Surging Sixers look to make it three in a row

It may seem like a year or two since the 76ers surprised the NBA by rushing out to a 3-0 start to their season, but, in reality, it was less than 12 weeks ago.

The Sixers have been through a lot since then - a 12-game losing streak, 10 consecutive losses on the road, the trade of Allen Iverson, and the buyout of Chris Webber.

Tonight at the Wachovia Center, however, the Sixers have a chance to match their season-best winning streak when they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time in three days.

The Sixers have won three of their last four, and actually escaped last place in the Atlantic Division by percentage points Wednesday night after their 118-115 double-overtime victory over the Cavaliers that dropped the Boston Celtics into the basement.

The win in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers were 15-4 going into Wednesday night's game, certainly made the Sixers feel good.

"I think it's a confidence booster," Andre Iguodala said after scoring a career-high 34 points. "We've been playing a lot of games lately, and to win off the second end of a back-to-back. . . . This lets us know that we can compete. We have to fight, and we really have to execute."

Iguodala carried the Sixers late, scoring 17 points in the final 23.2 seconds of regulation and in the two extra periods. He went 10 of 18 from the field and 12 of 12 from the free-throw line, and dished out nine assists.

"We tried to put the ball in his hands, and he delivered each time we gave him the ball," Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. "He's growing up, as a lot of our guys are, starting to play more minutes and be in a position where they haven't been before. He's growing up right in front of us. I think he's becoming more comfortable with himself. He's learning on the floor."

The last time the Sixers went for three wins in a row, they were trounced, 116-97, at Golden State on Dec. 26. But the Christmas holiday and a cross-country flight came between the second and third games of that stretch.

Still, the Cavaliers will come in a little ticked. Cleveland coach Mike Brown was disappointed with his team's performance against the Sixers.

"I know that there are times that we think we can just show up, and no matter who we are playing, we can show up and win," he said.

Sixers forward Kyle Korver knows that the Cavaliers will play better tonight and that his team must be prepared.

"We have to be ready for them again," Korver said, "because I'm sure they're pretty upset about the game. They're going to come out and play hard, and we've got to be prepared to match their energy."

LeBron James scored 39 points, including 13 in the final 2 minutes, 46 seconds of the game, but he missed a free throw with 9.5 seconds remaining in the first overtime that would have given the Cavaliers the lead. He is averaging 27.1 points but is shooting just 69.7 percent from the foul line.

Not too foul. For years, Sixers fans watched Allen Iverson get to the free-throw line almost any time he wanted. Now, the other A.I. looks as if he's following in Iverson's footsteps.

Iguodala is 10th in the NBA in free throws made with 235, the most of anyone in the top 10 not averaging 20 points. Thanks to a nine-game span of 61 successful free throws in 64 attempts, Iguodala has boosted his free-throw percentage to 83.9 percent, 40th in the league.

"I've tried to make a conscious effort to work on my free throws," Iguodala said. "I shoot 60 free throws at every practice, so when it comes down to the end of the game and you're tired, it's a huge factor in the game."

Speaking of free throws, Korver, with his 6-of-6 showing Wednesday night, has taken over the NBA lead in free-throw percentage at 92.8.

Green to go? Starting guard Willie Green will test his right knee during this morning's shoot-around and could play tonight.

Green missed the last two games because of soreness in the knee, which he said is the result of trying to overcompensate for his left knee, which underwent surgery in the summer of 2005.

Tonight at 7.

TV/Radio: CSN; WIP-AM (610).

Sixers Report: C2.