Posted: Sunday, February 12, 2012, 12:51 AM | 5 comments |
 

Sixers "spoiling" Collins

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CLEVELAND - Following their relatively easy win over the Cleveland Cavaliers Saturday, Sixers coach Doug Collins revealed that in order for the Sixers to have a successful start to the season – which is now more than 1/3 over - the Sixers had to reach 20 wins before they suffered their ninth loss.

 

The 19-9 Sixers can accomplish this on Monday when they play at Charlotte.  The Bobcats have lost 14 in a row and they last won on Jan. 14.

 

“Coming in, the coaches and I got together and our goal was to hopefully get 20 wins before we got 10 losses,” Collins said. “If we can get that then we’ll be 20-9. If we can get that, we thought that would be a hell of a start.”

 

Collins was asked if he was surprised by what the Sixers had accomplished, especially the way they have played on the road following a loss. When they lost at home to Miami a little over a week ago, they responded by thrashing Atlanta on the road.  And after playing a grind-it-out game against the Los Angeles Clippers that resulted in a gut-wrenching loss this past Friday at Wells, the Sixers beat the brakes off of Cleveland.

 

“They have spoiled me with their effort,” Collins said. “They bring it every night. They really do. They are a professional group. The guys really help each other out. I think our guys really like coming out on the road; I think they really like it. We love playing at home, obviously, but they like coming out on the road and pulling together.”

 

Collins has the Sixers knowing that every single game they play is of the utmost importance. If you don’t believe it, check out Jrue Holiday talking about putting an end to the two-game losing streak that the Sixers brought with them to Cleveland.

 

“I didn’t really think about it because every game is a must-win game,” Holiday said. “The last game was a must-win game. The next game is a must-win game. I really think that we see every game coming up as a must-win game. That’s the kind of mentality that we have to have.”

 

 

Contact staff writer John N. Mitchell at jmitchell@philly.com. Follow him on Twitter @JmitchellInquirer
Posted by John Mitchell @ 12:51 AM  Permalink | 5 comments
5
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:04 AM, 02/12/2012
    Mitchell how about covering the increased play time of Meeks over Lou and ET the last few weeks? The player rotations have been shortening the last few weeks with no explanation from Collins! Kate would of covered this long time ago!
    — Manok
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:11 AM, 02/12/2012
    I havent watched a 6ers game for a few years. I have been watching since preseason and I have to admit, Collins has them playing sound, fundamental, TEAM basketball. I was telling my wife last night they all look like Collins clones when he was playing. Wish I could afford tix but I have the best seat in the house here. Beer is 5' away and bathroom is 20'.
    — Hatfield_ham
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:46 AM, 02/13/2012
    I'm having a hard time reading this...If they are 19-9, then how can they win their 20th game before losing their 9th?...Is this some type of card trick?....Oh, losing their 10th game...no proofreaders on today..got it.
    — bearsfriend
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:24 AM, 02/13/2012
    Hatfield_ham: if you can afford beer and a bathroom, you can probably afford to buy $10 tickets in the upper deck behind the baskets for a lesser game and then scooch down to a lower upper deck row more toward the center. Always a good view, particularly of the arena spectacle etc and how they fill their lanes and collapse on defense. if you take septa, it's like $4 on transportation. beer is $7-$8, alas.
    — Leegles
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:03 AM, 02/13/2012
    lou's minutes are decreasing slightly bcs the smarter opposition (started in the game against Avery's Nets) is aggressively jumping the picks and making an effort to make him more uncomfortable on the jumper. LW has been less effective against these tougher defenses and DC is quickly jumbling the substitutions in an effort to find a spark to the offense - not really working though. Fortunately the defense is keeping them in games against everyone except the Heat.
    — barrywil


5 comments
About John Mitchell
John Mitchell is in his first year covering the 76ers for the Inquirer after joining the paper in November 2011. He covered the Washington Wizards for the Washington Times from 1998 to 2008. He's also worked at the Philadelphia Tribune, the Wilmington News Journal, Courier-Post, Trenton Times and Elmira Star-Gazette.

Born and raised in West Philadelphia - not too far from Will Smith - he graduated from Overbrook High School the same year the 76ers won their last championship. He's a proud graduate of Howard University and the proud father of two sons, Jared and Jordan.

ABOUT MARC NARDUCCI

Marc Narducci has served in a variety of roles with the Inquirer since beginning in 1983. He has covered the 76ers as a backup and a beat writer. In addition, Narducci has covered everything from the Super Bowl to the World Series and a lot in between. Narducci also has a true passion for South Jersey scholastic sports, which he has covered for many years.

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