Former Cavs star Ilgauskas helping in Joel Embiid's rehab

THERE WAS a somewhat familiar figure roaming around the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday. When someone is 7 feet, 3 inches tall, you always give a double-take, and this time, it was because of Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

The former Cleveland Cavaliers star was a guest of the 76ers, and for quite good reason. Ilgauskas was saddled early in his career with fractures to the navicular bone in his foot. It is the same injury Sixers center Joel Embiid is dealing with, following his second surgery, which will cause him to miss his second straight season.

"It's one of the things that we're proud of in trying to help Joel move through this injury, and bring somebody that has had two navicular injuries, like Z has had, and has gone on to play nine solid NBA years after two navicular injuries," Sixers coach Brett Brown said. "For Z to share his stories with Joel . . . This is the second meeting that they have had. They seem to be developing a pretty cool relationship. His story is real, and it really resonates with Joel on the pitfalls of it all and the mental side of it all and the discipline to take care of your body to get back on the court."

Brown seemed genuinely happy with Embiid's attitude toward recovery this time, after a less than terrific effort in that department after the first surgery.

"He's doing great. He's doing fantastic. Most importantly he's doing fantastic in his mind," Brown said. "He is so determined to do everything that he has to, everything that people are telling him that he has to do to get it right. There was a real progression in his maturity and his seriousness to understand what needs to be done for him to get himself every chance to get back on the court.

"The Z visit is just another layer for the organization to do things a little bit differently and try to improve our approach. He's doing really well."

To look at former Sixer Lavoy Allen is to know that he is fully committed to playing his best basketball. Gone is the baby fat. In its place is a thin face and a chiseled 6-9 frame.

"Reliability," Indiana coach Frank Vogel said when asked about the Temple product. "He gives us a couple of different directions that we can go. You can't post him up, you can't pound him, you can't beat him on the glass. Guys love playing with him on the offensive end, because he's a great screener. He's a selfless offensive player. He gets into the post, and he's always thinking of the pass. He gets into the roll game and he's always thinking of the pass. He gets offensive rebounds as good as anybody in the NBA. I really think that he's one of those guys that's a glue guy that just makes everybody better."

Allen produced seven points and six rebounds in 19 minutes against his hometown team in Wednesday night's 112-85 Pacers win.

It's not surprising that NBA coaches stick up for one another. Expected, actually. But Brett Brown was pretty strong in expressing how he felt about Houston letting coach Kevin McHale go Wednesday after a 4-7 start.

"It is highly disappointing, and it's sad that a conclusion like that would be made after 11 games," Brown said.

McHale took the team to the Western Conference finals last season, where his club lost to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors.

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