Archive: April, 2012
Bob Cooney
The question was posed to Sixers coach Doug Collins from a person with a TNT microphone, the station that used to employ Collins. But the coach didn't hide his disdain for the question.
The questioner asked Collins if he had to address his team about their mindsets now that Rose is sidelined with a torn ACL. After a long pause and icy stare, Collins said: "You're kidding, right? You're kidding, right? Are we favored to win this series now?"
No doubt schematically things will change for the Sixers. In Rose's place will be C.J. Watson, who started 25 games for the Bulls this season as Rose missed time with a plethora of injuries.
Bob Cooney
The first thing Sixers coach Doug Collins talked about after the team's practice at the United Center today was how sorry he and the team felt for Bulls star Derrick Rose, whose season was lost when he tore an ACL towards the end of Chicago's Game 1, 103-91, victory.
After that, the focus turned toward how the Sixers will change their approach. They won't, insisted Collins. The Bulls will now start C.J. Watson at the point. On March 17 in Chicago, without Rose, the Bulls beat the Sixers by 89-80 as Watson led them with 20 points.
"We played them, right here on this floor, and C.J. Watson beat us," said Collins.
CHICAGO — Sixers center Lavoy Allen took part in Sunday's practice session and will be fine for Game 2 despite suffering a thumb injury in Saturday's Game 1.
The team said he sprained a thumb, but X-rays were negative. He was wearing a bandage after Game 1, but did not have the thumb wrapped Sunday.
Making his playoff debut, the rookie had four points and six rebounds in 20 minutes as the starting center.
Video: The 76ers fell to the Bulls 103-91 in Game 1 of their playoff series. The Bulls lost reigning MVP Derrick Rose for the season with a torn ACL. Bob Cooney of the Daily News discusses the game.
Bob Cooney
Sixers coach Doug Collins has stated endlessly that in order for his team to have any chance of upsetting the top-seeded Chicago Bulls in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, his big men will have to rebound.
Because of that, Collins has decided to start Temple product Lavoy Allen on Saturday when the team's open the series at the United Center in Chicago.
"That's what I'm looking at, putting Lavoy out there," said Collins after the team's practice Friday at the United Center. "We need some strength against (Carolos) Boozer and we'll let (Elton Brand) play against (Joakim) Noah. And then we'll have Spencer (Hawes) and Thad (Young) come in.
The Sixers will have the 15th pick in June's NBA draft, the league announced today.
With a record of 35-31, the Sixers had the worst record among teams to make the playoffs, so they will select with the first pick after the 14 teams that are in the lottery.
In the second round, the Sixers will pick at No. 45 with their own pick and No. 54 with the pick acquired from Memphis in the Sam Young trade earlier this season.
Bob Cooney
It's a quick turnaround from the end of the regular season to the start of the playoffs for both the Sixers and the Chicago Bulls. The two teams, who rested many of their regulars in their season finales on Thursday, will kick off the playoffs at 1 Eastern on Saturday at the United Center in Chicago.
Game 2 will be played in Chicago on Tuesday at 8 Eastern, while games 3 and 4 will be in Philly on Friday, May 4 and on Sunday, May 6. Times for those will be determined.
Should they be necessary, Game 5 will be in Chicago on Tuesday, May 8; Game 6 in Philly on Thursday, May 10 and Game 7 in Chicago on Saturday, May 12. Times for those game also haven't been announced.
The NBA annnounced game times and the remainder of the schedule for the Sixers-Bulls first-round series that begins Saturday at the United Center. Game 1 is at 1 p.m. Eastern on TNT.
Game 2 is Tuesday night in Chicago at 8 p.m. on TNT.
The series shifts to the Wells Fargo Center for Games 3 and 4. Game 3 is Friday night at 8 p.m. on ESPN. Game 4 is Sunday at 1 p.m. on ABC.
The Sixers’ regular-season finale Wednesday night will be their last game on WIP, ending a long relationship with the station.
The team announced a multiyear agreement for all games to air on 97.5 The Fanatic, and for a significant number of games to be simulcast on 950 ESPN Radio.
The first broadcast will be Game 1 of the Sixers’ first-round playoff series Saturday. That game will air on the FM dial; some playoff games will also be simulcast, although which games has not been determined.
The Sixers don't know yet whether they are playing the Chicago Bulls or the Miami Heat in Round 1 of the NBA playoffs, but they know Game 1 will be Saturday (time, TBA).
The Sixers and Knicks are tied for the seventh seed in the East entering the final day of the regular season. The Sixers play tonight in Detroit and the Knicks are in Charlotte against the Bobcats.
The Knicks own the tiebreaker, so wins by both teams or losses by both teams mean the Knicks are the seventh seed. The Sixers can only be the seventh seed if they win and the Knicks lose.
Bob Cooney has been at the Daily News for more than 20 years, working in the sports department for the past 15. This is his third season on the Sixers beat. He has covered just about everything, but mostly college basketball, where he was the La Salle beat writer for six seasons. E-mail Bob at cooneyb@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter.
