively, the offense didn’t exactly distinguish itself either.
After the game the Hornets talked about how their No. 1 priority was to stop the Sixers fast break.
In the first five games the Sixers got out well in transition and they were the beneficiaries of many easy baskets.
The Hornets forced the Sixers into half-court sets most of the evening. The Sixers have to do a better job in the half-court.
Against the Hornets, they looked a little lost. Too many times the shot clock would wind down and the Sixers would have to force an out-of-range jumper.
The Sixers aren’t a great outside shooting team to begin with and they’re even worse as the shot clock is winding down and they have to launch an ill-advised shot.
The Sixers only got four fast break points, and they couldn’t compensate with their play in the half-court offense.
One problem is that point guard Andre Miller has played inconsistently, with 28 turnovers and 18 assists.
And all those people who were calling for Lou Williams to be a starter, should wait until he can put together a few solid games in a row. Williams had five assists, but three turnovers, while shooting 2 for 7 from the field.
It’s amazing what a team can do with a dominant point guard. Toronto received stellar play from point guards T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon in both wins over the Sixers.
New Jersey’s Jason Kidd earned a triple-double against the Sixers. And Paul, with 16 points and 9 assists in just over 30 minutes, was also spectacular.
Without a dominating point guard, the Sixers need better movement, must set more screens, and do more to get open shots.
And even with a dominating point guard, the Sixers should do better in their half-court sets. It was their first truly bad game of the year, but there will be more if this area isn’t remedied.

After Friday’s sensational fourth quarter, there will be an outcry to have Lou Williams in the starting lineup. Our take – continue to bring him off the bench, but increase the minutes if he continues his impressive play.
The third-year guard almost single-handily led the Sixers back in an impressive effort that fell just short.
Williams scored 19 of his career high 21 points in the fourth quarter of the Sixers’ 105-103 loss to the Toronto Raptors.
Before the fourth quarter, Williams had only played slightly more than eight minutes.
Williams is one of those energy players who can spark a team and also has the ability to get to the basket and draw fouls. When he is hitting from the perimeter the way he did against Toronto (3 for 3 in the fourth quarter from beyond the arc) he can be downright scary.
Still, the spark he brings is worth bringing him off the bench. In the 93-88 loss to the New Jersey Nets, Williams scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth quarter.
Through five games, Williams is averaging just under 18 minutes a game.
Coach Maurice Cheeks has made it known that players who perform, will earn more minutes. That is obviously why Cheeks let Williams in for the entire fourth quarter on Friday against Toronto.
While not playing much before the fourth quarter, Williams was fresh.
This season in five games he has scored 32 of his 48 points in the fourth quarter. A player who can come off the bench in crunch time and produce is valuable.
Right now things should stay the same, other than the fact that it appears as if Williams has earned himself a few more minutes.

The 76ers had a good showing with an undesired result in their opening game last week at Toronto. Trailing by 22 points midway through the third quarter, the Sixers twice sliced the lead to one points, but couldn’t finish the deal.
Thus the Raptors emerged with a 106-97 win.
Now the Sixers can measure the progress they have shown in the past week when they host the Raptors on Friday.
For the Sixers to win, and a victory would no doubt be a big boost to a team that is looking to gain confidence each time out, they have to do a better job defending on the perimeter.
In the first game, Toronto was able to convert a number of wide-open shots.
The Raptors are considered on the top outside shooting teams in the NBA, so the Sixers have to do a better job of defending the pick and roll, something that the team worked on during Thursday’s practice.
“In practice we worked on trying to contest every shot, trying not to let guys get wide open shots,” Sixers swingman Andre Iguodala said.
Iguodala said that Raptors point guard T.J. Ford did a great job in the first game of penetrating, which in turn provided open shots for teammates.
Ford, one of the quickest players in the NBA, had 14 points, but he really did the Sixers in with 12 assists. All in just 31 minutes.
In the first game, the Raptors shot 56.3 percent from three-point range (9 for 16) and that proved to be the difference.
Many of those open shots came after Ford would beat a man off the dribble and penetrate toward the lane before kicking the ball out to an open teammate.
Toronto routed New Jersey in its second game but has now lost three in a row.
The key for the Sixers is to get out to a quick start and not allow the Raptors to become comfortable. In the first meeting, Toronto played like the more confident team.
And it is also mandatory to contain Ford. Look for more double-teams on Ford, although that can be dangerous also since he is capable of finding the open man.
Still, the Sixers have to do something because Ford ran all over them in the first game.
If Ford can be contained, if Andrea Bargnani doesn’t shoot the lights out (6 for 11 from he field, 3 of 4 from beyond the arc and 5 of 5 from the foul line) and if Chris Bosh is held near the 16-point total he had in the opener, the Sixers stand a chance.
Those are three big if’s.
On opening night, Toronto looked every bit like the defending Atlantic Division champion, but momentum swings quickly in the NBA.
The Sixers have a little momentum after a 31-point win over Charlotte. It will be interesting to see if this momentum carries over against a deeper, but suddenly struggling opponent on Friday.

A cynic might suggest that it was only a win over the Bobcats, but the 76ers 94-63 victory over Charlotte, did show something – a real killer instinct.
The Sixers had every advantage possible. They were home, had been off since Saturday and were facing a Bobcats team without injured point guard Raymond Felton and that was playing back-to-back games.
And had the Sixers not taken advantage of their advantages, this would have been a disaster.
The point is that the Sixers attacked the Bobcats from the beginning, and ran them into the ground when Charlotte already had tired legs.
And this will help in another way because no starter played more than 34 minutes. That means the Sixers should be relatively fresh when the host a reeling Toronto team on Friday.
The Raptors have lost three in a row and have to travel to Philadelphia after losing at home on Wednesday to Orlando, 105-96.
Now it’s the Raptors who may be on the tired side, so the Sixers will again look to run the Raptors into submission.
The Sixers have done a good job with their transition game. They had 32 fast break points compared to just four for the Bobcats.
And the Sixers have done a good job outrunning all four opponents this year.
In their first game with Toronto, the Sixers had the edge in fast break points, 17-2.
So it makes sense for the Sixers to attempt to have a fast tempo.
And while it’s a little too early to go overboard with giving the Sixers credit, they did what they had to and what they were expected to against Charlotte.
They took advantage of an undermanned and tired team and took care of things in a business-like and winning fashion.

It’s too early to talk about must-win situations, but the 76ers have to treat Wednesday’s game with the visiting Charlotte Bobcats that way.
Charlotte appears to be vastly improved, but the Sixers should enter the game with a major advantage – rest.
While the Sixers haven’t played since Saturday, Charlotte suffered a 115-83 home loss to Phoenix on Tuesday.
Then the Bobcats had to hop a plane and head to Philadelphia.
No doubt the Bobcats could be dragging while going through their first back-to-back games of the year.
The Sixers were certainly sluggish when they had their initial back-to-back, winning at Chicago on Friday and then lacking energy in Saturday’s home opening loss to the New Jersey Nets.
“We obviously had a little problem Saturday with the back-to-back so we obviously are going to try to take advantage of it,” coach Maurice Cheek said after Tuesday’s practice.
The Sixers are trying to play a transition game anyway, but they should attempt to set a fast pace from the beginning, before the Bobcats can find their legs.
This will be the second of a four-game homestand for the Sixers and after playing Toronto Friday and New Orleans on Sunday, the Sixers have their own back-to-back next Tuesday at Dallas and Wednesday at New Orleans.
One won’t be able to find too many games where the Sixers will be the favorite over the next week.
That’s why it’s important that they take care of business in one of the few games over the next week where they will enjoy a perceived advantage.

In reading the responses to the blog, one of the biggest complaints about the 76ers is having Willie Green in the starting lineup.
One thing Green has proven in the past is that he can score, especially in spurts. Defending is another matter.
Still, it’s safe to say after three games Green hasn’t gotten off to the quickest of starts, shooting 13 for 38 from the field (34.2 percent).
So the fans are screaming for Lou Williams to get more minutes at shooting guard, or for Rodney Carney to play more there.
The answer is that the decision shouldn’t be made by coach Maurice Cheeks until any of the three show consistency for more than a few games.
Williams was on fire in the beginning of the preseason, tailed off toward the end and had two ordinary performances in the regular season before an excellent showing (13 points, 3 assists in just under 19 minutes) during Saturday’s 93-88 loss to the New Jersey Nets.
Carney hasn’t been spectacular, but has provided a spark off the bench, especially when he scored six points in under eight minutes during the Sixers 96-85 win at Chicago.
And Carney had 10 points in under 18 minutes against the Nets, although he had a few ill-advised misses in the fourth quarter, one a three-pointer.
Carney is 0 for 9 from three-point range and his ability to shoot from distance or from any range, will likely determine if his minutes increase.
That brings us back to Green. While he hasn’t played well in the early going, he has proven in the past to be a competent scorer.
And while he is currently being given the benefit of the doubt, Green or most other players who aren’t playing well will find extended time on the bench.
On Saturday Green never got off the bench in the fourth quarter, while Williams played 11:03 (both as a point and shooting guard) and Carney played 6:43.
Carney has also played small forward or even power forward when the Sixers go to a small lineup, so he has other options.
So does Williams, who already has earned backup point guard minutes to Andre Miller and is now in the running for extra time at shooting guard.
There is a school of thought that Williams, with the brightest upside, should be getting the extra minutes. And if he proves it over a period of time, it’s likely that Williams and Andre Miller will be playing together more.
Still, it’s too early to just discount Green. He appears to be the one who has incurred the ire of the fans, but deserves more time.
The fans aren’t patient. The key will be how much patience Cheeks has in this matter.

Any momentum and good will that was earned with Friday’s 96-85 win at Chicago was given right back by the 76ers in Saturday’s home opener, a 93-88 loss to the New Jersey Nets at the Wachovia Center.
The Sixers are 1-2 and have been in all three games against three likely Eastern Conference playoff teams, Toronto, Chicago and the Nets.
Yet for the Sixers to steal a few more of these games against more talented opponents, they have to do one seemingly simple thing – hit free throws.
In the opening 106-97 loss to Toronto, the Sixers were 14 for 23 from the foul line (60.9 percent), while Toronto was 15 for 17 (88.2 percent).
In the loss to the Nets, the Sixers were 21 for 32 from the foul line (65.6 percent). New Jersey was 19 for 25 (76 percent).
These percentages don’t add up to winning basketball.
There are other things the Sixers have to work on such as defending the three point shot, and shooting treys as well, but if they don’t do a better job of shooting from the foul line, they will continue to give games away.
Had the Sixers won against the Nets, there would have been true momentum. Now they hope to get to the .500 level with Wednesday’s home game against Charlotte.
And nobody should suggest that this will be an easy game for the Sixers. They aren’t talented enough to think any team will be easy.
The Sixers will have to grind it out most nights and in the first three games they have done just that. It’s just that they have been let down on the foul line. This is one of the main situations that must be remedied if the Sixers hope to enjoy a respectable season this year.

CHICAGO - For a team that wasn’t given much respect, the Sixers certainly earned some with Friday’s 96-85 win over the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.
Besides foiling the Bulls home opener before a sellout crowd of 22,034, the Sixers showed some true heart.
They never allowed Chicago to control the game. The Bulls biggest lead was two points.
And when Chicago cut an 12-point deficit to 82-80 with 5:15 left, the Sixers went into another gear to pull away.
Andre Iguodala showed that he wasn’t concerned about not getting the contract extension.
He scored 11 of his 22 points in the final period and looked every bit like the all-star that he feels he can become this season.
There is no telling how much this win will help a team that didn’t play with a lot of confidence in the preseason.
The turning point may have come in Toronto when the Sixers were down by 22 midway through the third quarter and twice cut the margin to one point in the fourth quarter.
Against the Bulls, the difference was the Sixers transition game,. They had 25 fast break points compared to five for Chicago.
If the Sixers can get out on the break, they are a dangerous team to defend.
What was most impressive is that they didn’t hang their heads after that opening loss and came out and attacked the Bulls.
Andre Miller, who had 25 points, was the early catalyst and Iguodala cleaned up late.
There is no doubt that the Sixers have been stung by all the criticism they have received, but they weren’t gloating in the locker room in Chicago.
They felt that this is a building block. Whether it is or isn’t, there is no doubt of one thing – few outside that locker room felt the Sixers would come home to face the New Jersey Nets on Saturday with a 1-1 record.
Now they are returning to Philadlephia for four home games and with the confidence that they played toe to toe with two likely Eastern Conference giants.
After such a glum preseason outlook, that isn't a bad way to start things off.

CHICAGO -- The 76ers had trouble defending Toronto’s offense and they will have no picnic facing the Chicago Bulls on Friday
Chicago is coming off a 112-103 overtime loss on Wednesday at New Jersey. The Bulls overcame a 15-point halftime deficit to send the game into overtime before falling short.
Now the Sixers have to meet their second straight quality Eastern Conference team in a home opener.
While the Bulls or any other NBA team would have trouble matching Toronto’s proficiency from the perimeter, Chicago can stretch a defense with its outside shooting.
The Sixers must be able to defend the jumper, especially when Ben Gordon is on the court.
Despite his lack of size, Gordon is able to get his shot off against virtually anybody.
So the Sixers must contest the shots by Gordon, Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich and company. And the Sixers also have to do a better job of stopping penetration. Toronto feasted on open jumpers and drives to the basket. Chicago has the ability to do the same if a team’s defense is passive.
“They have several perimeter guys in Gordon, Luol Deng, Hinrich, (Andres) Nocioni, several guys who can put the ball on the court,” Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said after Thursday's practice in Chicago. “We have to do a better job of keeping guys in front of us.”
With the return of Samuel Dalembert, the Sixers at times relaxed too much, realizing that he was back there to clean up their defensive mistakes.
Keep in mind that Dalembert is far from being in top condition after missing so much time due to soreness from the stress fracture in his left foot.
It’s likely to take him a few weeks to get back into condition, but the Sixers need whatever he can give them at this point.
No doubt the Sixers have their work cut out in what should be a noisy United Center on Friday.
If Chicago gets as many open looks and drives to the basket as Toronto, the result will be the same that the Sixers experienced north of the border on opening night.