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Doug Collins was right

Doug Collins emphasizes the importance of the first quarter, and the Sixers prove his point in beating Atlanta.

Doug Collins. (H. Rumph Jr/AP)
Doug Collins. (H. Rumph Jr/AP)Read more

ATLANTA - If coaching was this easy, the 76ers and Doug Collins would probably be battling the Miami Heat for the top playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

During the short practice on Thursday at Georgia Tech in preparation for Friday's game against the Atlanta Hawks, Collins spoke to his players about getting out to faster starts. He particularly spoke with Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner, emphasizing his belief that most NBA games are won in the first 12 minutes of the game, not necessarily in the final quarter, as many believe.

Point taken. The Sixers exploded out of the locker room, making 16 of their 22 shots in the first quarter in scoring 40 points and building a 14-point lead. It carried them through to a 101-90 over the Hawks in Philips Arena.

"I talked to Jrue and Evan about coming out and getting off to quick starts," said Collins, whose team improved to 31-44. "The guy who has been coming out of the gate for us has been Damien and I think Jrue and Evan, in the first quarter, I want them to be more efficient because what it does is it has a trickle-down effect on the other guys.

"The first quarter is so important in the NBA, that's when you have your walkthrough and how you're going to defend things and your matchups. So if you get behind or if you get in early foul trouble, it changes a lot of how you want to approach the game. I've always been a first-quarter guy. I think last year the top four teams in the East won 83 percent of their games when they won the first quarter. Everybody thinks the fourth quarter is it in the NBA. That's where the excitement is, but I think there's a stat if you're up three with 5 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, you win like 90 percent of the games. So much is on the fourth quarter, like how about that free throw that you missed, it's just because it's in the climatic time in the game."

In a town bursting with energy and excitement as it will host the Final Four starting Saturday, the Sixers provided their own in front of a sparse crowd to begin the game. After the first three possessions produced two missed shots and a turnover, the Sixers caught fire, at one point scoring 26 points on 11 straight possessions.

But if it were that easy, the Sixers wouldn't be on the brink of mathematical elimination. So just to make things interesting, they made just six of their 20 second-quarter shots, turned the ball over four times and scored just 18 points. But Atlanta didn't take much advantage and the Sixers were able to close out the contest and take with them some momentum heading into Saturday's game at powerful Miami, which has beaten the Sixers in 14 consecutive regular-season games.

Just two nights after a 2-for-24 shooting performance, Holiday still struggled with his shot, going just 3-for-14 from the floor and 3-for-6 from the foul line, including an air ball in the second quarter. He did deal eight assists and his lack of scoring was picked up by his fellow starters. Turner (24 points, 11 rebounds), Spencer Hawes (19-12) and Thaddeus Young (14, 13) all had double-doubles, while Damien Wilkins chipped in with 16 points. With Dorell Wright sidelined with a sore right elbow, Collins stuck mostly with the starters as each played more than 30 minutes.

"We passed the ball more, everyone got to touch the ball and that's a good feeling," Holiday said. "Scoring 40 in a quarter isn't something we usually do. We attacked, tried to get the ball in the middle and it worked."

Said Collins: "I talked to Jrue about getting himself more actively involved in the game. It doesn't just mean scoring. 'Put your fingerprints on that game early. You are our captain. Get us out and get us going.' He's struggled a little bit since the All-Star break. Plus, teams are trapping him because they aren't going to let Jrue Holiday beat them. That's a learning experience for him."

Josh Smith scored 19 points for the Hawks, while Al Horford collected 18 and 10 rebounds.

Wright not right

Swingman Dorell Wright missed the game due to a right elbow contusion. Wright had banged the elbow in Saturday's home win against Charlotte and played through the pain in Charlotte on Wednesday. But it was too much for him on Friday.

"When I dove on the floor to get the ball, my elbow came right down on the floor and when I looked at it, I saw some blood and then it swelled a little bit," he said. "It's part of the game, diving on the floor and stuff like that. It was a little sore the other night , but then when we practiced I must have aggravated it or something or hit it on something. It's really sensitive. My fingers started tingling. I hate to miss games. It's part of it, though. I've got to do the right thing."

Sixshots

Sixers associate head coach Michael Curry was not on the bench as he was suffering from a stomach bug . . . Former Sixer Dikembe Mutombo visited the locker room before the game, and Knicks great Patrick Ewing was in attendance.

Blog: philly.com/Sixerville