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If you're a Sixers fan, it has to be maddening watching the team allow good three-point shooting teams stand behind the arc and many times let fly without much pressure.

Monday night, Phoenix entered the game shooting 46.5 percent from beyond the arc. That all starts with point guard Steve Nash, who still, at 36, is one of the best point guards in the league. Still, adjustments have to be made, and Eddie Jordan's team doesn't seem to be doing it all that well.

Against Orlando on opening night, the Sixers allowed the Magic to drill 16 treys, in 29 attempts. Then in a 31-point loss to Boston, the Celtics made 14-of-20 and Monday Phoenix made 15-of-30. Jordan and some of the players have said that they are helping too much on defense and not getting back to the shooters. Fair enough, that is the way you're taught defense at an early age. But when good three-point shooting teams are on the floor with you, the priority has to be to stay on the shooters.

The Sixers did show some good signs last night, particularly staying close to a team that is in the upper echelon in the league. They got good minutes from rookie Jrue Holiday and Marreese Speights (20 points) again had a solid game.

Questions still surround this team. The coach and the players say it is a long process before it will all come together. Basically, Sixers fans, they are asking for your patience, which we all know isn't exactly a virtue Philly fans own.

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It's Lionel Hollins' fault. It must be. Hollins is the coach of the Memphis Grizzllies, and he won't put Allen Iverson in the starting lineup.

It's Michael Heisley's fault. It must be. He's the owner of the Grizzlies, and he won't override Hollins' decision.

The trouble is, it's always somebody's fault. I covered Iverson for more than a decade with the 76ers. I was dazzled by his talent, his tenacity, his ability to play long, hard minutes, his willingness to play through injuries. I saw him win four scoring titles. I saw him as a 10-time All-Star. I saw him as an MVP. He was spectacular in the Sixers' drive to the 2000-01 NBA Finals. He sold tickets in Philadelphia like no basketball player ever did. Not Julius Erving. Not Wilt Chamberlain.

But there was always something bubbling under the surface. There was always someone, or something, he didn't like. That even stretched to Larry Brown, the Hall Of Fame coach he professes to adore. I was there when Iverson said if Brown remained the coach, he wanted to be traded. And there was Brown saying if Iverson stayed, he would quit.

As always, things would eventually calm down. Until the next episode. Iverson welcomed Randy Ayers as Brown's successor, then berated him. He seemed puzzled when Chris Ford insisted he adhere to same rules as the rest of the players. He reveled in the arrival of Maurice Cheeks, then walked out on him. More than once, it was Billy King's fault. Had to be. King was the general manager, learning as he went along, putting out fires, one after the other, until he finally had enough.

Iverson eventually landed with Denver, where bthe Nuggets didn't flourish until they traded him for Chauncey Billips. Then came Detroit, where the blame landed squarely on Michael Curry in his one unfortunate season as the Pistons' coach. And then along came the Grizzlies. A contract worth $3.5 million didn't come with a guarantee that he would be a starter.

"I'm not trying to figure out how to contribute to no team,'' Iverson told the Associated Press before a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. "I contribute to a team by just playing. That's it . . . I don't have to figure it out. Obviously, they signed me for a reason. They've been watching me play this game for 13 years, and they know what I do on the basketball court, so I don't have to figure out how I'm going to play or anything like that. I just go out and play basketball.''

There's a tinge of sadness to that, something that says, despite his credentials, he can't adjust, can't accept a changing role.

He could have emerged as a dynamic sixth man. He could have been Ben Gordon, coming off the bench to light up opponents. He could have been Manu Ginobli, injecting a massive dose of energy into a young team. He could have provided the depth that James Posey gave the Boston Celtics two seasons ago, that Bobby Jones and Aaron McKie once provided for the Sixers in different eras.

He could have added years to his career. He could written a couple of additional chapters to his legacy. He chose not to do that.

Iverson obviously believes the Grizzlies should have known exactly who they were dealing with before they signed him. They clearly did not. If they had done their homework, they would have known that Iverson views himself as a starter. Nothing less.

Iverson left the team Saturday, given an indefinite leave of absence to deal with a personal matter. Presumably, he also will be trying to figure out what comes next. A source close to the situation told the Memphis Commercial Appeal that Iverson is considering retirement. Heisley is quoted in the Memphis Commercial Appeal saying, ''He's still got a lot of game left.''

Some of it is even on the court. And how in the world does he convince the next team? If, indeed, there is one. 

Just like Friday night when the Sixers barely beat the New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia will be playing a team depleted by injuries.

Detroit will be missing both Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton. Prince, it was announced today, will be out indefinitely due to a small rupture of a disc in his lower back. The injury was confirmed following an MRI that was taken earlier this week. Hamilton will be missing his sixth-straight game after spaining his right ankle.

As guard Lou Williams noted after Friday's game, these are the games you have to win, when playing a team that is not at full strength, in order to stockpile them to enhance playoff position at the end of the season. That, of course, is assuming the Sixers will make the playoffs.

Guard Rodney Stuckey has been a thorn in the Sixers' side, as he averaged 18.3 points and five assists against the Sixers last season.

There was a note the other day on Yahoo! Sports saying that an anonymous general manager in the NBA said that the 76ers called Golden State to see whether there was any interest in center Samuel Dalembert.

Well, they did.

Months ago.

A source familiar with the Sixers' situation said there was a call made during the summer, and that the Warriors had no interest. (For what it's worth, the source also said the Sixers have no interest in acquiring unhappy Stephen Jackson.)

But let's be real here. The Sixers are perfectly aware of the degree of difficulty in trying to move Dalembert. The source said that, to this point, president/general manager Ed Stefanski has, over time, gone 0-for-29 around the league.

Two huge reasons: Even if Dalembert is playing well and is attractive to a team performance-wise, there's the matter of his contract. He is owed $12 million-plus this season and $13 million-plus next season. And . . . a team acquiring him must pay a 15 percent trade kicker, with the money due within 30 days.

That's a lot for a team to swallow, particularly in tough economic times.

Sounds to me as if Dalembert--and he has been ''Happy Sam'' through the first five games of the season--is staying.

It's been an extreme schedule thus far for the Sixers, and it continues tonight as the winless New Jersey Nets (0-5) visit the Wachovia Center.

In their two losses this season, the Sixers have been blown out at Orlando and at home this past Tuesday by the Celtics. Those two teams are a combined 10-1 and appear to be among the elites in the Eastern Conference. The Sixers' two wins this season have come against the New York Knicks and the Milwaukee Bucks, who are a combined 2-6.

The Nets will be very shorthanded tonight as they probably will dress just nine players as Yi Jianlian will be out 2 to 4 weeks with a sprained MCL, Devin Harris is out for about the same time with a groin pull and Jarvis Hayes, Keyon Dooling and Tony Battie are also out with various injuries. Add to that second year swingman Chris Douglas-Robers is battling the flu and might also be out tonight.

A loss tonight would give the Nets their worst start in team history. They started 0-5 once before, in the 1996-97 season under John Calipari.

The Sixers will welcome a shorthanded and struggling team in an effort to erase the memory of the Celtics loss in which Boston drained 14-of-20 three pointers and shot close to 57 percent from the floor.

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers and 76ers forward Elton Brand were engaged in a seemingly serious conversation late Tuesday night in a hallway of the Wachovia Center.

Rivers trying to pump up Brand, who's coming back from achilles tendon and shoulder injuries?

Brand looking for tips to help improve his game?

Something more mysterious?

None of the above.

Asked about the conversation after practice today, Brand laughed and said "Duke.''

As it turns out, Rivers was looking for some insight about Brand's school, which has expressed some insight in Rivers' son, Austin, now playing at Winter Park (Fla.) High. The word is, Austin Rivers had made an early commitment to Florida, but is having second thoughts.

Steve Pagliuca, one of the Celtics' owners, was a Duke walk-on, as was his son

Elton Brand grew up in upstate New York and played the majority of his NBA career in Los Angeles. He didn't arrive in Philadelphia until last season. So where, as the Phillies prepare to face the Yankees, does he place his World Series allegiance?

''Phillies, absolutely,'' the 76ers' power forward said after practice today at Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine, completing preparations for tonight's NBA regular-season opener in Orlando.

Not that it was always that way.

''Actually, my grandfather was a (Toronto) Blue Jays fan,'' Brtand said, laughing. ''I think that was when they played the Phillies in the World Series, too, so I was watching the Blue Jays. I don't know why, but he didn't like the Yankees or the Mets. He never had an allegiance to the New York teams.''

Brand admitted becoming a convert as he watched the Phillies in their run to last season's championship.

''I watched that run, and this year's run again, and I'm rooting for them, for sure,'' he said. ''It's amazing, because there's a good vibe around the city that makes you want to be a part of it. It's definitely inspirational.''

PHIL JASNER

Sixers' record: 38-44.

Andre Iguodala’s scoring: 22.3.

Lou Williams’ assists: 5.7.

East final four: Cleveland, Orlando, Boston, Atlanta.

West final four: L.A. Lakers, San Antonio, Portland, Utah.

NBA Finals: Lakers over Cavaliers.

Coach of the Year: Mike Woodson.

MVP: LeBron James.

Rookie of the Year: Jonny Flynn.

BOB COONEY

Sixers' record: 42-40

Igoudala’s scoring avg.: 17.7

Lou Williams’ assists avg.: 4.3
 

East final four: Orlando, Cleveland, Boston, Chicago

West final four: LA Lakers, San Antonio, Denver, Dallas

NBA Finals: Lakers over Cleveland

League MVP: LeBron James

Coach of the Year: George Karl

Rookie of the Year: Blake Griffin

DICK JERARDI

Sixers' record 41-41

Igoudala's scoring avg. 17

Williams' assists avg. 5

East final four Magic, Celtics, Cavs, Bulls

West final four Lakers, Spurs, Nuggets, Blazers

NBA Finals: Winner over loser Magic over Lakers

League MVP: Dwight Howard

Coach of the Year Stan Van Gundy

Rookie of the Year Blake Griffin

The Sixers finished the preseason with a 5-3 record, and, according to new coach Eddie Jordan, have been able to grasp his new offensive and defensive styles at a very good pace.

The team and the coach both know that the process is a long one, but are very happy with the results thus far. The first test will come Wednesday night in the season opener at Orlando.

Jordan will trot out a starting lineup of Williams and Iguodala at guards, Sam Dalembert at center and Thaddeus Young and Brand at the forwards. His rotation off the bench will consist of Marreese Speights, Jason Kapono, Willie Green, Jason Smith, Royal Ivey and Carney, with Holiday and Brezec fighting for time.

“It was a successful preseason because we came out healthy, we won, and we improved tremendously,” said Jordan. “When you look at the way we played in the preseason, I want to be a lot more consistent. Number one, I want to cut our turnovers down. Mostly that was fastbreaks. We could have converted a lot more fastbreaks. And then I wanted our defense to be solid and turn people over.”