Sixers Notes: Sixers' starting lineup still in flux

All preseason, the 76ers' starting lineup had been in flux.

Sixers coach Doug Collins had three players - point guard Jrue Holiday, swingman Andre Iguodala, and power forward Elton Brand - locked into his lineup, but the complementary pieces to that core were a constant trial and error.

On Wednesday night against the Miami Heat, hardly a team to experiment with, Collins sent forth a group of starters that included forward Jason Kapono and center Spencer Hawes.

At least on this night, that seemed like Collins' best group.

"My five best players aren't really able to start just simply because of the way the team is fit," Collins explained.

For example, rookie guard Evan Turner is certainly one of the team's better players, but Collins can't start a group without a perimeter shooter such as Kapono. Small forward Thaddeus Young is one of the team's more effective players, but Collins can't start a unit without a rebounder.

"I've really never been able to come across anything we can set in stone and say, 'This is the way we're going to play every single night,' " Collins said.

In essence, the starting lineup is still in flux.

Tuesday night's 88-80 loss to the Boston Celtics was Dwyane Wade's first full game since last spring. Wade, who played only three minutes in the preseason because of a hamstring injury and a custody battle over his children, played 36 minutes, 41 seconds against the Celtics. He finished the game shooting 4 for 16 from the floor with six turnovers.

"He always proves that he finds his rhythm very quick," said Miami coach Erik Spoelstra. "He was very introspective about the [Boston] game and he watched it twice, on his own."

Holiday, whose defensive assignment was Wade, said the Sixers' best chance at victory was packing their defense into the paint.

"Make them shoot jump shots," Holiday said. He said the Sixers would focus on "not letting LeBron [James] and D-Wade [run] all the way down the court through all five of us, getting to the rack."

Collins placed guard Jodie Meeks and rookie forward Craig Brackins on the inactive list. The Sixers have 14 players, and only 12 can be active.

Miami placed centers Jamaal Magliore and Dexter Pittman on its inactive list.

The Heat were without guard Mike Miller, who is out for three months with a right thumb injury.

Although a fraction of the TV sets on the concourse at the Wells Fargo Center were tuned in to the World Series, the interest by 76ers fans was almost nonexistent, even with ex-Phil Cliff Lee on the mound.

"Nobody has any interest at all. Not Phillies fans," said Greg Thompson, 45, of Berlin, N.J. "That's how Philadelphia is: If they fail in one sport, move on to the next one.

"If the Phillies were in [the World Series], this place would be empty."

- Kate Fagan