ORLANDO - If you think I'm talking to you, then I am.

You know who you are.

You're the ones who, this time last season, wanted the 76ers to lose, lose, then lose some more.

You wanted a ticket to the Greg Oden/Kevin Durant lottery sweepstakes, even though the chances were painfully slim that you could land either of the gems in the draft.

And even when you faced the reality of having the No. 12 pick, you wanted Al Thornton, the 4-year player from Florida State. For most of you (and, admittedly, me), 19-year-old Georgia Tech freshman Thaddeus Young wasn't even on the radar screen.

A year later, droves of you are re-enlisting in Sixers Nation. All of a sudden, you like what you're seeing. You're developing an abiding appreciation for Andre Miller at the point, you're enjoying the versatility of Andre Iguodala, you're fascinated with the frenetic, physical approach of Reggie Evans.

From what I can gather, most of you are at least realistic about the unexpected fun you're having. The team that was virtually universally picked to finish dead last in the NBA East (I predicted 30 victories) is on the doorstep of the playoffs. And getting there, regardless of who they play or how they fare, has been the stated goal.

You're not even angry at deposed president/general manager Billy King anymore.

"Maybe Billy did a better job than people realized," TNT analyst Charles Barkley said. "The Sixers have had a really good year. Billy deserves some credit. He got them on the fast track, and now he's out of the mix."

A couple of other Barkley-isms:

* On the Sixers being in the hunt: "It's not a real playoff hunt. They're playing to get in. They don't have a big enough rifle to be in the hunt. But it is a feather in the caps of Maurice Cheeks and Billy King."

* On Philly fans: "At some point, they say, 'We love you.' But if there's no championship, they say, 'You've got to go.' "

What's in a name?

When Allen Iverson came out to warm up Wednesday night before his first appearance as a Denver Nugget in the Wachovia Center, he ran to the center-court logo and kissed it.

And he recognized longtime season ticketholder Bryan Abrams in his usual seat on the far side of the floor and hugged him.

Question to Abrams: Iverson clearly knows you, but does he know your name?

Answer: "I don't know. He calls me 'Day 1,' because he says I've been here since Day 1."

A banner night

That's what being the first coach of an expansion team can get you. As part of its "Commitment To The Past" initiative, the Orlando Magic will honor its first coach, former Sixers player, coach and broadcaster Matt Guokas, during tonight's game, raising a banner in his name on the main concourse of Amway Arena.

"It's a matter of being at that place at that time," Guokas said. "I didn't do anything special. Our teams didn't do anything special to warrant this, but a lot of franchises recognize 'firsts' and things that happened 'way back.' If you want to be a long-term coach in the NBA, it's probably not a wise decision to go with an expansion team, because you don't last."

Neither, though, are you forgotten. The banner for Guokas will join those of Nick Anderson, Dennis Scott, Scott Skiles, Jeff Turner and Pat Williams.

"They wanted Mike Krzyzewski as their first coach," Guokas recalled, laughing. "I guess there's something to be said for being the second choice to him."

Four times a teammate

Bobby Jones, who began his career with the Sixers last season, tied a league record when he signed a 10-day contract with the Miami Heat, his fourth employer this season.

Jones began the season with the Denver Nuggets. Since being waived Jan. 7, he has had two 10-day deals with the Grizzlies and one with the Rockets.

Only three other players have been with four teams in the same season: Rod Higgins, in 1985-86; Tony Massenburg, in 1991-92; and Alex Stivrins, in 1992-93.

Getting the point

Former Villanova star Randy Foye has been inserted as the Minnesota Timberwolves point guard, and says, "I'm used to directing people out there."

But Wolves coach Randy Wittman says this, in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune: "That's good that he thinks that. It's a whole different mind-set. It's all about who's hot, who's not, what plays to call. That's an understanding he has to get better at; you can't just call out a play that pops into your mind. He has to learn to do better than that on the fly."

Words to live by

* Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks, on Allen Iverson: "He likes the stage a little more than I do."

* The Sixers' Andre Iguodala, after Wednesday night's victory over Iverson and the Denver Nuggets: "We weren't trying to beat Allen. We weren't trying to beat the Nuggets. We were trying to get to .500." *

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