Sixers Opener at 6 p.m.

Here is the official release from the 76ers about tomorrow's season opener against the Toronto Raptors:

Philadelphia, Pa. – Oct. 28, 2008 – The Philadelphia 76ers today officially moved the start time of their home opener against the Toronto Raptors at the Wachovia Center on Wednesday, October 29 to 6:00 p.m. (from the scheduled 7:00 p.m. time) in anticipation of a World Series game being played at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex on Wednesday, October 29.

The Sixers had their last practice (not of the season, but before the opener) this morning at PCOM ...

1.) Thaddeus Young practiced. He'll be ready to play tomorrow, and I would expect him in the starting lineup with Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand, and Sam Dalembert. If Cheeks decided to start someone else, it looked as if that someone else would be Kareem Rush, thus bumping Iguodala to small forward.

2.) Marreese Speights: The NBA released Opening Day rosters with Speights on the Inactive List. This can be changed by the Sixers before tomorrow night's tip-off.

3.) Guard Royal Ivey will serve the second of a three-game suspension tomorrow night. He will not be allowed at the arena, but he must be on the active roster.

4.) Consensus was that today's practice was one of, if not the, best of the preseason.

I'm going to do my best to organize a Live Chat for tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. If not for the season opener, then when? Yes, the Phillies will be playing (see top of blog), but I'm thinking we can make this happen.

Until tomorrow ...

-- Kate

post script: Oh yeah, the photo. How could I have forgotten? That's Andre Miller posing with a woman from a contingent from Greece and Cyprus. Miller is standing in front of "The Gun," which is a rebounding machine. Miller shot for an extra hour after this morning's practice.