Deep Sixer

CLEVELAND -- It was interesting that both before Sunday’s 91-88 loss at Quicken Loans Arena to the Cleveland Cavaliers and afterwards, the 76ers’ players talked about the possibility that complacency may have settled into the team.
Both Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala suggested that the Sixers might have been enjoying their press clippings a little too much as they won 19 of 24 games before now dropping the last two to Phoenix and Cleveland. (It’s the first time the Sixers have lost two in a row since the first week of February).
First of all, it’s only natural to relax mentally and physically after such an extended winning run. The Sixers always talk about taking games one at a time, but they are only human.
While the Sixers weren’t competitive against Phoenix, the game was one they let slip away against the Cavs.
The Sixers were up by 11 points against Cleveland late in the second quarter.
Cleveland looked a step slow. The Sixers were beating the Cavs to loose balls and outrunning them down the court.
The Cavs, however got some life late in the half and then were clearly the better team in the energy department during the second half.
That all said, the Sixers were up by four points with three minutes left and couldn’t close the deal.
The Sixers had plenty of chances and when they were on their impressive run, these were opportunities they were cashing in on.
Now they aren’t and as the collective confidence has taken a hit. Even a slight one.
Maybe the Sixers relaxed because they realize that only a Mets-like collapse will keep them out of the playoffs.
Or maybe it’s just possible that a team can’t mentally and physically battle the way the Sixers did during that 24-game stretch for an entire season.
Now the Sixers face a challenging week by visiting a desperate New Jersey team on Tuesday and a surging Atlanta squad in back to backs on Friday and Saturday.
The NBA season is a roller coaster on the confidence meter. Now the Sixers could use a little more confidence and a few more wins.
Another player whose confidence may not be sky high is Jason Smith, who was a DNP Coaches Decision. We were told there was no injury that kept him on the bench.
While Smith has been up and down, sitting on the bench might serve as a motivating factor. Smith works hard, but he hasn’t recently been as productive as the team would like.
In the last four games before the Cleveland contest, he had averaged just nine minutes, well under his season average of 14.8.
Like the rest of his teammates, Smith has to bounce back for these final eight games. No matter where the Sixers end up in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, they have to play well down the stretch to have some postseason momentum.
And they need to play with confidence, now that some doubt has returned for the first time in nearly two months.

Just like last Friday in Orlando, the 76ers never appeared in the game after being outclassed in the first quarter of Friday’s 107-93 loss to the Phoenix Suns at the sold-out Wachovia Center.
For a brief history lesson, Orlando jumped to a 17-4 lead and had a 33-19 advantage in the first quarter of its 113-95 win over the Sixers last Friday.
Phoenix jumped to a 38-19 lead in the first quarter, helped by the fact that the Sixers missed their first 13 field goal attempts.
The Sixers could only get as close as 10 points in the fourth quarter before seven unanswered Suns points put the game away.
Now the big question – do the Sixers get a pass for such a poor effort after consecutive wins over New Jersey Boston and Chicago?
Or is this time to worry as they now enter Sunday’s crucial game in Cleveland?
What it showed is that teams such as Orlando and Phoenix, that can shoot the three, get out on the break and work the pick and roll, can find plenty of holes in the Sixers defense.
Again, the Sixers can’t keep up the pace they have been enjoying, but they also don’t have the luxury of getting in any kind of extended funk with nine games left.
“We have to bounce back, that’s most important thing,” Andre Iguodala said. “It’s not end of the world but we have to look at what we did wrong and get back and try to get a W on Sunday.”
That won’t be easy since the Sixers have to play at Cleveland. The Sixers won the only game between the two this year, 92-86, Dec. 15 at Cleveland.
The only break the Sixers may be getting is that Cleveland has to play Saturday night in Detroit. Having a back-to-back after banging heads with the Pistons, isn’t the easiest assignment.
Then again, the Sixers have to regoup the same way they did after being routed by Orlando.
The only difference is that beating Cleveland on the road is slightly more difficult than defeating the New Jersey Nets at home.
More importantly, the Sixers haven’t lost two in a row since losing Feb. 1 against Orlando and Feb. 4 at Atlanta.
That’s been a long time and now they face a major challenge to keep this impressive streak in tact.

The 76ers could be playing to their third sellout of the year (and the month) when the Phoenix Suns visit the Wachovia Center on Friday.
As of late Thursday, only club box seats remained for the game. No doubt the fans are interested in seeing Shaquille O’Neal, still one of the NBA’s biggest drawing cards. Watching Steve Nash at the point is another major attraction.
Even when the Sixers weren’t playing well, a game with Miami and Shaq on Dec. 26 drew a crowd of 18,431, which at the time was the Sixers second biggest of the season.
Now the Sixers are drawing big crowds and the difference is that they are the main attraction.
They have had two sellouts and both had more to do with the opponent, against Boston on March 10 and against Allen Iverson and Denver on March 19.
Yet the Sixers drew more than 19,000 for games against San Antonio and New Jersey and had a crowd of 18,620 to see the sputtering Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
For those who feel that San Antonio is a big attraction, just check last year when the Spurs drew a crowd of just 14,883 for a January game at the Wachovia Center.
It appears as if the Sixers are selling extra seats because the team is starting to create a buzz.
Right now, having an opponent with a superstar (or even a fading superstar like Shaq) is nice, but nothing sells more than winning.
The Sixers have won four in a row at home and 12 of their last 13 at the Wachovia Center.
At one point this season the Sixers were 9-14 at home. They are now 21-15.
The players talked after practice on Thursday about how much it means to them to play before a packed, energetic house.
The Sixers are feeding off that energy, but to be fair, they haven’t been too bad on the road either.
The Sixers are 16-20 on the road, but in their most recent string when they have won 19 of their past 24 games overall, they are 7-4 on the road, with wins at Phoenix, Detroit and Boston.
Right now the Sixers are playing with confidence in any venue.
The players won’t say it, but earlier in the year when there was little atmosphere and few fans, it was actually more enjoyable to play on the road for the Sixers.
That is no longer the case. The Wachovia Center is now a lively place, already presenting a playoff atmosphere well before the postseason is ready to begin.

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There are many differences right now between the 76ers and Chicago Bulls, but the biggest has to do with the respective motors of the two teams.
The Sixers motor never stops and the Bulls don’t appear to be playing with much conviction these days.
That sure was the appearance after the Sixers ran over Chicago, 121-99 on Wednesday, outscoring the Bulls, 30-2 in fastbreak points.
The Sixers most impressive trait is that they go hard virtually every night. Chicago meanwhile, which was coming off a big win on Tuesday over Atlanta, appeared lifeless.
For all the impressive traits of the Sixers, playing hard may be No. 1.
Usually the first thing opposing scouts and players mention is how hard the Sixers go at it.
And while it’s difficult to look into an opponent’s collective heart, the Bulls didn’t look ready to compete.
Of course much of the blame goes to the Sixers, who came out with an aggressive style and never let up.
The Sixers beat the Bulls three games to one this season and in the previous game they overcame an 18-point fourth quarter deficit to win in Chicago.
This may be too simplistic, but it seems a case of the Sixers seemingly wanting it more than Chicago these last two games.
The Bulls are an example that talent doesn’t always win in the NBA. The Bulls have some talented players, but the pieces seem oddly out of place.
The Sixers on the other hand have been a selfless team, never caring about who scores. Against Chicago, the Sixers had 36 assists (including 18 by Andre Miller) and 12 turnovers.
The fact that the Sixers players aren’t worried about who lights up the stat sheet is why their scoring is often balanced.
Against the Bulls, eight players had eight or more points and five were in double figures, including three off the bench – Lou Williams, Rodney Carney and Thaddeus Young.
The Sixers have beaten a lot of teams lately with more talent (although Chicago doesn’t fall in that category).
The key is playing together and right now, it’s hard to find a more cohesive bunch than the Sixers and a more dispirited group than the Bulls.

Looks like the 76ers bandwagon is becoming awfully crowded. And now the fans are complaining because the big bad media didn’t give the team any respect.
For instance, a post by Frank, writes, “Marc, with all due respect you are lost.”
Hey, Frank, thanks at least for the due respect. His point is that I’m part of the negative media who didn’t give the 76ers much of a chance.
While we’ll never admit to being negative media, the part about not giving the Sixers much respect is accurate.
The prediction here was that the Sixers would win 32 games. And when they were 16-25 at the midway point, the prediction was dead on.
Shortly after that, the Sixers began turning things around. The players and Maurice Cheeks insist they aren’t surprised at the success.
We’ll have to take them at their word. On the other hand, here at DeepSiverville, we’re stunned by the success.
If anybody out there thought the Sixers would make the playoffs and possibly have a winning record, we’d love to hear from you.
Because nothing early in the season or even at the midway point would have suggested this incredible run, in which the Sixers have won 18 of the past 23 games.
Remember early in the season, when Andre Miller was playing poorly and Andre Iguodala was trying to do too much, Thaddeus Young wasn’t playing a whole lot and virtually everybody on the team had a serious inconsistent streak.
To their credit they have not only turned it around, but the Sixers are now a must-watch. How can anybody who enjoys basketball not want to tune in and see what will happen next?
The 19-0 run against the Boston Celtics (who happen to be statistically, the best defensive team in the NBA), was one of the most impressive feats witnessed in the NBA this year, if not the last few years.
The best part is that the Sixers aren’t using an “I told you so” attitude. They know that nobody picked them to do much this season. All they care about is winning the next game.
But it will be interesting to see how many of you out there saw this coming and thought the Sixers would be a viable playoff team.
What’s important is how many people are enjoying this run. The posts on the blog have been more upbeat, with many professing to be proud to be Sixers fans. A team that doesn’t quit, is one that causes pride among its fan base.
This unexpected ride has made what appeared to be a listless season, into one that has provided unending drama and excitement.

BOSTON - This game looked over, but the 76ers keep digging deep, showing more and more heart and character with each stunning performance.
Trailing by 11 after Eddie House hit a jumper with 8 minutes and 20 seconds left, the Sixers went on a devastating 19-0 run during Monday’s 95-90 win over the shocked Boston Celtics at TD Banknorth Garden.
There aren’t many times that the best team in the NBA is going to squander an 11 point fourth quarter lead.
In fact the feeling among the sellout crowd was that Boston was only a few baskets from putting the Sixers away.
Andre Iguodala, as he has in so many other big comeback wins, took over the game for the most important stretch. He scored 13 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter.
As he continues to prosper in late-game situations, Iguodala is enhancing his reputation as one of the NBA’s emerging clutch players. And as we’ve said before, he’s on the brink of all-star status, although that is something we’ll deal with next season.
The emergence of Thaddeus Young continues and he had a monster game off the bench, 16 points and nine rebounds.
Most of all, the Sixers didn’t wilt under the defensive pressure of Boston and the loud roar of the crowd, who smelled another Celtics victory.
The Sixers keep improving on their character-type wins. Overcoming an 18-point deficit early in the fourth quarter against Chicago was surely impressive, but doing what they did to Boston was even more stunning.
That’s because the Celtics are a team capable of winning the NBA championship.
So in the last two weeks, the Sixers have defeated two division champs (Boston and Detroit) and one defending NB A champion (San Antonio).
Each one of these big wins is just increasing the collective confidence of the Sixers.
The Sixers never feel they are out of a game and what was most impressive is that they played defense in the fourth quarter better than the Celtics, who statistically are the best defensive team in the NBA.
The Sixers are gaining more admirers with each wild win. And it may be hard for them to continue to duplicate these wild efforts, the bar keeps being raised in impression fashion.

BOSTON – Samuel Dalembert, who suffered a mild strain in a tendon in his right shoulder during Saturday’s 91-87 win over the New Jersey Nets, said he would be in the lineup for tonight’s game at TD Banknorth Garden against the Boston Celtics.
“It’s sore,” Dalembert said after today’s shootaround. “I haven’t done too much movement with it and I’m trying to shoot a little and we’ll see how it goes tonight, but I will be ready to play.”
Dalembert said he suffered the injury in the second quarter, but he had one of his better all-around games of late. Against the Nets, Dalembert had 11 points, 18 rebounds and five blocked shots.
“Sam was great the other night and the shoulder didn’t seem to affect him today and hopefully he will be OK,” Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said.
This is the final game of the regular season against the Celtics. The Sixers are 0-3 against Boston.

Maurice Cheeks called the 76ers 91-87 win over the New Jersey Nets on Saturday a “grind out game” and that was an apt description.
This was a game the Sixers simply needed for a number of reasons.
The first, was that the Sixers had to quickly wipe away the sour aftertaste of Friday’s 113-95 loss at Orlando. That was a game the Sixers were never competitive after Orlando jumped out to a 17-4 lead.
They needed the win over the Nets to not only reestablish their confidence, but their foothold over New Jersey in the playoff race.
The Sixers are seventh and now hold a six game lead over the ninth place Nets, whose only chance appears to be to overtake Atlanta for the eighth spot.
In addition, the Sixers had to take advantage of playing a sub .500 team especially with the upcoming schedule.
The Sixers play at Boston on Monday, return home to face Chicago and Phoenix and then travel to Cleveland in the next four games.
After that, there is a game at New Jersey and back to backs with suddenly hot Atlanta.
A loss on Saturday to New Jersey, wouldn’t have done much for the Sixers confidence as they face this difficult stretch.
Then again, we seem to be writing each week about the Sixers’ difficult schedule.
And even though the win over the Nets was far from artistic, at this time of the season, style points aren’t needed.
The Sixers won despite shooting 38 percent from the field, while missing 10 of 35 free throws. Willie Green, who has played well for long stretches, shot just 3 for 17 against the Nets.
Yet the Sixers were able to win, something that might not have happened earlier this season when they didn’t play near their best basketball.
So they will take this win with 12 games left and continue to march toward a playoff berth.
Very little has come easy this season and don’t expect the pattern to change over the final dozen games.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Emotions and win streaks don’t always have a long shelf life in the NBA.
The 76ers found that out in one of their worst performance of the season, a 11-95 loss to the Orlando Magic at Amway Arena.
Then again, could anybody have expected the Sixers to continue their torrid run without suffering a few glitches?
They were 16-4 in their previous 20 games. That is .800 basketball for nearly one-fourth of the season.
It’s not realistic.
The key will be regaining their fire, which was certainly never there against the Magic.
The Sixers couldn’t deal with the Magic’s outside shooting or inside game. That’s not a good combination.
More problematic was the Magic’s proficiency from beyond the arc. The Magic connected on 14 for 23 treys.
But forget about the analysis.
This was a team that was emotionally spent. Too many big games, in the past week, during this month and quite frankly since they started their impressive run on Feb. 5.
Even though the Sixers were listless and as Andre Iguodala suggested, lacked focus, it’s hard to hammer them for this clunker.
The key will be how they rebound. If the Sixers have a similar performance in Saturday’s home game against New Jersey, then something will truly be wrong.
New Jersey is coming off a home loss on Friday to Denver and the Sixers could put some serious distance between the two teams in terms of the playoff race.
The Nets own the ninth spot and are five games behind the Sixers, who are seventh.
(And again, before we start talking about potential playoff matchups for the Sixers, it might be wise for them to qualify first).
Either way, the Sixers have to step on a Nets team that is down. And they have to step up their performance considerably and prove that Friday’s loss was an aberration and not a signal of things to come.

(NOTE: The latest podcast is available. To listen: http://go.philly.com/sixerscast)

The 76ers have played so well lately, that the players expect to win every time they step out on the court. And the fans are also showing that same confidence.
Since Feb. 5, the Sixers have the second best winning percentage in the NBA. They are 16-4 (.800). The only team better is Houston (18-2, .900).
Even Houston, which won 22 in a row, has now suffered two consecutive losses.
Sometimes after such a long winning run, a team will have a letdown. It’s only natural.
Are the Sixers in line for one?
As well as they have played, it wouldn’t be realistic to think the Sixers can keep this pace up for 14 more regular season games.
Then again, this was the same person who felt they would lose at Detroit and also to San Antonio.
The Sixers keep defying the critics in their impressive late-season run.
And what’s more, they are getting contributions from a variety of sources. In March, the Sixers have gone 8-1 and they have eight players averaging at least 8 points or more, and six in double figures.
The Sixers are playing selfless team basketball and it shows, because this month, they have averaged 106.4 points in their first nine games.
Still, can it last for the rest of the season? Will there be an eventual letdown?
Is this just another example of this writer not showing confidence in this team?
There are plenty of questions to ask. The fact that we’re asking them this late in the season shows how much progress the Sixers have made.

The return of Allen Iverson brought more emotion into the Wachovia Center since, well, the days that Iverson was playing his home games here.
And give the 76ers credit for not being overcome by the emotion, the moment or for that matter by Iverson himself.
On most night’s Iverson’s 32-point effort would have been enough to polish off a team, but the Sixers are taking on all challenges with the same positive results lately. Wednesday’s 115-113 win over the Denver Nuggets in front of a sold out Wachoiva Center is the latest example.
In the last week, the Sixers have beaten Detroit, overcome and 18-point fourth quarter deficit to down Chicago. They have disposed of the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and now have beaten Denver when Iverson was truly on his game.
Most of all, one can tell things are going well with the Sixers when they were able to play less than their best against a team that is 12 games over .500 and still win.
The Sixers missed 15 free throws, turned the ball over 21 times and watched Denver hit 11 of 23 three-pointers. Most nights that is recipe for defeat, but the Sixers instead have now won 16 of their last 20 games.
Most of all, they kept their composure and didn’t allow the circus-atmosphere created by Iverson’s return to allow them to lose focus. Or lose the game.
The Sixers were 12 games under .500 as recently as Feb. 4 and are now 34-34. For anybody who’s counting, it’s the first time they have been .500 this season since the Sixers were 2-2.
They continue to win in a variety of ways and on Wednesday they beat Denver at its own game, outscoring the Nuggets, 24-15 in fastbreak points.
And most of all, for those of us who buried them earlier this year, the Sixers never lost their confidenc. And now they are rarely losing games, while winning plenty of admirers along the way.

The 76ers have been criticized for not having a ceremony honoring Allen Iverson before tonight’s game at the Wachovia Center with the Denver Nuggets. (In Sunday’s Inquirer, we reported that there would be no pre-game ceremony according to Sixers officials).
Many fans have emailed us and said that for all Iverson did in 10-plus seasons, he should be honored before the game.
My response?
He’s now with the opposition and any honors can come when he retires. The Sixers fully plan to have a ceremony for Iverson once his playing days are over.
For now, they are scrapping for a playoff berth. This is no time to honor somebody, even a player provided so many thrills to the fans.
We’re told that the Sixers will allow the applause to last as long as possible when he is introduced.
The fans have all game to cheer Iverson if they want and many will no doubt do that.
Yet despite all the emotion that will be inside the Wachovia Center, the business at hand is winning the game.
And that is the Sixers only objective, not honoring a former player, albeit a future Hall of Famer.
And remember, for all he did, it was Iverson who wanted to be traded with the Sixers when he felt there wasn’t a chance for them to win.
Now they are winning and they are going to honor the player who wanted to bolt?
The Sixers will give Iverson his respect during the pre-game introductions. That is more than enough.
They have nothing else on their minds except trying to nail down an Eastern Conference playoff spot.
The celebration of Iverson can wait. This time, the Sixers are making the right call.

About six weeks ago, the return of Allen Iverson for Wednesday’s game at the Wachovia Center appeared to be the 76ers last chance to earn some headlines.
In early February when the team was 12 games under .500, qualifying for the postseason appeared to be a pipedream, even in the Eastern Conference.
Now as the Sixers prepare to meet the Denver Nuggets, the game matters a great deal – for both teams.
With 15 games remaining, the Sixers are one bad slump away from being eliminated or one good run from earning the fifth seed.
Last week the Sixers exceeded most people’s expectations by winning three of their last four in what everybody expected to be one of the toughest stretches of the season.
After the Sixers beat Milwaukee on March 9, they then hosted Boston before playing road games at Detroit and Chicago and then playing San Antonio at the Wachovia Center.
This reporter felt that the Sixers would be fortunate to finish 1-3.
We all know how that worked out.
Most probably didn’t give the Sixers much of a chance to go above 2-2. Most, that is except season ticket holder Allison Lerro Moskovitz.
Allison says she predicted after the Milwaukee game that the Sixers would go 3-1.
(Our sources have confirmed that she did indeed make that prediction).
And not only that, but Allison isn’t backing down. She is predicting another 3-1 week.
Beginning with the matchup against Denver, the Sixers play four games in six days. They visit Orlando on Friday, host New Jersey on Saturday and play at Boston on Monday.
Yikes!
Would anybody sign up for 2-2 in those four games right now?
Not Allison.
“This week 3-1 again, losing only to the mean green Boston Machine, that fakes a Paul Pierce injury and tossed last season for a draft pick because Danny Ainge and Kevin McHale had it all worked out by last year’s all-star break,” she writes.
What is frustrating is that Allison is not doing a better job picking the games, she’s writing better material, than this reporter.
One gets the impression that the fans feel a playoff berth is in the bag. Sorry, but we’re waiting, especially since the Sixers have two games each with New Jersey and Atlanta.
Still, there are fans out there such as Allison who have shown great confidence in this team.
With the way the Sixers have played recently, they have probably earned that confidence.
Still, it’s hard not to listen to my instincts, when in reality, it would probably be much wiser to begin listening to Allison.

He is now coming an extra hour early and staying later than just about anybody else. Long after practice is over, Rodney Carney continues to work on his outside shooting.
And it has paid off.
Carney has endured a frustrating up and down season.
His minutes have fluctuated and while earlier in the season it seemed to affect him, he has seemingly put it all behind and has been a major factor in a few of the most important wins of the season.
The Sixers wouldn’t have come close to winning at Detroit had Carney not come off the bench to score 16 points. He added 18, including 12 in the fourth quarter when the Sixers overcame an 18-point deficit in the 110-106 win at Chicago.
And even though he shot 2 for 9 on Saturday, Carney scored nine points, added two three pointers in the 103-96 victory over San Antonio.
While some may look at it as Carney increasing his trade value, maybe it could be a case of him being able to help the Sixers the most.
As stated before, Carney might be one of the top 10 (maybe top 5) athletes in the NBA.
His game is tailored for a transition offense, but whether he continues to get minutes in the NBA will be determined by his perimeter skills.
And that is where he is showing the most improvement and confidence. In the last three games he is shooting 7 for 11 from beyond the arc.
It’s no secret that the Sixers are a below average perimeter shooting team and if Carney can provide that threat it opens everything up for both him and his teammates.
While it’s too early to say he has definitely turned the corner, anybody would have to be encouraged by his recent play.
No doubt, he took advantage of the fact that Willie Green missed the games against Detroit and Chicago with a back injury. In the NBA opportunities always rise and it seems that Carney is making the most of his most recent chance.
Those extra hours staying after practice are now providing him a few more minutes and they’ve been pretty good ones lately.

After the 76ers won in Milwaukee to begin the week, how many fans actually thought they would win three of their next four?
The thought here was that 1-3 was very likely and 2-2 would be pushing their luck.
And while this writer has been accused of being part of the “negative” Philadelphia media, that wasn’t it at all.
If anybody thought that three of four against Boston, Detroit, Chicago and San Antonio was likely, then my hat goes off to you. And come clean, how many are partially stunned that the Sixers went 3-1 after the Milwaukee win?
Detroit’s depth appeared too much for the Sixers. Chicago was coming off one of its best games of the year, Tuesday’s win over Utah and appeared ready to make a playoff run. Throw in the fact that the Bulls led by 18 points early in the fourth quarter and what the Sixers did was truly impressive.
And San Antonio is case anybody has forgotten is the defending NBA champion.
So instead of 1-3, the Sixers went 3-1 and now have given themselves a decent playoff cushion. The Sixers are in the seventh spot, five games ahead of ninth place Atlanta (who they play in back to backs next month).
What was most impressive is how Andre Miller played despite performing in discomfort with his achy back.
Miller admitted after the game that he was not 100 percent, and all he did was score 32 points in Saturday’s 103-96 win over San Antonio.
Miller had said before Friday’s 110-106 win at Chicago that he would gut it out the next two nights and then take some time off.
That is true leadership, not only playing in pain, but dominating at the same time.
The Sixers have given their fans plenty of enjoyable moments, especially with their grit and never-give-up mentality.
It’s doubtful that they have had a more impressive week, where skeptics (such as this reporter) thought one win would be hard enough and that three would be only a pipe dream.

CHICAGO -- There are many qualities to like about the 76ers, but few teams are playing with more heart and character these days.
Trailing by 18 early in the fourth quarter, the Sixers stormed back to beat the stunned Chicago Bulls, 110-106, silencing the sellout crowd of 22,069 at the Untied Center.
If ever there were a game where the Sixers might take the night off it was last night.
They had scored a physical 83-82 win on Wednesday at Detroit. Willie Green was out with a back injury. Andre Miller played with a sore back (and scored 18 points).
And the Sixers were being outmuscled, outhustled and outplayed by a wide margin.
The Bulls were coming off one of their best wins of the year over Utah on Tuesday and were gaining some confidence.
And they were making it look easy in getting up by 15 at halftime, 16 after three quarters and then 18 early in the fourth quarter.
This was the type of win that could only be achieved with heart. Refusing never to give up is becoming the Sixers’ calling card.
What’s more, now the Sixers believe that they can win in any situation, any environment.
They have now won five in a row on the road and are accomplishing things that some may feel they are incapable of – such as shooting free throws.
The Sixers shot 40 for 44 from the line (90.9) percent, more than 20 percent above their average entering the contest.
If the sports fans in the area can’t develop an affinity for a team with this type of character, it’s hard to say what it will take to captivate the public.
Either way, there is little time to gloat for the Sixers who host San Antonio tonight.
We had said that in facing Boston, Detroit, Chicago and San Antonio in one week, that the Sixers could very well be lucky to go 1-3. Now they are playing with house money against the Spurs.
And also with the confidence that no challenge is too great.

CHICAGO -- After two days of receiving treatment on his low back injury, 76ers point guard Andre Miller will be in the starting lineup for tonight’s game in the United Center against the Chicago Bulls.
“It feels way better with the treatment and rest,” Miller said before the game. “I kind of relaxed for a couple of days and we’ll see what happens.”
With backcourt mate Willie Green out with a low back injury, Miller’s presence is even more important.
Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said before the game that he expects Green to be able to play Saturday against San Antonio.

CHICAGO – Andre Miller didn’t attend the 76ers shootaround today at the United Center and coach Maurice Cheeks said it would be a game-time decision whether his point guard plays tonight against the Bulls.
Miller originally suffered a low back injury in Monday’s 100-86 loss to Boston, but played through the injury.
He aggravated the injury and also suffered an abdominal strain in Wednesday’s 83-82 win at Detroit. Miller left the game for good with 6 minutes and 26 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
He didn’t attend Thursday’s light workout in order to get treatment on his back.
Miller was also receiving more treatment yesterday morning, which is why he didn’t attend the shootaround.
“He will be a game-time decision and we will see how he feels,” Cheeks said after today’s shootaround. “…My gut is I think he will go, but he stayed back to get treatment.”
Miller has played in 431 consecutive NBA games. He has said following Wednesday’s win that he would play against the Bulls

NOTE: The latest podcast, an interview with Andre Iguodala is available. To listen: http://go.philly.com/sixerscast

CHICAGO – Should anybody be afraid of a letdown for the 76ers when they face the Chicago Bulls on Friday? We can now hear everybody accusing us of being negative, but the Sixers exerted so much effort in Wednesday’s 83-82 win at Detroit, one has to wonder how much is left in the emotional tank.
A couple of things have to be mentioned on this part. First of all, it was this writer who suggested that the Sixers game on March 3 at Los Angeles against the Clippers could be a real trap.
The Sixers were coming off their biggest win of the year at the time at Phoenix.
So all the Sixers did was win by 26 over the Clippers.
They didn’t seem too trapped.
And after today’s light workout, coach Maurice Cheeks and Andre Iguodala both dismissed the possibility of a letdown.
So there is it, no letdown?
Not so fast.
Chicago is coming off one of its better games of the season in Tuesday’s 108-96 win over visiting Utah. The Bulls have won three of their last five games, with the other victories against Memphis and Cleveland.
And the losses have been to Boston and Detroit, the same two teams the Sixers have played in succession.
Besides the idea of a letdown, Andre Miller appears ready to play. The Sixers will say he’s only day to day, but Miller himself told me after Wednesday’s game that he would play against the Bulls.
Instead of attending the Sixers light workout, Miller went to see the Chicago Blackhawks chiropractor today to get some work on his low back injury. (He also has an abdominal strain).
Team officials said he was feeling better today. After Thursday’s get together, which included a film session and some light shooting afterwards, Cheeks said he expected Miller in the lineup.
The Sixers will need Miller against a Bulls, arguably the most disappointing team in the NBA.
Chicago (26-38) can still salvage something by making the playoffs. The Bulls trail eighth place New Jersey by a half-game for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
They are 15-15 at home and one of those losses was to the Sixers, so Chicago is beatable in its house.
Chicago has had its share of internal problems with players blowing off practice, arguing with interim coach Jim Boylan and complaining about minutes.
And you thought the Sixers had it bad with Samuel Dalembert’s rant last week?
Still, with players such as Ben Gordon and Luol Deng, the Bulls can be dangerous. The key for them is point guard Kirk Hinrich, who has taken a serious step back this season in his development.
As their record suggests, the Bulls have been inconsistent.
That doesn’t mean they can’t be dangerous, especially if they get on a run in the United Center, which could be one of the loudest building in the NBA.
The Sixers hope to quiet the fans. And also silence the skeptics who feel that a letdown is a possibility.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – This has been written before, but Wednesday’s 83-82 win over the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills was the 76ers biggest of the year.
Even bigger than the 119-114 win at Phoenix on March 1 (which was formerly the biggest win of the year).
This is a week where the Sixers are facing three division leaders (Boston, Detroit and San Antonio) along with Chicago. An 0-4 week wouldn’t have been out of the realm of possibility.
Detroit is a team the Sixers don’t match up well with and the Sixers had to play the end of the game without their starting backcourt.
Willie Green missed the game with a low back injury and Andre Miller left for good with 6:26 left in the fourth quarter with a low back strain and contusion and an abdominal strain.
Miller said afterwards that he would play in Friday’s game at Chicago, while coach Maurice Cheeks was a little more cautious, saying he was day to day.
So even playing shorthanded, the Sixers, who have won four in a row on the road, never backed down.
Considering what was at stake, this might have been Rodney Carney’s best game (16 points, five rebounds, 7 for 10 shooting).
And Samuel Dalembert provided a huge lift with seven of his 15 rebounds in the fourth quarter. Reggie Evans also showed tremendous grit and toughness with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
What was most impressive is how the Sixers kept coming at Detroit, even though the Pistons blocked 12 shots.
Andre Iguodala, who shot just 6 for 22, but scored 22 points, kept putting pressure on Detroit’s defense and when they doubled, he was able to hit open teammates, earning five assists.
Even though his shot wasn’t falling, Iguodala never stopped attacking, and the Sixers followed this lead.
And the Sixers continued to crash the boards. The fact that the Pistons missed 10 of 28 free throws also helped the Sixers’ cause.
Detroit tried to wear the Sixers down by using all 12 players in the first half. Despite this depth, the Sixers never buckled.
This was a game where Detroit seemed poised to win. With 3.2 seconds left the Pistons inbounded the ball inside halfcourt and the biggest Sixers-killer Chauncey Billups had the game in his hands.
Lou Williams held his ground defensively, and got some help from Carney and Billups’ final shot hit off the front of the rim.
As the buzzer sounded, the Sixers were genuinely excited, like a team that thinks it belongs in the postseason. And Wednesday they certainly played like a team that doesn’t want to see things end April 16 with the regular season finale in Charlotte.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Coach Maurice Cheeks announced that Thaddeus Young will start at the small forward position tonight against the Detroit Pistons in place of Willie Green, who is out at least the next two games with a low back strain..
That moves Andre Iguodala from small forward to Green's shooting guard spot in the backcourt with Andre Miller.
Reggie Evans will be the power forward with Samuel Dalembert at center.
Miller, Iguodala and Dalembert have started all 64 games for the Sixers.
Young said before the game he won’t prepare any differently whether he is a starter or reserve.
The Sixers are 10-5 in games Young has started.

Guard Willie Green won’t be making the two-game road trip to Detroit and Chicago, staying home to get treatment on his low back strain.
It is too early to know whether he will play in Saturday’s home game against the San Antonio Spurs.
Green has played some of the best basketball of the season lately. He scored four points before leaving late in the first quarter after suffering the back injury in Monday’s 100-86 loss to the Boston Celtics.
Before the Celtics game, Green had scored double figures in nine consecutive games, averaging 16.5 points in that span. For the season he’s averaging 13 points and has taken on some difficult defensive assignments lately.
While Green isn’t a pure shooter, he’s one of the better perimeter players on a Sixers team that has a weak outside game.
That weakness was exposed against the Celtics, with the Sixers shooting a season-low 31.6 percent from the field.
Now the Sixers will have to make up for the absence of Green in what promise to be two very difficult road games.
Coach Maurice Cheeks wouldn’t say who would start for Green, but the best lineup against the Pistons would appear to be moving Andre Iguodala to shooting guard, putting Thaddeus Young at the three, with Reggie Evans and Samuel Dalembert rounding out the starting five.
Green’s absence will hurt the Sixers’ depth. It may mean Lou Williams will see more minutes at shooting guard. Rodney Carney and Kevin Ollie may also have to play a few extra minutes.
If both Young and Evans start, it weakens the frontcourt depth and that is where Jason Smith becomes a bigger factor.
Smith seems to have a better bounce in his step the last few games and he will probably be needed to play extended frontcourt minutes in the next two games.
The Sixers’ only chance to be competitive is to hit some of those open jump shots. They were 2 for 17 from beyond the arc against Boston.
Detroit will no doubt get back on defense and not allow the Sixers to run. Now it’s their turn to make the adjustment, or more appropriately, make some baskets when they are open from the perimeter.

The atmosphere couldn’t be better and the beginning couldn’t be worse from a 76ers perspective.
The Wachovia Center had its best electricity this season, only to be matched by the Sixers worst shooting performance.
That isn’t a good combination, which is why the Sixers saw their four-game win streak snapped with Monday’s 100-86 loss to the Boston Celtics.
The Sixers’ troubles in the half-court offense resurfaced. Boston coach Doc Rivers said before the game that the priority was to stop the Sixers’ transition game.
Mission accomplished.
The Sixers scored just 11 fastbreak points, which wasn't very entertaining to the first sellout crowd of the season.
And even when the Sixers took it to the basket in the half-court offense, there was plenty of resistance. Kevin Garnett had no blocked shots, but he altered his share.
And teammate Kendrick Perkins tied his career high with six blocked shots.
So with earning next to nothing by going to the hoop, the Sixers were forced to shoot one jumper after another.
And the results weren’t too pretty.
They shot a season low 31.6 percent from the field (30 for 95). From behond the arc the Sixers were 2 for 17 (11.8 percent).
The Celtics, meanwhile, shot 37 for 79 overall (47.4 percent) and 9 for 23 from beyond (39.1 percent).
One could chalk it up to being a bad shooting night, but that would let the Sixers off the hook.
The Celtics have a variety of ways to score. The Sixers remain a struggling unit when they don’t’ get out on the break.
During their four-game win streak, the Sixers outscored teams, 92-37 on fastbreak points.
Boston realized that it had to take away plan A from the Sixers, knowing quite well that there still isn’t a viable Plan B.

MILWAUKEE – Besides showing a recent ability of kicking an opponent when it is down, the 76ers have demonstrated great scoring balance lately.
In Sunday’s 119-97 victory over the outclassed Milwaukee Bucks, the Sixers placed seven players in double figures, led by rookie Thaddeus Young who had 22 points.
That came on the heels of seven players reaching double figures in Friday’s 117-83 win over Seattle.
When a team has this many offensive threats, it opens things up.
It also helps that the Sixers have been beating teams down the court in their transition game.
The Sixers outscored Milwaukee, 30-4 in fast break points after owning a 25-13 advantage against Seattle.
Of course, those points likely won’t come so easily the next two games against Boston and Detroit.
Still, the Sixers did what they had to do against the lower echelon of the NBA, of which they were a member not that long ago.
There was no boasting in the locker room after the Milwaukee win and the Sixers are realistic enough to know what lies ahead for them.
All the players have talked about is wanting to have a chance to make the playoffs, and a chance to compete against no matter who is on the schedule.
What has helped the Sixers the most recently is that they have not lost anything when Maurice Cheeks goes to his bench.
A player such as Rodney Carney, who spent long stretches this season not playing at all, is making a huge contribution. Even Kevin Ollie, in limited minutes, gives a professional performance when Cheeks calls his number.
So right now the Sixers are a confident team, one that will need all of it in order to steal one of their next two games.
That fact that we're even suggesting the possibility shows how far this team has come.

The Sixers played one of their best games of the season in Friday’s 117-83 win over Seattle but the pre and post-game scene with Samuel Dalembert should cause some concern.
One of the the things about this Sixers team is that they have all stuck together on the same page.
There has been no growling about lack of minutes, or coach Maurice Cheeks’ strategy, at least in public.
That was until Dalembert, coming off arguably his best game of the year, looked like he had lost his best friend and many others along the way.
In a rambling post-game interview, Dalembert admitted he was playing angry. The anger didn’t seem to leave despite the fact that he tied his season high with 22 points, added 13 rebounds and shot 10 for 11 from the field.
And oh yes, his team had just won its third game in a row, 11 of the last 14 and eight in a row at home.
His comments were in today’s story in The Inqurier, but to sum it up, Dalembert said he was confused about his role. He also insinuated that he didn’t enjoy being pulled in and out of the game.
“There are times when you are feeling your game and want to be there to help the team and the in-and-out is really frustrating," he said.
Then he tried to switch gears.
“Overall you have to accept it and be a man about it.”
When pressed about his dissatisfaction, Dalembert wouldn’t directly say what was bugging him, but it appears as if he would like to stay on the court for longer stretches. He is averaging a career high 32.8 minutes.
The Sixers have had great leadership from the veterans and here’s a suggestion – some of them ought to have a meeting with Dalembert.
They have to show him the importance of being on the same page, and not simply dismiss this as “Sam being Sam.”
Whether people like him or not, Dalembert has answered the bell for the Sixers, having played in all 82 games last year and all 62 this season. He has played with injuries, especially a recent quad strain.
All that is commendable. His comments, however could tear a team apart that has been tight all year. When they lost the Sixers never pointed fingers and their ability to stick together through adversity has been admirable.
Dalembert has been a big contributor to the success, but the team has to get to the bottom of what is bothering him.
The only thing the team should be thinking about is beating Milwaukee Sunday. This is an added distraction that needs to be dealt with before it becomes something that escalates.

Item: We have lauded the people who write posts on this blog for their knowledge and their passion. But one post today by Sixerzguy might go down as the dumbest we have seen. He asks why we can’t do true reporting such as the book about the Phoenix Suns. And then he says, I have to learn from ESPN’s TrueHoop that Andre Iguodala likes to eat at the Cheesecake Factor. Couldn’t you have reported that first?

Response: First of all, the author for that book on the Suns was given behind the scenes access. As for where Iguodala likes to eat, you’re calling this inside information? Come on Sixerzguy. Are you just doing this to try to be clever? If so, it didn’t work. Please, let’s talk basketball here instead of the players’ dining habits.

Item: Ken Wilson asks what the post-Iverson record for the Sixers is.
The Sixers were 5-18 when he was traded and finished 35-47, so they were 30-29 without Iverson on the roster last season. And since they are 29-33, that would put them three games under .500 without Iverson, and counting.

Item: Aaron feels the level of young talent on the Sixers is among the best in the NBA and wants to know about the main missing ingredient, a scoring power forward.

Resonse: The young talent is impressive and coupled with a 4-man who can score, the Sixers could take it to the next level (although maybe not quite to the level of Boston or Detroit). The guys who seems like he would fit would be Chris Wilcox. He’s 6-10, will be 26 next season and as he showed against the Sixers, can create his shot, and go strong to the basket.
There have been some durability concerns, although he did play all 82 games in 2006-2007. His contract expires after the 2008-2009 season and he’s making a reasonable $6.7 million next year. He’d be one of the players the Sixers should target.
We have to go. Our flight to Milwaukee just got cancelled.

The 76ers have continued their impressive play and are now showing an ability to step on overmatched teams when they have them down.
Just as they did in Monday’s 106-80 win at Los Angeles against the Clippers, the Sixers showed the same type of killer instinct during Friday’s 117-83 victory over the visiting Seattle SuperSonics.
Seattle was within five points with just under 10 minutes left in the third quarter before the Sixers went full throttle during a 15-4 run that finally put away the Sonics.
Before that run, there was the feeling that the Sixers were allowing the struggling Sonics to hang around too long, but the Sixers got the fast break going and were on their way to their third straight win and 11th in the last 14 games.
This was also among the Sixers’ most balanced efforts of the season. Samuel Dalembert had 22 points and 13 rebounds, leading a group of seven double-figure scorers. In fact all 10 players who saw action scored at least five points.
Seattle, on the other hand, had just three double-figure scorers, Chris Wilcox with 20 points, Kervin Durant (14) and Jeff Green (12).
And in the second half, Wilcox and Durant combined for just six points.
The Sixers have now won eight in a row at home.
They needed this game and must win Sunday’s in Milwaukee because after that as we have stated several times, the schedule gets more difficult.
The collective psyche of an NBA team is often fragile and just as a few wins can boost a team’s confidence, a few losses can shatter it.
Right now this is a confident, unselfish group. Andre Miller, who has carried the team for long stretches, has had just 16 points in the past two games and he couldn’t be happier. Others are getting involved in the offense.
One thing to look at is the play of Jason Smith.
Smith ahs been nursing a sprained left ankle and only played three minutes against the Clippers after sitting out the previous three games.
He looked strong, aggressive and played more than 23 minutes. When he can give the Sixers energy off the bench, it is a big boost to the frontcourt rotation.
So there are a lot of positives. The Sixers are far from assured of anything with 20 games to go, but have the momentum and confidence that will be needed for the stretch run.

(NOTE: The latest podcast is up. To listen: http://go.philly.com/sixerscast)

One thing is certain in the NBA, young teams struggle an awful lot. Sure, there will be people who will point out that Portland is having a successful season, and that the Trail Blazers will be even better next season with the return of Greg Oden.
That is true, and Portland has been competitive despite having the youngest team in the NBA. Still, the Trail Blazers aren’t going to the postseason, even though if they were in the Eastern Conference it could be a different story. And for as well as Portland has done, the Blazers have only three fewer losses than the Sixers at this point.
The reason we bring up youth is because of the team that visits the Wachovia Center on Friday, the Seattle Super Sonics.
The Sonics have won 16 games and have one of the brightest young talents in the game, sure-fire rookie of the year Kevin Durant.
Seattle also has another outstanding rookie in Jeff Green, somebody the Sixers showed great interest in prior to the draft. Green also looked good with 16 points and six assists in the Sonics 98-90 loss to the Sixers in Seattle on New Year’s Eve.
(In that game, Durant didn’t play due to an injured left index finger).
Durant and Green are two of the league’s best rookies, but as talented as both players are, Seattle has struggled mightily.
The reason we bring this up is because so many fans have talked about how they’d rather see the Sixers lose enough to be a top-five lottery team.
While there is no doubt that players such as Eric Gordon, Michael Beasley, Kevin Love and Derrick Rose just to name a few, would be great additions, the Sixers are young enough.
For them to take that next step, they both have to win games now so the players learn what it’s all about to win and they also have to add a seasoned veteran or two.
If the Sixers were in a position to add the aforementioned college players, that would mean this would have been another wasted season, where the young players didn’t begin to get the grasp of winning.
That is why being in the playoff hunt is so important. The players are realizing what it takes game in and game out.
Durant is more talented than any of the current college players and look where it has gotten the Sonics.
Sure, Seattle is doing the right thing by rebuilding, because frankly the Sonics had little other choice.
The Sixers, meanwhile are one successful offseason away from making that next step. And while the leap still many not be into Detroit or Boston territory, it’s a heck of a lot further than Seattle.
So both teams seem to be going about it the right way, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the Sixers trade their first round pick in this year’s draft. They are looking to get older and better, because in the NBA, youth usually only offers future potential, not any type of immediate results.

LOS ANGELES -- The posts on the blog are often creative, but more of those who participate seem to be more concerned about offseason than the current one. We’re guessing that playoff fever hasn’t totally gripped the 76ers fans, but it’s a great chance to watch the young players along with the veterans handle the daily grind of higher expectations and bigger stakes.
There were more than a few skeptics who scoffed at last year’s end of the season record when the Sixers won 17 of their final 26.
And in truth, the Sixers weren’t playing with the pressure of the playoffs hanging over them each game.
Now it’s different and while there is still plenty of time left, the Sixers have shown a lot lately, especially with the wins over Orlando and Phoenix.
Playoff fever?
Is anybody catching it, or are the fans still waiting for Ed Stefanski to make his offseason moves?
The thinking here is that there is plenty of time to worry about the offseason in the offseason. If the Sixers’ potential playoff run hasn’t excited the fans, then what will?
Here are some other items to consider.

Item: The person known as “Eye Open” and I didn’t see eye to eye on Andre Iguodala. Yet, this post by EO was very interesting. “By the way, despite our difference of opinion on the current topic, I appreciate your making this blog possible,” he wrote.

Response: Nice job Eye Open. The main thing about the blog is that we can disagree on a variety of topics and that’s fine. It would be boring if everybody agreed with this writer’s opinion. Even people who feel that I’m a knucklehead are more than welcome to express their opinion (which unfortunately many have). What is important is the dialogue continues and even if we don’t agree, the discussion makes people think and offers a different view that sometimes wasn’t considered. Difference of opinion is the lifeblood of blogs. The key is how people express their differences.

Item: We got taken to task by Steve who objected when we described the fans who talked about the Sixers playoff chances a month ago as overzealous.
Steve wrote: “You might want to substitute foresight for “overzealous. Otherwise you run the risk of insulting some who post on this blog,”

Response: That wasn’t meant to insult anybody. It was just that some people get carried away with things. In early February, the last thing the Sixers or anybody else should have been thinking about was the playoffs. They were just trying to win games.
And I’m sensing tha