This is a Sixers opening night with no surprises, at least none so far.

The starting lineup is as has been advertised: Thaddeus Young, Andre Miller, Samuel Dalembert, Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala.

The inactive list is as expected: The injured Jason Smith and rookie Marreese Speights.

Royal Ivey, serving the second leg of a three-game suspension incurred late last season as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, isn't--by NBA rule-- in the Wachovia Center. But he does count against the active roster, leaving the team with 11 available bodies, one under the league limit.

Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks is focused on how his team performs, but says of the Raptors, ''Their main focus is Chris Bosh.''

Raptors coach Sam Mitchell doesn't expect the Sixers to vary from the running style they showed last season, but says of Elton Brand ''He's an added talent, a potential All-Star. He's a guy coming off an injury, but everyone knows what a healthy Elton Brand can do. He's a 20/10 guy.''

Historical note: Steve Javie, tonight's referee crew chief, and the veteran Tony Brothers are joined by former player Haywoode Workman in his debut. Workman becomes the third former player to turn to officiating in the league, following Bernie Fryer and Leon Wood.

Maurice Cheeks spent five rain soaked innings watching the Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays Monday night. What he came away with was an appreciation for the camraderie.

''That's what I was really looking for, the electricity that was out there,'' Cheeks said. "I get chills when I look at the camraderie . . . On the screens, they showed the (Phillies) players hugging each other when they clinched to go to the World Series. All of that was about a team.

''Manuel has done such a great job of managing that team. I learned a little bit from him: When (Ryan) Howard started out slow, he stayed with him, stayed with him. In the end, Howard was one of their big guns. Even in this Series, he stayed with him . . . he hit two home runs the other day.

''The electricity of being in an atmosphere like that, I was glad some of my players went (at different times). There's nothing like when Philly fans are inside a World Series, a championship, a playoff. There's nothing like it, to feel that energy.''

Early Tipoff:

Don't forget, tonight's regular-season opener tips off at 6 o'clock, an hour earlier than usual. If, weather permitting, there is the continuation of Game 5 of the World Series across the street, fans can stay and watch on screens in the AT&T Pavilion.

Around The League:

* Could Denver's Carmelo Anthony have his jersey retired at Syracuse, even though he played just one season there? Sure, Orange coach Jim Boeheim told the Rocky Mountain News. "There's a criteria,'' Boeheim said. ''It's if I say so.''

* Baron Davis, who left Golden State to sign with the L.A. Clippers, on the difference between playing for Don Nelson and Mike Dunleavy: ''I mean, with Golden State, you know how it is; the energy there was more relaxed, more free, it's more fun,'' he told the San Francisco Chronicle. "I would say (with the Clippers) it's more serious, more attention to detail, long film session, at least 30 minutes, maybe 40 minutes. Then a walk-through. Then practice. So we're in there for almost three hours sometimes. Nellie was like an hour, hour-15.''

* Boston celtics exec Danny Ainge, on trying to win another championship: "The one thing I'm not afraid of is a letdown. I think winning is addictive. Our guys are hungry.''

* Raymond Felton, in the Charlotte Observer, on playing the point for new coach Larry Brown: "It's tough love. He's all for his point guards, but at the same time he's all over his point guards.''

As expected, the Sixers have moved the start time of Wednesday's season opener to 6 p.m. to accommodate fans wishing to watch the World Series game across the complex.

The Sixers and Toronto were scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m.

The Sixers said the AT&T Pavilion at the Wachovia Center will remain open after the Sixers game late into the evening for fans to watch the baseball game with half-price domestic beer specials and delicious food, including Chickie's & Pete's world famous Crab Fries and chicken tenders. After the Sixers game, access to the AT&T Pavilion will be free and open to the public.

Maurice Cheeks was the point guard with the 1982-83 76ers who swept the Los Angeles Lakers in four games to win the NBA championship. He knows, he really knows, what it's like to be sooooo close to a title. He also knows what it's like to come agonizingly close and not make it. That's what happened in 1979-80 and '81-82, when the Sixers got to the championship series and lost--both times--to the Lakers.

He was also there as a Sixers assistant coach when they lost in five games in 2000-01, again to--who else?--the Lakers.

So he knows what it's like for the Phillies to be on the brink.

''You can't imagine where they are in terms of being (up) 3-1, '' said Cheeks, now the Sixers head coach, referring to the Phils' advantage over the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series. ''It's having a chance of winning, which is what we all play for. Whoever has never been in that position cannot imagine it.

''Having been there a couple times with a chance to try and win it, and then finally winning it, I didn't know what the other side was like until I won it. When you're the last team standing--most times you're not that team--that's a heckuva compliment.''

Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks admitted to a fleeting moment of serious concern last Friday when Thaddeus Young, his starting small forward, had to leave practice with a mid-back strain.

''But KJ (head athletic trainer Kevin Johnson) said it wasn't going to be that serious,'' Cheeks said today. ''But (Young) never gets hurt. I'm hoping he's going to be OK (for Wednesday night's opener).''

By happenstance, Cheeks had started Kareem Rush at small forward against the New JerseyNets in last Wednesday's preseason finale, bringing Young off the bench. But that was mostly to give Rush some extended minutes and allow him to relocate his rhthm as a three-point shooter. In Young's weekend absence, Rush stayed with the first unit and represents the contingency plan if Young is unable to play.

Young, though, felt as if he could have practiced today.

''They just wanted to take precautionary measures, to make sure everything is fine,'' he said. ''It's a little sore, but I'm fine. I should definitely be on the court Wednesday (against the Toronto Raptors) and ready to go. I hate to sit down. I'm not used to that. I'm used to always being on the court.''

Dalembert seems fine, too. He even stayed after practice today to go through an extended shooting drill with assistant coach Aaron McKie.

Oh, one other thing:

Kay Lynam, wife of assistant coach Jim Lynam, celebrated a milestone the other day.

Happy 65th birthday, Kay.

You can catch up with some material in my previous post about Marreese Speights and some fun stuff from around the NBA later. Right now, in the midst of the World Series, this takes precedence.

If the Phillies are involved in a Game 6 with the Tampa  Bay Rays in Florida Wednesday night, the Sixers will open their regular season against the Toronto raptors an hour earlier.

Here's the official plan:

If there's a Game 6, the Sixers-Raptors will tip off at 6 p.m. rather than 7 p.m., Sixers senior vice-president Lara Price said just after 5 o'clock. That way, fans in the Wachovia Center can remain in the AT&T Pavilion in the Wachovia Center to watch the baseball game.

And, oh yeah, there will be some food and drink specials.

And . . . The Sixers are terming this a post-game event a block party, free and open to the public.

Outstanding move.

Marreese Speights, bless his rookie heart, is making Maurice Cheeks make a decision.

Could Speights, the 6-0 forward/center from Florida, the No. 16 pick in the June draft, force his way into the 76ers' regular season rotation?

Could be.

Statistics aside, the Sixers' coach has liked the way Speights has handled himself on the court, from summer league to training camp to preseason games to practice. That includes the way he is able to play through mistakes, looking ahead rather than over his shoulder.

''In New Jersey (Wednesday night), he missed an assignment defensively, then missed a dunk,'' Cheeks said. ''Elton (Brand) talked to him, and he was intent on making up for that. He made like like three straight plays after that.''

At the same time, Cheeks said Speights has a tendency to run hard for a while, then stop, then start again. He wants to see more consistency in that area. If Speights continues to develop as rapidly as he has so far, he could take some minutes from Reggie Evans at the 4 and Theo Ratliff at the 5.

Just remember, Thaddeus Young--as the No. 12 overall pick in 2007--didn't blossom until the final 38 games of last season. Speights, in part because Samuel Dalembert has been limited by sore knees, has had a window of opportunity much earlier in the process.

And remember this, too: Cheeks, talking to reporters before this morning's practice, wasn't making any commitments to anyone. I'm guessing we'll know his rotation as it unfolds Wednesday night, and not before.

Some End Of The Preseason Stuff:

That's not a misprint, Allen Iverson--a 27.7 points per game career scorer--was averaging 4.5 for the Denver Nuggets going into tonight's finale. A sore knee and sprained ankle helped make that happen.

Old friend Kevin Ollie made the Minnesota Timberwolves' roster, beating out D-Leaguer Blake Ahearn for the final backcourt spot. There was speculation that Larry Brown was hoping to bring him to the Charlotte Bobcats as the veteran backup his team desperately needs.

Another ex-Sixer, Shavlik Randolph, survived the last cut with the Portland Trail  Blazers. But Bobby Jones was dropped by the Sacramento Kings. Louis Amundson has landed with the Phoenix Suns.

Not Exactly Currying Favor:

Newsday colleague Alan passes this along from New York Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni about hefty center Eddy Curry falling out of the rotation: ''It didn't take one day to get out of the rotation, it isn't going to take one day to get in, either.''

And this: During a New York preseason game with Boston, Knicks guard Stephon Marbury talked a little trash to Celtics guard Eddie House.

So House pointed to his finger, as if to say ''I've got a ring.''

So Marbury said ''You're too caught up in basketball. You need to get caught up in life.''

So the Celtics' Ray Allen knocked down a few jump shots, and House said ''Don't worry about me, you need to worry about Ray Allen.''

I said last night that things didn't look good for Jared Reiner in terms of making the 76ers' opening night roster. I don't feel good about being right, but I was. The Sixers waived the backup big man today, leaving the roster at 14, one under the NBA limit. And that counts Jason Smith, the second-year big man who is out for the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

I think several elements worked against Reinder, who has 46 games of experience in the league with the Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks: Rookie Marreese Speights has emerged as a guy who might just get some minutes at both power forward and center, serving as a backup to backups Reggie Evans and Theo Ratliff; team president/general manager Ed Stefanski might just be more comfortable with a spot available in the event he wants to add a player later, possibly off the waiver wire of final cuts, and Reiner has been a fringe player throughout his career, playing overseas and in the NBA Development League, and might be viewed as little more than that. Somehow, though, I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up on some team's roster later on, probably as a 10-day guy.

Here is the roster that the Sixers will begin the season with. The opener is Wednesday against Toronto at the Wachovia Center.

Centers: Samuel Dalembert, Theo Ratliff.

Forwards: Elton Brand, Donyell Marshall, Marreesse Speights, Thaddeus Young, Reggie Evans.

Guards: Andre Miller, Andre Igoudala, Kareem Rush, Royal Ivey, Lou Williams, Willie Green.

Forward/center Jason Smith will miss season following knee surgery.

Meanwhile, there is the case of assistant coach Jeff Ruland . . .

Ruland told me earlier today that he expects to be back with the team for Monday's practice after battling a staph infection that left him spending two nights in a hospital. He said an ear infection he first noticed Oct. 11-12-13 when the Sixers were in Toronto spread to his nose. He didn't travel for the Oct. 18 game in Cleveland and kept getting progressively worse.

''My face blew up,'' Ruland said in his inimitable way. ''I looked like Will Smith in 'Hitch.' I've had some injuries over my career, but this was top three in terms of pain. It got really nasty. I'm all right now. I'm weak, but I'm all right. The doctor told me to rest and that I could come back Monday.''

Ruland, a former All-Star center, whose two attempts to continue his playing career with the Sixers were cut short by knee and achilles tendon problems, is in his second stint as an assistant coach with the team. He spent last season coaching Albuquerque, then the Sixers' affiliate in the ''D'' League.

Hello from East Rutherford, N.J. to the few of you who might not be mesmerized by the Phillies in the World Series.

I was always taught not to write about travel experiences, because you want to know about the team. But I'll share tonight's adventure on the off-chance any of you might have plans to come to a regular-season game in the Izod Center:

There is construction everywhere. There are cones blocking entrances to places you used to use to enter the parking lots. I was bound for Lot 26, where my name was on a media list. I stopped to ask a security person, just to be certain I knew where I was going. She reached for a set of papers and had to look it up before giving me directions, after which she thanked me.

"I'm so glad you asked,'' she said, laughing. ''Now, in case anyone else asks, I know the answer. This is all new to us, too.''

On to Lot 26, where the guard--never looking at any list--waved me in. I parked and was getting ready to head for the entrance to the building when another guard asked if I was where I was supposed to be. I said I thought so.

''OK,'' he said. "It's my first night.''

Somebody else mentioned that the entrance they always used was blocked. They drove over the cones.

I love the preseason.

Anyway, once in I learned that Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks had decided to hold out Andre Miller and start Lou Williams at the point, to use Kareem Rush at small forward in place of Thaddeus Young, and to start rookie Marreese Speights at center. Samuel Dalembert (sore knees, remanants of the flu) was out for the second game in succession. The plan was to use Young and possibly Theo Ratliff off the bench.

Official cutdown day is tomorrow. I don't know for sure, but I'm hearing free agent big man Jared Reiner--who has acquitted himself nicely--could be on thin ice.

 The Nets were without Josh Boone, Keyon Dooling, Jarvis Hayes, Eduardo Najera and Stromile Swift.

''I'm ready for the season,'' Cheeks said, insisting the major part of the game plan was to be sure no one got hurt. ''We're all ready.''