Sixers Notes: Collins: Maybe we rushed Iguodala's return

Doug Collins had one sleepless night and plenty of questions after Tuesday's 111-103 loss to the visiting Indiana Pacers.

He questioned his team's effort. Others were asking why Andre Iguodala played 33 minutes in his first game back after missing the previous seven with right Achilles tendinitis.

On Wednesday, the Sixers met at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and watched film of the game. They did some light shooting but skipped contact work.

"I thought early in the game we were flat and didn't have a great effort," said Collins, who said the game caused him a restless night. "That is not our trademark."

Collins said the fact that Andres Nocioni had a dislocated and fractured middle finger factored into his decision to play Iguodala, who scored just one point and was 0 for 7 from the field. Nocioni attempted to play against the Pacers but left after an ineffective 2-minute, 48-second stint.

"Hindsight is 20-20, but had Noch been healthy, maybe Dre could have gotten a few more practices under his belt before he played," Collins said.

Iguodala had been sidelined since playing in a 95-89 win Dec. 26 in Denver. His only basketball activity before the Pacers game was Monday's practice and Tuesday morning's shoot-around.

Iguodala was working on his game Wednesday.

"Dre did shooting with our guys and hopefully he will get a good, hard practice in [Thursday]," Collins said. "I don't care how good an athlete you are, when you miss time, you are out of sync and rusty, and hopefully with practices under his belt he will get his timing back."

Nocioni did not take part in shooting drills Wednesday. He said he hoped to play in Friday's game at the Wells Fargo Center against the Milwaukee Bucks.

"It is still very painful, but I need to keep working and trying to be healthy and try to help the team," he said.

Getting into a groove? Sixers rookie Evan Turner will attempt a first on Friday: scoring in double figures in three straight games. He has had back-to-back games in double figures four times this season.

On Saturday, he scored 19 in the Sixers' 112-109 overtime loss against the Detroit Pistons. He added 14 points against the Pacers.

It has been a frustrating season for the No. 2 overall draft pick, who is averaging 7.3 points per game but has been playing better recently. Turner has scored in double figures in four of his last seven games.

"I have one good game, and then maybe do not do well the next three," Turner said. "I want to be consistent."

Twice this season, the rookie earned DNPs: did not play, coach's decision.

"I don't know how many young players at his draft status would have two DNPs," Collins said. "And he has grown so much, I am really, really happy."

Tap-ins. The Sixers (15-23) have lost two in a row and four of six, not the best way to make a playoff push nearing the midway point of the season. . . . The Sixers have not had a blocked shot in their last two games and have recorded just 12 in the last seven games. . . . With a 10-7 home record, the Sixers are only two wins away from equaling their 12 victories all of last season at the Wells Fargo Center.