Sixers Report

The 76ers will end the 2006-07 season with a heavy load of four games in five days beginning tomorrow afternoon against Jameer Nelson and the Orlando Magic at the Wachovia Center. They play the Pistons in Detroit on Sunday, then close the season by hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday on fan appreciation night and traveling to Toronto for Wednesday's finale against the Raptors.

Louis Williams. The 6-foot-1 guard, who looked lost throughout his rookie season, is growing up late in his second season as a pro. Although he has backed up at point guard since the all-star break, Williams was called upon to score this week because of injuries to Iguodala and Kyle Korver and responded with back-to-back 18-point games, including a 16-of-19 performance from the free-throw line. He also dished out a career-best eight assists against Boston. One other thing: He prefers to be called Lou.

How about those Denver Nuggets? They have won seven straight games to clinch a playoff spot in the Western Conference, and to deny the Sixers what would have been a better choice in the first round of the NBA draft. (Denver's pick would be No. 20 if the draft were held today.) Allen Iverson is playing a key role in the Nuggets' success, averaging 23.4 points and 7.6 assists during the winning streak while shooting 44.9 percent from the field.

Last season, the Sixers were outscored off the bench in 61 games and went 26-35. They went 11-7 in the 18 games when their bench held the scoring advantage. The Sixers held form with their bench scoring this week, outscoring opponents in their victories over Atlanta, Indiana and Boston and losing the battle of the reserves in their loss against Toronto. For the season, they are 21-19 when they outscore the opponent's reserves, 12-24 when their bench is outscored, and 0-2 when they equal the bench total of the other team.

The Sixers' recent winning ways are good for morale but bad for their positioning for the 2007 NBA draft. Tied for the fifth-worst record in the league last week, the Sixers have dropped (risen?) to 11th worst this week with 33 victories, one more than the four-team logjam in seventh (Charlotte, New York, Minnesota, Sacramento). Right now, the bottom four looks set, with Memphis, Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta having the best chances, in order, to win the lottery.

The Sixers have connected on only four three-point field goals (on 39 attempts) in the five games Korver has missed with injuries this season. They went 0 of 7 in their last two games, meaning they haven't hit a shot from beyond the arc since Willie Green drained one early in overtime Sunday against Atlanta.

With Korver out, veteran forward Joe Smith gave the Sixers the boost they needed off the bench in their three victories, shooting 51.4 percent from the field and averaging 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds. He scored all 16 of his points against Boston in the second half.

Chris Bosh, Toronto. The Raptors are this year's dark horse in the playoffs, and Bosh is their best and most reliable player. Bosh put up 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in last Friday's win over the Sixers.

If you think games are difficult, you should get a look at some of the shooting contests that take place after the Sixers practice, including those that include coach Maurice Cheeks and the team's younger players. One of the players, rookie Bobby Jones, got even with his coach this week, defeating him in a lively contest in which players have to make three shots from each of six or seven spots on the court. "I think I won it more than he lost it," Jones said. Responded Cheeks, "Those 12 minutes you had last night? Too many . . ."

Earlier this week, Chris Webber suggested to Detroit reporters that he might retire if the Pistons take the NBA championship. Said Webber, "If I win one, I just might disappear."

To which we respond, "Again?"

Last week:

3-1.

Season:

33-45.

2

Successful comebacks from double-digit deficits in the last week by the Sixers, who rallied from 17 points behind to defeat Atlanta and from 15 down to beat Boston.

3

Number of Fridays that the Sixers have not been scheduled to play a game since the regular season began - Dec. 1, Feb. 16 and tonight.

5

Difference between free throws made (445) and field goals made (440) for Andre Iguodala, one of only two players (Chauncey Billups is the other) among the top 50 scorers in the NBA to have made more free throws than field goals.

18

Games won by the Sixers (against nine defeats) when they make more free throws than their opponent has attempted.

58

Points scored by Louis Williams in his last six games, or two more than he scored all of last season.

386

Days since the Magic, tomorrow's Sixers opponent, featuring all-star Dwight Howard and Chester's own Jameer Nelson, last played in Philadelphia.

.640

Winning percentage of the Sixers (16-9) since the all-star break, tied with Toronto for sixth-best in the league.

2,950

Difference in total fans through 39 home dates between the 29th-place Sixers and the 30th-place Memphis Grizzlies in the race for lowest attendance in the NBA.