Dalembert earning his stripes

Samuel Dalembert usually has not lacked confidence in his time with the 76ers. Now he is doing his best to boost his coaches' confidence in him.

Coming off a disappointing season, his first after signing a six-year contract worth more than $60 million, Dalembert has emerged as a force in the middle in 2006-07, especially in the second half of the season.

He showed a fine all-around game in Wednesday night's loss to the Washington Wizards, tying his career high with 24 points to go with nine rebounds and two blocked shots. He made 12 of 15 attempts from the field.

"Finally, little by little, everything is coming together," Dalembert said yesterday after the Sixers watched tape and did some shooting at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

"I'm out there not worried about, 'Hey, what's going to happen today?' You're just out there knowing that we need to win this game and you're going to do everything you're capable of doing to win this game. That's what I've tried to do."

The 6-foot-11 Dalembert, in his fifth full NBA season, is on pace to establish career numbers in several categories. He is averaging 10.8 points and 9.1 rebounds while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 74.6 percent from the free-throw line.

His second-half averages are even more impressive - 12.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.28 blocked shots.

"By doing certain things on the court offensively and making the right decisions," Dalembert said, "that kind of raises the confidence of the coaches that 'Sam can pass the ball, Sam can hit the jumper.' Now it's come to the point where you can be on the court for a longer time. You don't have to worry about not putting me on the court in the last minute because I'm not going to make my free throws."

Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks chuckled when asked about Dalembert's belief in himself.

"Yeah, but if you talk to him, he's always had that belief," Cheeks said. "When you have guys like Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala, these guys have given him a little bit more confidence in himself because they trust him with the ball. They've given him the ball at different times in the game."

Another key for the 25-year-old Dalembert has been his health. He is the only Sixer to play in every game this season, after missing 16 contests last season.

Dalembert scored in a variety of ways Wednesday. Exactly half of his 12 baskets came from 10 to 15 feet away. He also deposited four alley-oop passes for field goals - a layup and three slam dunks.

Dalembert said the success came from experience and being on the floor with fine passers such as Iguodala and Miller.

"You know exactly what your teammates are going to do," he said. "You know how they're going to play and you just feed into it. Now I'm starting to communicate with 'Dre [Iguodala]. The game [against the Wizards] was a perfect example of understanding who you're playing against and knowing where we are on the court and taking advantage of it."

Dalembert has participated in only one NBA playoff series, in 2005, and it looks as if he'll miss out on the postseason party this year as well. But he is convinced the Sixers are developing the pieces that will help them contend in future seasons.

As for himself, Dalembert said the important thing was getting off to a good start next season. He will continue to work on his offensive moves and his inside game during the summer, but he also vowed to improve his diet, which he said consists of too much red meat.

"I'm already talking to some nutritionists about it and finding a better way," he said. "I have a tendency to eat any kind of stuff, but I'm going to change."

Notes. The Sixers meet the Boston Celtics tonight at the Wachovia Center. Guard Willie Green probably will miss his second straight game with a sore right knee but is holding out hope of playing tomorrow night in New Jersey. "It's feeling 100 percent better," Green said. "I'll probably take a couple of more days and rest it and get ready to finish out the season strong." . . . Cheeks said veteran forward Joe Smith continued to deal with a personal issue and that he did not know when Smith would return. "We're just letting him deal with that, and when he's ready to come back, he comes back," Cheeks said.