Archive: February, 2011
Bob Cooney
At 23-27, the Sixers have six more games before the All-Star break including four on the road. It is an instrumental time for them, as they do not want to go on the break on a bad note.
It all starts tonight in Atlanta (33-18), before they host the Orlando Magic tomorrow. San Antonio comes to the Wells Fargo Center on Friday, before the Sixers head to Minneapolis, Memphis and Houston before scattering for the break.
Here are some keys to tonight's game against the Hawks:
Bob Cooney
Remember when earlier in the season there was so much talk about the resurgent New York Knicks and how Amar'e Stoudemire was bringing them back to prominence.
Well look who's knocking on New York's door for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference standings. With Friday night's 100-98 win over the Knicks at the Wells Fargo Center, the Sixers crawled to within just two games of New York for that sixth spot, won for the sixth time in seven games and improved their home record to 16-8.
Today they'll have another chance to gain on the Knicks. Here are some keys to the game for the Sixers:
Bob Cooney
A question can barely be out of the interviewer's mouth before Doug Collins will start into his answer - an answer that usually informs for close to two or three minutes. The man simply knows so much about the game, is so entralled with statistics, that when he is questioned about something, anything, the answers come spewing out.
There is an exception, however. You want Collins to be short, almost anti-social, bring up the subject of playoffs, or what the next eight games before the All-Star break means to him and his team.
"I am looking no further than the New York Knicks," was Collins' answer both in the morning and before the game against the Knicks at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday. Though the Sixers are just three games behind the New York for the sixth playoff spot - with a home-and-home series upon them - Collins is not about to look any further than the task right before him.
Bob Cooney
If the Sixers are going to make a move for this playoff hunt thing, and if they really want to get higher than one of the bottom two seeds, then games like tonight's against the Nets are must-wins.
The Sixers have been playing very well of late, winners of four of their last five. The lone loss, of course, was a crushing collapse Friday night to the Memphis Grizzlies when they squandered a 21 point lead late in the third quarter. They will be looking for their seventh-straight win over the Nets tonight.
Here are some keys for the Sixers tonight:
Sixers guard Jrue Holiday will be heading home to Los Angeles to take part in the Rookie Challenge during NBA All-Star weekend.
Holiday was among the players selected to the Sophomore team today that will face the NBA's rookies.
One rookie not selected for the game was the Sixers' Evan Turner, the second overall pick in the draft.
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.
