Deep Sixer

SEATTLE – The Seattle SuperSonics will be without their two leading scorers for tonight’s game with the 76ers at Key Arena.
Sonics coach P.J. Carlesimo announced during his pre-game media session that Kevin Durant and Chris Wilcox won’t play in tonight’s game.
Both were injured in Saturday’s 109-90 win over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.
Durant, who is averaging 19.7 points, suffered a left index finger sprain on his non-shooting hand.
Wilcox, averaging 13.6 points is out with a sprained left knee.
Seattle point guard Luke Ridnour missed his third straight game due to a sore left quadriceps.
Siers guard Willie Green, still nursing a strained groin, won’t play for the Sixers, missing his fifth consecutive game.
Green feels he is getting closer and plans to take part in Tuesday’s practice

SEATTLE -- The 76ers began the road trip by beating a Sacramento Kings team that was without its top three players – Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin and Ron Artest. All were out due to injuries.
Now the Sixers could be facing a shorthanded Seattle team tonight.
Following today’s shootaround, Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo said that the SuperSonics’ two leading scorers Kevin Durant and Chris Wilcox will be game-time decisions.
Both were injured in Saturday’s 109-90 win over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.
Durant, who is averaging 19.7 points, suffered a left index finger sprain on his non-shooting hand.
Wilcox suffered a sprained left knee.

PORTLAND, Ore. – Coach Maurice Cheeks wouldn’t call it a collapse, but semantics aside, the 76ers played arguably their worst quarter of the season during Sunday’s 97-72 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in noisy and sold-out Rose Garden.
It’s hard to believe that the Sixers led by as many as 11 points in the third quarter. Or that they held a 63-62 advantage entering the fourth.
The Blazers then put a 35-9 fourth quarter pasting on the Sixers, sending the players with plenty of questions and few answers.
Any armchair observer shouldn’t try too much analysis in this one. The Sixers lost their poise, their shooting touch and their memory on how to play defense.
It was a total collapse even though coach Maurice Cheeks wouldn’t call it that after the game.
What was disappointing is that the Sixers looked like a tired bunch and this is only the second game of a six-game road trip.
Sure, Portland is on a roll and has now won 13 in a row, but the Blazers were ready to be had. They weren’t shooting well and were inconsistent on offense.
The Sixers actually led by nine points past the midway part of the third quarter.
In the third quarter the Sixers couldn’t stop Brandon Roy and Steve Blake who combined for 17 points.
Then in the fourth quarter the Sixers were done in by the Blazers bench, particularly Travis Outlaw, who had 10 points.
The Sixers were so frustrated that they were called for four technical fouls in the fourth quarter.
There haven’t been too many games where the Sixers lost their cool, but this was one of them.
This was a flustered team and that is never good. They looked the way Portland did when it blew a 25-point second quarter lead in a 92-88 loss to the Sixers on Nov. 16.
Now the Sixers have to regoup, facing Seattle on New Year’s Eve.
Seattle and Sacramento are the only teams on the six-game road trip with losing records.
The Sixers beat Sacramento and their second best chance for a win is against the Sonics.
Then again it won’t be easy. Nothing comes very easy for this team, but now they have to prove that they can overcome their fourth quarter flop.
If a bounce-back effort isn’t in store, it could be a long beginning to the New Year the remaining time out on the road for the Sixers.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The 76ers players and coaches all realize that the NBA is a business, but there was a subdued mood at today’s practice at the Rose Garden and for good reason.
The coaches and players felt a true loss when Kyle Korver was traded to the Utah Jazz for Gordan Giricek and a future first round pick.
It’s not stretching things to say that Korver was among the most well-liked and respected athletes in Philadelphia, by his teammates and the fans.
And Korver is leaving the way he came – with plenty of class.
In a phone interview yesterday, Korver said he wasn’t totally shocked, but he was surprised to be traded.
And he said what he will miss the most are his teammates and the fans of Philadelphia.
“We were a tight-knit team,” Korver said. "You couldn't ask for a better group of teammates."
Korver reflected on the apprehension he felt when he first came to Philadelphia five years ago.
A star at Creighton University, Korver didn’t know how he would be accepted by the masses.
“When I first came I was wary of the East Coast and particularly the Philadelphia fans because I had heard so much about them,” Korver said. “But I grew to love the city, the fans and will always appreciate the way they treated me.”
Korver wasn’t blasting his former team for trading him. That is not his style. And he knows that playing in Utah could be a benefit to his career.
“They have a legendary coach (Jerry Sloan), a top go-to player down low (Carlos Boozer) and one of the best point guards (Deron Williams),” Korver said. “I hope I fit into that system.”
Korver will surely fit because one thing Sloan does is get his players open looks. And even though Korver had been inconsistent this season from the perimeter, his ability to stretch a defense with his shooting can't be minimized.
He can shoot with the best of them, and few players were better teammates.
“He’s a good person, a great teammate, in general somebody you want as a teammate,” Andre Iguodala said.
Korver will be missed for much more than his shooting range.
He was a straight shooter with his teammates, a selfless performer who grew to have the same affinity for the city and fans that they showed for him.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- In an effort to create more salary cap space, the 76ers traded Kyle Korver today to the Utah Jazz for Gordan Giricek and a first round draft pick.
Giricek, who is making $4 million this season has an expiring contract.
Korver, who is earning nearly $4.4 million this year, has about $10 million owed to him in the next two years after this one.
The first round pick is protected according to Sixers president and general manager Ed Stefanski.
The pick can start in 2009 and the Sixers have seven years in which to make it. There are different protections for each year, according to Stefanski.
Don't be surprised if the Sixers don't trade the pick. Stefanski indicated that the pick could be a chip in a future trade.
Stefanski said as things stand now, the Sixers will be about $10 million under the cap. That could be the most in the NBA.
And of course, don't expect things to stay as they are.
Like Korver, Giricek is known as a perimeter shooter. This season he has had scant playing time and is averaging 4.3 points per game.
Korver, who has had an up and down season, has is averaging 10 points.
Ironically, the Sixers and will meet the Jazz Wednesday in Utah.

SACRAMENTO -- No matter how you cut it, the 76ers absolutely had to win the first of their six-game road trip to have any chance of making this a successful trip.
A loss would have been a disaster since four of the next five games are against teams with winning records.
So while Friday’s 92-80 win over the Sacramento Kings at Arco Arena was far from a masterpiece, the Sixers accomplished what they needed to do.
And yes, the Sixers received a major break because Sacramento had to play without its three top players.
Mike Bibby has been out all season with a torn ligament in his left thumb.
Leading scorer Kevin Martin has missed the past 11 games with a groin injury.
And Ron Artest missed the game with a bone chip in his right elbow.
There aren’t many teams that could withstand this type of loss and the Kings weren’t able to either.
Still, it’s not the Sixers fault. They are fighting and scrapping for wins any way they can get them.
So even though they didn’t play particularly well until the decisive 29-17 fourth quarter, they did what they had to in order to win their fourth in their last five road games.
Since the Kings and Seattle are the only teams on this six-game road trip with losing records, it didn’t take a genius to realize the Sixers had to open with a win over Sacramento in order to have any type of momentum.
What was most impressive was the play of rookie first round picks Jason Smith and Thaddeus Young who combined to score 15 points while shooting 7 for 8 from the field.
While Smith has been in the rotation all year, Young has worked himself into it.
He continues to bring energy upon his arrival and the only question is whether his minutes will continue to increase.
Let’s come clean. How many thought he would be a contributor and play this well, this early?
When training camp began Oct. 2, this reporter felt that Smith and Young would be longshots to earn a spot in the rotation.
To their credit, they earned it with the way they have played. Is it more than a coincidence that Young has played in 11 consecutive games and the Sixers are 8-3 in that stretch?
Before this 8-3 run, Young had three straight games where he didn’t get off the bench.
Those days look long gone.
Smith has been up and down recently, but admitted to getting confident after hitting his first few shots against Sacramento. He went 4 for 4, including his second three-pointer of the season.
The Sixers are not getting a drop in play when they go to the bench. In fact people like Young and Smith are elevating play.
And Kyle Korver has played better lately, while Lou Williams, despite still being bothered by his toe injury, has been the team’s best player off the bench from the start of the season until now.
The rest of the road trip now gets a lot more ambitious, including Sunday’s encounter with Portland, which has now won 12 in a row.
It still might be difficult to earn more than two wins on this trip, but the Sixers at least got it started the way they had to. Had they not beaten Sacramento, they would be dragging while entering a lion’s den known as the Rose Garden in Portland.
Now they truly feel they have a chance and in their mind, winning on the road has become contagious.

SACRAMENTO -- Shavlik Randolph and Herbert Hill are working regularly in practice and both players, according to 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks, are available to play in the actual games
And it appears that the numbers situation, more than their previous injuries, is what has kept both from suiting up.
Randolph has only played in two games this season. On Nov. 30 of 2006, Randolph suffered a dislocated/fractured left ankle in practice that sidelined him for the rest of the season.
It was gruesome injury and one that even Randolph now admits was worse than he originally thought.
Hill suffered a torn left meniscus late in preseason and had surgery on Oct. 30 He has yet to be active for any game.
A number of readers keep asking about their availability. Both are available, but with 15 players competing for 12 spots each night, somebody has to sit. In fact, we’re not mathematicians, but three actually people have to sit.
When asked after today’s shootaround at the Arco Arena about the physical status of both players, Cheek said that both are capable of playing.
“Certainly when Herb hurt his knee it put him back a little but I think he’s there now,” Cheeks said. “Shav’s injury took him a while and he’s there. If we need him to play, he’s ready to play but the more time off isn’t going to hurt him.”
When asked if it were possible if either could be activated at some time during this six-game road trip, Cheeks said that anything is possible.
Cheeks and the organization admires the work ethic of both players.
And while several readers think that either could be a factor, apparently the team feels there are better options.
Jason Smith has earned minutes as a backup center and power forward and even though he’s been up and down lately, Smith is a more viable option than either Hill or Randolph/
And Calvin Booth’s strong performance on Wednesday against Miami, probably earned him a longer look the next time Samuel Dalembert gets in early foul trouble.
So Hill and Randolph continue to work hard in practice, shootarounds and any place they can showcase their skill.
It’s a difficult situation, but then again, it shouldn’t be easy to earn minutes on an NBA team, let alone one that is 12-16.

The latest Sixers podcast, an interview from Sacramento with Willie Green is now up. http://go.philly.com/sixerscast. (Green is a game-time decision for tonight's game due to his groin injury, although we'd be surprised if he does play).

SACRAMENTO -- There are many interesting trades that are often proposed by the blog readers, but acquiring Eddy Curry for Andre Miller isn’t one of them.
Enough already about Curry. There is no doubt that Curry has talent but other than last year, he has never really shown it on a consistent basis.
And one of the real strengths of the 76ers is their ability to bring it on an almost nightly basis.
The Sixers don’t always play well, but they do play hard and that goes from the starters to even the deepest of reserves.
The knock on Curry is that he doesn’t always play hard. And this year he has shown that he doesn’t always play well.
Curry hasn’t adapted to playing alongside Zach Randolph. What makes anybody think he could do the same with Samuel Dalembert?
As stated before, if Miller is to be traded, and the more he plays well, the more the price should go up, it has to be for somebody who is a difference maker.
Fans have the theory that by the time the Sixers become a compeititive team, then Miller, who turns 32 in March, will be past his prime.
Who knows how many productive years Miller has left, but he doesn’t play a style that is depended on speed and quickness, like the player he was traded for (that A.I. guy).
It’s not outlandish to suggest that Miller has four to five solid years left if not more.
Curry is younger, but his frequent lackadaisical style should scare anybody off.
A credit goes to many who wrote in and gave a thumbs down to the idea of adding Curry.
And now in answering some questions on the blog, somebody asked if there is any chance of Herbert Hill or Shavlik Randolph being activated on this road trip. Anything is possible, but I don’t see it, especially since Calvin Booth played well in his first bit of extended minutes Wednesday against Miami. One would think that Booth could have earned a few minutes on this trip based on outscoring Shaq.
And the readers were perceptive – Shaq has taken a hard fall. Right now he can’t move well, doesn’t have great endurance and isn’t a force defensively. That said, his teammates have to be brain-dead to only get him four shots in nearly 29 minutes.
When Daequan Cook is talking almost four times as many shots as Shaq in fewer minutes, something is wrong.
As for the reader’s suggestion that Nene is the Sixers’ power forward of the future, it would be better to pass on that one.
Nene is injury prone and wouldn’t provide the type of offense the Sixers would like from a 4-man.
Chris Wilcox might be a different story, and we’ll get a first-hand look at him Monday when the Sixers visit Seattle.
One final note – the Sixers had a light practice here at the Arco Arena Thursday in preparation for Friday’s game against Sacramento.
It looks as if Willie Green will miss his third straight game as he continues to recover from the groin injury.
As we said before, there is no more important game on this trip than this one against Sacramento. A loss here, and it could be a long, long trip. A win could give the Sixers the confidence they need in facing four of the next five road opponents with winning records.

The latest Sixers podcast, an interview from Sacramento with Willie Green is now up. http://go.philly.com/sixerscast.

Be honest. When Miami cut the lead to 84-81 with 5:10 left in the fourth quarter, how many Sixers fans were squirming in their seats?
The Sixers looked like they were ready to become unglued and then all of a sudden, after a timeout they went on a 9-0 run to put the game away in Wednesday’s 96-85 win over the Heat at the Wachovia Center.
The Sixers led by as many as 21 points in the second quarter.
Of course they have blown sizable leads this year – 13 points to Golden State at home, 18 points at New Jersey, just to name a few.
So the Sixers showed some resiliency.
Now a cynic would suggest that any team that gets up by 21 over Miami in the second quarter should have put the Heat out of their misery way before the last five minutes of the game.
That’s a good point, but the bottom line is that the Sixers won the game.
It doesn’t matter that Miami is long on age and short on scoring ability.
The Heat are a shell of their former selves, even the unit that got swept last season by the Chicago Bulls in the opening round of last year’s playoffs.
What was most impressive about the win is how many players made significant contributions.
The Sixers outscored the Heat bench, 36-18. Calvin Booth, getting the chance to play because of Samuel Dalembert’s foul trouble, responded with six points, four rebounds and five blocked shots, or two more blocks than the entire Heat team.
Lou Williams and Kyle Korver each scored 13 points and Jason Smith, while only scoring four points, had seven rebounds and showed more energy than he has in recent games.
Most importantly, the Sixers needed the win as they embark on a 6-game road trip that begins Friday in Sacramento.
They also play Portland, Seattle, Utah, the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver.
On paper, can you really find more than two wins here? In fact, finding two won’t be easy.
Then again, the Sixers have probably at this point, played better than many (including this writer) thought they would.
No matter what happens on the road, at least the Sixers have some momentum with their modest two-game win streak.
The players in the locker room said they feel good about things heading out west. Whether this results in wins remains to be seen but at least the team is in the proper frame of mind while preparing to tackle the toughest part of the schedule.

The 76ers players have talked recently about having momentum when they take they begin their six-game road trip on Friday in Sacramento.
That means there is no gray area – the Sixers have to beat Miami on Wednesday before heading out west.
The Sixers got a good jumpstart on the momentum factor when they won at Memphis on Saturday, 99-97.
“It’s very important that we have some momentum before we go out on the road trip,” Andre Iguodala said.
The only way that can happen is to beat the Heat. Despite an 8-19 record, the feeling still persists that the Heat can make a playoff run, so they will take this game with the Sixers seriously.
Of course the Sixers have an advantage in that the Heat is playing on Christmas Day and this will be the second of a back-to-back.
The Sixers will have three full days off between games. When these advantages occur in the NBA schedule, teams have to make the most of the opportunity.
One question is the availability of Willie Green. It is uncertain whether Green will miss his second straight game. He had an MRI on Monday for his strained groin and the Sixers said they were encouraged by the results. He has swelling around the joint capsule and is listed as day to day.
The Sixers still don’t know which way they are going to go, or better put, how much north or south of .500 they will finish. The West Coast trip will have a lot to say about how the team will fare. And to be in the best frame of mind heading west, the Sixers must dispose of the Heat.
It won’t be easy. Few eight-win teams garner the respect of Miami, simply because Dwyane Wade is back and Shaq is capable of exploding.
Still, for their frame of mind, not to mention their won-loss record, this is a big game for the Sixers. Not a must-win, but pretty close.
The atmosphere should be good since as of Monday 15,500 tickets have been sold.
In response to some of the questions on the blog – the $6 million figure that Ed Stefanski says the Sixers have for cap room does include cap holds for Iguodala and Lou Williams. (In Iguodala’s case, the cap hold is $8.4 million).
On a personal note, it’s greatly appreciated getting all the comments we have on the blog, whether they agree or disagree with what’s written. Again, if anybody would like a reply to those comments, just leave your e-mail address there.
We’ll be back blogging after Wednesday’s game with the Heat. Until then I’d like to wish everybody the happiest of holidays.

An NBA source confirmed a report in the Akron Beacon Journal that the Sixers and Cleveland have had talks involving Andre Miller. At this point, the talks don't appear to be serious.
The source insisted that despite the talks, there is nothing there with Cleveland.
The article in Sunday’s paper said that Ed Stefanski has hinted he is willing to trade Miller, perhaps packaged with another player for expiring contracts and draft picks.
Even though Cleveland went to the Eastern Conference finals last year, the Sixers have more to realistically offer the Cavs than the other way around. Unless Cleveland suddenly felt like peddling LeBron James.
From this perspective Cleveland just isn’t a good fit.
One trade that would work cap-wise is Miller and Reggie Evans (who has four years counting this year and about $19 million left on his contract) for Drew Gooden, Cedric Simmons and Ira Newble.
The way Miller is playing right now, that isn’t enough.
Gooden is earning $6.4 million and is signed through next season. Newble ($3.4 million) has an expiring contract and Simmons, who is earning $1.6 million this year, is signed through next season.
Miller is making $9.36 million this season and will earn $9.9 million next year.
True confession – earlier this year, this reporter advocated trading Miller to Miami for the expiring contract of Jason Williams and a future pick.
That would have been a knee-jerk reaction to Miller’s slow start and it’s a good thing the Sixers didn’t hire yours truly as a consultant.
Right now Miller is playing at a high level, maybe just below the elite point guards in the league.
His points and assists continue to go up and his turnovers are down.
It’s easy to say that if Miller leaves that Lou Williams will step in. Williams has played well, but he really has done an exceptional job the times he has been paired together with Miller.
Stefanski said it on the radio and confirmed to me last week that the Sixers will be about $6 million under the cap after the season if no moves are made.
There is a lot that can happen between now and the end of the season, and there’s no doubt that Stefanski will likely pull the trigger on at least one trade.
Still, the free agent market isn’t all that it is cracked up to be. We keep getting e-mails about Elton Brand, who can opt out and become a free agent after this season. Yet, Brand would be opting out of a $16 million contract and that doesn't seem likely. And the Sixers and just about any other team wouldn't have the money to sign him.
Plus, he is still rehabbing from a ruptured Achilles tendon.
The name that will likely be bandied about most in Miller trade rumors with the Cavs is Gooden.
Here’s hoping that doesn’t happen. Gooden is only 26 and Cleveland is his third team. He puts up decent numbers and the Sixers are looking for a scoring 4-man, but he doesn’t appear to be that lunch-pail type worker the Sixers and anybody needs at that position.
There are others who are Gooden backers, so the debate should be interesting.
Anyway, there will be plenty of stories coming from other cities saying that the Sixers are talking to various teams. That's because Stefanski is looking at all options. Nobody is untouchable and if one had to bet, there is probably a good chance Miller could go by the trading deadline.
The way he’s playing, if Miller stays, it certainly wouldn’t be the worst thing. The Sixers should demand equal value for somebody who is certainly one of the top 10 point guards in the NBA.

MEMPHIS -- Just when you are about to write the 76ers off, they have a performance like Saturday’s crazy 99-97 win over the Memphis Grizzlies that ended with Andre Iguodala's game-winning 20-footer at the buzzer.
Down by 11 past the midway point in the third quarter, the Sixers appeared lifeless.
And Iguodala was going through a major funk. He shot 2 for 12 through the first three periods.
Andre Miller carried the Sixers until the final period, scoring 27 of his 29 points in the first three quarters.
Again, if Miller keeps playing like this, it would be hard to trade him unless the price was steep.
And while Miller kept the Sixers in the game for three quarters, Iguodala produced one of if not his most memorable quarter by scoring 17 points in the final period. He said afterwards that his confidence was waning a little, as his shots were clanging off the rim.
Then he shot 7 for 9 in the fourth quarter and now the team feels good about facing Miami on Wednesday at the Wachovia Center before going on a six-game road trip.
Iguodala talked before the game about how important it is to have some momentum prior to the trip that begins in Sacramento on Friday and ends Jan. 6 in Denver.
This win wouldn’t have happened had it not been for Kyle Korver and Thaddeus Young, who were both outstanding off the bench.
Like the rest of the team, Korver has been inconsistent this season, but he scored 14 points, hitting 6 of 11 from the field. Young scored eight and played 22 very effective minutes.
As Jason Smith seems to be wearing down a little, Young appears to be revived at the prospect of being in the rotation. Don’t be surprised if Young’s playing time continues to increase.
To have more success, however, the Sixers can’t be riding this crazy roller coaster.
It’s nice to have character wins, but in order to achieve them, it means the team had to play badly to get down by double-digit deficits.
This might not have been as improbable as trailing Portland by 25 before winning (although if the Trail Blazers were playing as well then as now, that might not have happened).
Still, it was a quality win and don’t discount it by saying it came over the Grizzlies. This is the same team that beat San Antonio earlier in the week.
Any win on the road in the NBA can’t be taken for granted. Nor can the Sixers ability to fight back be discounted.
It’s just that playing one great quarter can only win so many games.

The Sixers are struggling in a lot of areas and interior defense could be near the top of the list.
In Friday’s 106-101 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, center Andrew Bynum shot 10 for 11 from the field. Power forward Lamar Odom shot 8 for 11.
Does that sound familiar?
Last Friday in a 109-99 loss to Sacramento, the Kings’ Mikki Moore shot 10 for 11 while Brad Miller was 9 for 12.
Both games were at home.
This is not exactly the Sixers' way of defending their turf.
In both instances, the Kings and Lakers power forwards and centers had many easy shots.
The immediate instinct is to blame Samuel Dalembert and Reggie Evans, the two main interior defenders.
And while both can’t escape blame, the Sixers continue to be hurt by dribble penetration. Dalembert often leaves to help on a guard driving to the basket and that often leads a wide open player.
Both Moore and Bynum don’t have a lot of range, but it isn’t needed when constantly scoring near the basket.
The Sixers have plenty of other issues to deal with and aside from their defensive failures, they also have to get more consistent on offense.
Kyle Korver has gone hot and cold this year, or more accurately cold, semi-hot and then cold. In his last thee games he is shooting 8 for 28 from the field.
One bright spot for the Sixers in their loss was the play of Rodney Carney, who had eight points (4 for 7 shooting) in 16 effective minutes.
With Lou Williams missing the game due to soreness in his slightly fractured right big toe, there were more minutes to dispense and Carney took advantage of it.
It will be interesting if that earns him more playing time. The Sixers prefer to play a transition game and few can get up and down the court after grabbing a rebound than Carney.
Either way, it won’t matter who plays if the Sixers continue to allow the opponent to score so easily close to the basket or in Brad Miller’s case, to hit wide open jumpers.
The opposition is receiving too many free passes to score and taking advantage of the opportunity. And that’s why the Sixers have now lost two in a row and 3 of their last four and are desperate to once again turn things around in this inconsistent season.

Those who have been to the Wachovia Center this season for a 76ers game, and there haven’t been a whole lot of you there, have a game to be truly anticipated on Friday.
That’s because Kobe Bryant comes to town with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Sixers are 28th in the NBA in attendance, averaging 12,126. They are filling the Wachovia Center to 59 percent capacity, which is the worst in the league.
Two things sell in the NBA – a winning team and superstars. The Sixers right now are 0 for 2 in those categories.
Bryant is one a player who definitely sells tickets. The Sixers said late Thursday afternoon that 16,500 have been sold for the game.
More than the extra people, there should be plenty of enthusiasm in the building. Julius Erving and Clint Richardson are going to be honored at the game as part of continual celebrations this season for the Sixers 25th anniversary of their NBA championship in 1983.
The players at practice on Thursday talked about how they are looking forward to the game.
Put it this way, there wasn’t this type of enthusiasm when the Minnesota Timberwolves came to town last week.
The biggest buzz this season at home came when the Sixers lost to Boston, 113-103 on Dec. 5.
The crowd of 15, 779 was into the game for two reasons – the Sixers were competitive for much of the contest before wearing down in the final eight minutes.
And Boston provided one of the most popular and best players in the NBA, Kevin Garnett.
Garnett doesn’t have the appeal of Bryant, but he still sells seats.
The Sixers realize that when there are bigger than average crowds, the fans are usually coming to see somebody from the opposing team.
Still, it’s a chance for the Sixers to win over some fans. A good performance against the Lakers may make a fan or two think about coming back.
The players notice the empty seats. They say they don’t worry about it because they can’t control the situation (although a few more wins might actually help boost attendance).
Make no mistake about it, the players get more enthused when there is a big crowd.
So the Sixers could really gain some momentum with a big effort. What they can’t do is have the type of lethargic performance that they did in their most two recent losses against Sacramento and Indiana.
This is the Sixers time to step up in front of a big crowd (for them) and a good team.
The Lakers are talented. They are playing much better team basketball. This will be a major challenge for the Sixers, but if they are ever going to begin establishing consistency, there’s no better way than to do it in front of a crowd that for one of the few times this season, will seem excited about attending a game at the Wachovia Center.

Note: The latest Sixers podcast has been posted. Go to http://go.philly.com/sixerscast.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The difference in ball movement and defensive intensity was on display when the Indiana Pacers provided a clinic during Wednesday’s 102-85 win over the Sixers
The Sixers played too much one-on-one and allowed the shot clock to wind down too many times before taking forced shots.
Indiana, meanwhile, zipped the ball around the court, not even needing to dribble at times.
And the Pacers couldn’t have been more wide open on offense, especially in the second half when they outscored the Sixer, 52-38.
Keep in mind, it would have been worse had the Pacers second leading scorer Danny Granger not shot just 6 for 17, missing many open shots.
The Sixers are starting a trend, which isn’t a very good one. In recent losses they have allowed teams to score too many uncontested baskets.
During Friday’s 109-99 loss against Sacramento, the Sixers allowed the Kings to drive the lane freely.
Indiana, on the other hand, kept getting one open shot after another from the perimeter.
What had to make this even more disappointing is that the Sixers were coming off a strong defensive effort in Saturday’s 92-86 win at Cleveland.
In that game, shots were being contested and Cleveland had a difficult time getting to the basket.
That wasn’t the case against Indiana, which under former Sixers coach Jim O’Brien, spreads the floor as well as any team in the NBA.
The Sixers knew that and still couldn’t defend it. Even Andre Iguodala said in the locker room that the Sixers went over the defensive rotations needed, but once the game started, Indiana roamed freely all over the court.
This one was a clunker both on the offensive and defensive end. And now the Sixers have to pick up the pieces, which won’t be easy because they host the hot Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.
There should be a buzz in the building with Kobe Bryant coming home, but it won’t last long if the Lakers are recipients to as many open looks as the Pacers enjoyed against the Sixers.

Indiana Pacers coach Jim O’Brien isn’t the sentimental type so don’t be surprised if he says before facing the 76ers on Wednesday that it’s just another game.
O’Brien has proven to be a solid coach in the NBA, having taken the Celtics and then the Sixers to the playoffs. And if the Pacers continue to play the way they’ve begun the season, he will be in the postseason with his third different team.
O’Brien was stung by his firing after leading the Sixers to a 43-39 record and first round playoff exit against Detroit in 2004-2005.
Nobody should feel too sorry for him because he got paid roughly $8 million over the next two years by the Sixers not to coach.
It wasn’t O’Brien’s coaching that got him canned. No, it was the way he dealt with others, including management and players. Let’s just say, he didn’t have the warmest manner to him.
Most of the Sixers are just treating this game as another chance to prove themselves on the road.
One exception is Samuel Dalembert who after Tuesday’s practice, couldn’t hide his dislike for O’Brien.
Dalembert averaged 11.6 points and 12.8 rebounds in the playoffs against Detroit that season under O’Brien and then earned a contract for six years and nearly $64 million.
So why would he be ticked off at O’Brien?
Because Dalembert felt he didn’t play enough during the regular season. And he was blaming O’Brien.
So don’t expect any pre-game hug between Dalembert and O’Brien.
The bottom line is that under O’Brien Indiana is among the most surprising teams in the NBA at 13-12. Remember, the Pacers were 35-47 last season, the same record as the Sixers.
Whether the Pacers can keep up this year's pace, and continue to win by shooting the three, is up to debate.
For now, O’Brien has done an excellent job having the Pacers buy into his system.
So even though everybody will paint this as a grudge match, it really isn’t.
For the Sixers, it’s a game in which they can continue to prove that they can win on the road and build on what they did Saturday in Cleveland.
Both teams like to get in transition and play an up-tempo game. First team to 110 may win.
And if the Sixers win, don’t expect any of the players, other than maybe Dalembert to gloat about beating their former coach.

It appears as if the one player that many of the fans who respond to the blog would like to see in Philadelphia is Atlanta forward Josh Smith.
Join the crowd.
Smith, who will be a restricted free agent next season, would be an excellent fit.
Then again, it’s hard to see a team, even one with the ownership problems of Atlanta, letting him slip away.
Some may have concerns about Smith’s attitude, but he seems to be taking things more seriously and remember, Smith just turned 22 this month.
Earlier this season he destroyed the Sixers with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in the Hawks’ 88-79 win. Smith averaging just under 18 points and 8 rebounds in just over 36 minutes per game.
One negative is that he still turns the ball over too much (3.4 per game). That is something he will have to work on to reach the next level.
We know there are some out there who would rather see a veteran such as Elton Brand, but again, it would be a surprise if Brand opted out of his contract next season with the Clippers owing him more than $16 million.
And Brand is still recuperating from his ruptured Achilles tendon injury. There is a hope that he will return by February. Brand will turn 29 in March and has a lot of mileage on him.
He has been highly dependable both on and off the court and there is a lot to be said for that, but the potential of Smith is truly intriguing.
A future frontcourt of Smith, Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert wouldn’t look too bad (especially if Iguodala and Smith could cut down their turnovers). Smith also has the versatility to play small forward.
Of course depending on what the Sixers do with Andre Miller, they could also be looking for a point guard either as a starter or a backup to Lou Williams.
No matter what the Sixers do with Miller, their first priority is a scoring power forward.
Reggie Evans has brought a tremendous work ethic, and has rebounded as well, if not better than advertised.
Yet, the Sixers would like to get more scoring from that position.
Evans still could be a key contributor off the bench.
Still, that is a long way off.
Judging by e-mails, many fans feel that Shavlik Randolph could be one of the answers at the four-spot.
Randolph is healthy and has been working out every day. He says he just needs to get some minutes to get his confidence back.
He is an energy player, similar to Evans. Those are good players to have, but the Sixers need somebody at the 4 who can score.
And to be honest, Jason Smith is a much more skilled player than Randolph and another person who provides energy off the bench. The Sixers are very high on Jason Smith and rightfully so, and there would be nothing wrong with him backing up Josh Smith and Dalembert. Having Evans and Jason Smith coming off the bench would provide frontcourt depth.
It might be a long shot to land Josh Smith, since Atlanta has the chance to match any offer.
Still, one can be sure that the Sixers (and many other teams) will be monitoring the progress of Josh Smith, whose scoring average and stock have gone up in each of his four NBA seasons.

CLEVELAND -- The 76ers have enjoyed their share of character wins, but nothing topped Saturday’s 92-86 triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.
That’s because the win came 24 hours after arguably the Sixers most disappointing performance during Friday’s 109-99 loss to the visiting Sacramento Kings.
In that game, the Sixers were outhustled, outrebounded and broken down by a Kings team that had been 0-9 on the road.
The good thing about the NBA is that redemption comes quickly.
A night after Samuel Dalembert and Reggie Evans combined for 8 points and 9 rebounds, Dalembert himself had 16 points and 19 rebounds against Cleveland and Evans added four points and 14 rebounds.
The Sixers refused to hang their heads after such a demoralizing defeat on Friday.
And for that coach Maurice Cheeks deserves a lot of credit.
After the win over Cleveland, the players talked about how Cheeks got on them for Friday’s game.
The Sixers showed enough pride to overcome an 11-point second quarter deficit on the road.
While the Cavs, like the Sixers are now 10-14 and not world beaters, it’s still a good win.
In fact any win on the road is something that cant’ be discounted, especially for a Sixers team that is learning to close out games.
While we may continue to see the up and down play that has marked this season, the fact that the Sixers are able to get off the canvas and fight is a good sign.
And once gain, the Sixers received solid contributions from 10 players.
A loss to the Cavs would have been a wasted weekend. Instead, the Sixers departed the snowy night in Cleveland, feeling good about the way they played and more importantly about their resiliency.

After four wins in a row, the 76ers took a major step back in losing 109-99 on Friday to the visiting Sacramento Kings.
It’s not just that the Kings had been 0-9 on the road, although losing to a winless team away from home is never a positive sign.
No, it was the way the Kings won, continually driving the lane with little resistance.
We just finished writing after his near triple-double that Samuel Dalembert needs to gain consistency to reach that next level.
And it appears that next level is still pretty far away.
Following a near triple-double against Minnesota on Wednesday (18 points, 11 rebounds, 9 blocks) Dalembert had 4 points 9 rebounds and 2 blocked shots against Sacramento.
After the game he talked about how the Sixers were too late in figuring out the Kings offense.
In reality, they never did figure out the Princeton-type offense of the Kings.
Sacramento beat the Sixers with dribble penetration, outside shooting and a series of back cuts that led to their final 13 field goals being either dunks or layups.
The dribble penetration continues to be a sore spot for the Sixers defense.
They weren’t beaten by Steve Nash or even Tony Parker. They were destroyed by Parker’s former teammate Beno Udrih, who continued to break down the defense and dish, or score. All 15 of his points were in the second half.
The Kings actually aren’t a bad team, but no NBA opponent should score as many uncontested baskets as Sacramento did.
What this did was give the Sixers a sour sendoff to the beginning of one of the most grueling parts of the schedule. Starting with Saturday in Cleveland, 13 of the next 17 games will be on the road.
Then again, if the Sixers don’t do a better job defensively than they did against Sacramento, it won’t matter where the games are going to be played.
The Sixers needed to beat the Kings to have the type of momentum that's necessary when hitting the road.
Now instead of confidence, there are questions about the players’ consistency.
Andre Miller had 24 points and eight assists, but defensively, he and the rest of the guards didn’t’ show a whole lot.
And Andre Iguodala shot 4 for 12 and had five turnovers.
Based on the fact that the Kings are so banged up (with no Mike Bibby, or Kevin Martin) and that they weren’t exactly terrors on the road, this was one of the Sixers worst defeats.
At least the Sixers have less than 24 hours to dwell on it and move on against Cleveland. Although if Mikki Moore and Brad Miller can combine for 49 points, what will LeBron James be able to do?

Same story, different team. Just as the Sixers couldn’t look past the worst team in the NBA (Minnesota) on Wednesday, they have another similar situation when they host the Sacramento Kings on Friday at the Wachovia Center.
The Kings (8-13) are better than Minnesota, but they are far from world beaters.
Still, Sacramento has a lot going against it, starting with its road record. The Kings are the only NBA team that hasn’t won a road game, having lost their first nine away from home.
That alone should have the Sixers worried. Nobody wants to be the first to lose to a team that can’t win outside of its local zip code.
And as far as injuries go, Sacramento has had some rotten luck. First they lost point guard Mike Bibby with torn ligaments in his left thumb, an injury that occurred a few days before the beginning of the season.
Then high scoring guard Kevin Martin (24.5 ppg.) suffered a groin injury.
Still, the Kings have been no easy out. Even on Wednesday they traveled to Boston and gave the Celtics all they could handle for three quarters.
Sacramento entered the fourth period trailing by just four points in an eventual 90-78 loss.
Ron Artest (19.9 ppg.) is the Kings’ best player and he can have dominant spurts. In fact the third leading scorer is former Sixer John Salmons (15.2 ppg.), who never truly found a comfort level in Philadelphia.
And while on paper this doesn’t look like an offense that will scare teams, the Kigns are averaging 98.8 points, which is more than five a game more than the Sixers.
Of course the Kings had Martin for the first 17 games. In the last four games without him, they are averaging 89.5 points.
So just like Minnesota, this is a team the Sixers have to beat, especially with 13 of the next 17 after Friday on the road.
The Sixers (9-13 and winners of four in a row) didn’t exactly blow by Minnesota, where the outcome wasn’t decided until Andre Iguodala’s two free throws with 5.9 seconds left provided the final margin in a 98-94 win.
Did the Sixers have a letdown?
Possiblity, but who would have thought we’d be talking about having a letdown and the Sixers still winning the game?
No, these aren’t world-beaters they are playing, but the Sixers are still gaining confidence by winning.
And there could be no worse way for the Sixers to hit the road by losing to a team that hasn’t won away from its building.
(One programming note - the latest podcast is up at http://go.philly.com/sixerscast)

When Samuel Dalembert performs the way he did in Wednesday’s 98-94 win over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves, it brings the age-old question – why can’t he do this all the time?
Now in his sixth season, Dalembert has often shown flashes of brilliance, followed by frequent lapses.
Wednesday was one of those flashes as he came within one block of a triple-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds and nine blocked shots.
During the Sixers four-game winning streak, the up and down nature of Dalembert has surfaced, although the up version has been much more prominent.
In a 101-90 win over the New York Knicks that began the streak, he had 20 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in nearly 37 minutes.
The next night in a 105-77 win over the Knicks, Dalembert had 3 points, six rebounds, four turnovers and two blocks in 21 minutes.
On Monday the Sixers defeated Houston, 100-88 and Dalembert had eight points, 13 rebounds and two blocked shots, while also neutralizing Yao Ming, who was limited to a 3 for 11 shooting night. The Sixers also played good weakside defense, giving Dalembert help on Yao. Still, Dalembert’s defensive effort can’t be discounted.
And then of course came the win over Minnesota, when Dalembert had his best game of the season.
If anybody’s counting, that adds up to three really good to excellent performances and one not so hot one in the past four games.
His teammates even mentioned after the win over the Wolves that Dalembert could be an all-star.
And before anybody starts snickering, look at the centers in the Eastern Conference.
Dwight Howard will own one all-star berth for another decade to decade and a half.
But other than that, are there players who are that much better than Dalembert?
Shaq will likely get voted in, but he playing well below all-star standards.
Who else?
Most of the top front-court players in the East are not natural centers.
Whether he earns all-star consideration or not, the fact that we’re even mentioning the possibility shows that Dalembert has improved.
Of course, we have to see it over the course of an entire season. Even being good consistent out of every four games, while it might be good for Dalembert, isn’t enough for the Sixers.
They need him to be a factor every night. One important stat is personal fouls. Last season he fouled out of nine games. This season he has fouled out once.
This year when he has played 37 minutes, the Sixers are 5-3.
“I think Sam and Andre Miller are our two most important players on the team,” said Andre Iguodala.
While some may say Iguodala could fit that bill, his point is well taken.
Dalembert has to stay on the court longer and when he does, it usually is accompanied with good results.
While it’s still too early to say that both Dalembert and the Sixers have turned the corner, right now at least, both appear heading in the right direction.

Here’s one scenario that few people would have considered even a week ago – that the 76ers have to guard against overconfidence when they host Minnesota Wednesday at the Wachovia Center.
After losing, 102-88 on Tuesday at Washington, Minnesota is now 3-16. The Wolves haven’t had the services of former Villanova star Randy Foye all year who has been out with a knee injury.
Minnesota is 1-8 on the road, although the one victory came against a New Orleans team that handled the Sixers twice.
Still, the Wolves may be the worst team in the NBA. And in talking to some fans, they feel this one is already in the bag for the Sixers.
The players understand that it isn’t so easy. The Sixers aren’t good enough to just walk in and beat even inferior teams.
And it will be interesting to see if the Sixers can apply the knockout punch early. The best thing to do with a struggling team is not allow it to gain confidence.
Minnesota’s best player is Al Jefferson and he is bound to want to come back after a subpar performance in Tuesday’s loss to Washington, when he was a –23 out on the court.
That said, the fact that the Sixers had Tuesday off, Minnesota is playing consecutive road games and that the Wolves are not exploding with talent, gives the Sixers a major advantage.
The Sixers have proved they can bounce back from adversity. Now they can show how they play with a little prosperity on their side.
So this game offers a little different challenge. The Sixers will try to show that they can win when they are expected to. It’s a situation they haven’t been in much this season but one they would like to get used to doing.

Andre Miller insists that he isn’t doing anything differently, but that his teammates are – such as hitting open shots.
Miller’s assist total has gone up, his turnovers down and the Sixers for the first time this season are beginning to feel pretty good about things.
Miller now has had double-figure assists in four consecutive game following Monday’s 100-88 win over the Houston Rockets at the Wachovia Center. He had 17 points and 12 assists in a game the Sixers led by as many as 31 points.
Earlier in the year the Sixers were often shooting bricks or fumbling passes from Miller.
Now they are catching the ball and making open shots.
Andre Iguodala said after the Houston win that Miller is the most important player on the team.
Miller will never make anybody’s all-defensive team, but when he is getting double figures in assists, good things usually happen.
The Sixers are now 3-1 when he records 10 or more assists and the only loss was to Boston, which outmanned and outshot the Sixers.
There have been many people (including this writer) who have suggested that maybe it would be better to trade Miller.
While he remains the team’s best trade chip, when he is playing this way, Miller makes his teammates better.
And by the way, you can forget about that published report that said Sixers president and general manager Ed Stefanski isn’t enamored with Miller.
That was totally bogus. Stefanski likes Miller a lot.
That doesn’t mean Miller may not get traded, but if he keeps playing the way he is, it wouldn’t be the worst thing to keep him on the team.
And as we’ve said before, the Sixers began their three game-win streak when coach Maurice Cheeks began to expand the rotation.
Again – here’s a message to Blogsville – quit suggesting that Stefanski has told Cheeks to expand the rotation. It didn’t happen.
Cheeks had been talking about it before Stefanski was hired. Give Cheeks a little credit for making a move on his own.
The Sixers used 11 players in the first half against Houston and that’s not counting Lou Williams, who missed the game with a slight fracture in his right big toe.
The players who are coming off the bench for the most part, seem willing to prove that they deserve the minutes.
Even though Thaddeus Young shot just 2 for 9 against Houston, he played a vital role in the win. For the third straight game, Young has provided instant energy.
The one mystery off the bench remains Rodney Carney, who is unhappy and also unproductive.
Young has shown he deserves the minutes. Carney has to do the same.
So for now, the Sixers seem like a rejuvenated bunch. And the biggest reason is the play of Miller, who has picked his game up while his teammates have followed his lead.

Lou Williams said on Saturday that he fell on his shoulder and head but he’s out for tonight’s game with the Houston Rockets due to a small fracture in his big right toe.
Williams is listed as day to day and said before tonight’s game that he hopes to return Wednesday at the Wachovia Center against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He was hurt while driving the lane in Saturday’s 105-77 win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Williams was leveled by New York’s David Lee with 3 minutes and 30 seconds left in the third quarter.
He hit one of two free throws and left the game for good 38 seconds later. After the game Williams said he landed on his head and shoulder and never mentioned the toe.
“My head and shoulder are fine,” he said before tonight’s game with Houston. “I had trouble walking and told K.J. it’s probably not right.”
K.J. is Sixers trainer Kevin Johnson.
Williams said on Sunday morning the foot swelled up and and x-ray revealed a small fracture.
When asked how the toe feels, Williams said, “It feels great and I can flex it. Right now we’re saying day to day and I’ll try to go Wednesday.”

NEW YORK -- Lou Williams said he was fine after taking a fall almost as hard as the New York Knicks.
While the 76ers were winning consecutive games for the first time this year, Williams was hammered by David Lee while driving the lane with 3:30 left in the third quarter of Saturday’s 105-77 win over the New York Knicks.
Williams was high in the air and landed hard on the ground. He said after the game that he hit his shoulder and head. After being examined, the Sixers said he suffered from a headache.
Williams, according to the team was available to return, but the game was well in control, so he received the rest of the night off.
“I tried to get a layup and took a hard foul,” Williams said. “I landed on my shoulder and my head.”
Williams said after the game he was fine, but admitted that he wasn’t so confident when the spill initially happened.
““It was scary because initially I was extremely dizzy and couldn’t walk a straight line,” Williams said.
He then said after a few moments he was ready to shoot the foul shots.
Williams hit one of two free throws and then left the game for good. The Sixers said he was available to return. Since the game was out of hand, there was no use putting him back in.
Lee was charged with a Flagrant 1 foul, which gave the Sixers two free throws and the ball.
One of Williams’ strong traits is his lack of fear and ability to get to the glass. This incident shouldn’t change that.
Everybody associated with the Sixers was relieved that Williams came out OK.
Of course how he feels on Sunday and Monday will be a key.
Right now his teammates are feeling pretty good, having won consecutive games for the first time this season.
It’s no coincidence that the wins came when coach Maurice Cheeks expanded his rotation.
Cheeks went to a deeper rotation in Friday’s 101-90 win over the Knicks and he used even more players on Saturday.
In fact everybody got into Saturday’s game before halftime and Cheeks admitted afterwards that having fresher legs was the key to the win.
Some may say that the Sixers shouldn’t get excited about two victories over the Knicks.
When a team has struggled like the Sixers, they will take two wins over anybody. And remember, the Knicks had won four of their previous six games entering the weekend.
So these were officially good wins over a team going bad.
On Saturday it was a total team effort and gives the Sixers a little optimism, not to mention confidence.
The Sixers hope they get to the point where two-game winning streaks over poor teams aren’t a big deal, but for now they are. And after so many tough days this season, the Sixers had a weekend that they hope to build on.

When the 76ers can have some sort of low-post presence, they are a respectable offensive team.
There is a reason why the team is 3-1 when Samuel Dalembert leads them in scoring.
That’s exactly what happened when Dalembert contributed 20 points in Friday’s 101-90 win over the New York Knicks.
Dalembert says he is worried more about rebounding and blocking shots than scoring.
Here’s a suggestion – start worrying more about scoring.
When the Sixers are scoring down low, whether it’s on follows, or actual plays designed for the post, they are a more effective team.
Dalembert is effective scoring on offensive rebounds. Where he has gotten in trouble is fouling over the back when going for the ball.
Still, when he isn’t fouling and is scoring, the Sixers have been winning, which is something that hasn’t been said much in these parts.
Against the Knicks, the Sixers got an unexpected bonus when Reggie Evans had his first double-double of the season, 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Evans says the coaches have been on him about getting a few more points, whether it’s transition or down low.
The Sixers won’t be running many plays for him, but if there is a way he could get points on the fast break and others on follows around the basket, it could keep defenses more honest.
Now let’s be honest, the Sixers aren’t going to be getting many double-doubles from Evans, but the point is that if he can do enough so the Sixers aren’t playing 4-on-5 on offense, then Evans may be able to stay out on the court a little more.
It was amazing that Dalembert and Evans were able to so much damage against a talented front court that includes Eddy Curry, Zach Randolph and David Lee.
While the Sixers had no answer for Lee, Curry and Randolph combined for 16 points and 10 rebounds, well below par. Randolph was 2 for 11 and he missed plenty of easy shots around the basket.
One other thing happened in the game that really helped the Sixers – coach Maurice Cheeks went deeper into his bench.
Going lately with an eight-man rotation, Cheeks expanded to nine and Thaddeus Young provided a little more than 12 fairly effective minutes.
The Sixers players weren’t tired because nobody played as many as 37 minutes.
With fresh legs, it was no coincidence that they outscored the Knicks 29-23 in the fourth quarter.
Now the key is trying to duplicate the effort as the Sixers go for their first two-game winning streak Saturday from Madison Square Garden against the Knicks.