Collins thinks middle stretch of season crucial for Sixers

Last month hosted the proverbial "most wonderful time of the year." What with the kids jingle-belling and everyone telling you to be of good cheer - and all that stuff.

Now, however, comes the grind - and we're not talking about paying off the bills.

For 76ers coach Doug Collins, this is the time of the NBA season that is the hardest.

"[Games] 40 to 60," Collins said without hesitation of what he thought was the toughest spot on the schedule. "The first 40 games you can kind of break it down. At 40-60, that takes you into the All-Star break and then the players always see the finish line. NBA players are smart and they see that finish line. That 60-to-80 mark, they know the end is close."

Last night, against the Phoenix Suns, was Game 44 for the Sixers, just getting into that dreaded stretch that Collins worries so much about.

"The All-Star break is not the midway point of the season, it's way past that," Collins said. "So I've always said this time leading into the All-Star Game, if you could really put together a nice stretch and come out of the All-Star Game and be ready to play, [good things will happen]. Some teams aren't ready to finish and some teams aren't ready to get started after they've been away. So I've always thought those were two key times also."

To break it down before the All-Star Game, which is Feb. 20 in Los Angeles, the Sixers had the second home game last night of a stretch that has them at the Wells Fargo Center for four of five.

February has some short road trips early (New Jersey, New York) and one to Atlanta. The Sixers will then host Orlando Magic and San Antonio before three straight road games (Minnesota, Memphis and Houston) before going on the All-Star break. Five of their first six games after the break are on their home court.

Collins has been careful with how he spaces his off days and when he gives them. It's more of a feel thing than anything else.

"I think, being away [from coaching] for a while, I've learned that fresh minds and fresh bodies are far greater than any practice you could have. I think practices sometimes satisfies a coach's mind that he got the guys together. When you've got a team like ours, I know our guys are taking care of themselves and they'll be ready to play. They're a younger team so I want them to stay mentally sharp and fresh. In this last stretch of five [games] in 8 days, I think we gave them 2 off days, which I don't think I would have done as a younger coach. I have my little quirks about me. After a long West Coast trip, I did bring them in the next day because I want to get them up and moving. The experiences I've had as a pro, I just want to see what works and what doesn't."

When asked if he thought second-year player Jrue Holiday would be a participant in the Sophomore-Rookie contest during the All-Star Weekend, Collins said, "I hope so. I think he will. And I hope that Evan Turner plays for the rookies. Maybe those two can cover each other. If that happens, it will be like 160-152."

The start of the game last night was stalled for a few minutes because after the Phoenix Suns came out for their warmups, they noticed something wrong with their basket.

After a measurement and some adjustments, their basket at the north end of the court seemed to work properly.

Andres Nocioni practiced full tilt on Sunday, said the injured middle finger on his right hand was feeling fine. Until . . .

"Everything was going fine and then I hit it again," he said before last night's game, which elicited a shout from Spencer Hawes about Nocioni's tendency to foul.

"I hit it on someone and the pain comes back, but then goes away quicker than it did before, so I know it's getting better."

Nocioni was available to play in Saturday's win over the Utah Jazz, but Doug Collins deferred. Last night against the Suns, against whom Nocioni scored a season-high 22 points last month, the forward entered the game late in the first quarter. It was his first action since Jan. 14.

For more Sixers coverage, read the Daily News' Sixers blog, Sixerville, at

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