Another must win for the Sixers tonight.

[rickortreat]

A back to back game against the Washington Wizards, who have been reeling, including a loss to the Pacers last night.

Sixers only have 7 games left, and are 3 back of everyone they need to catch.  Washington & Boston are next, and wins over both will move them to only 2 back against them.  The Miami, Indiana (also a critical game) and NJ, which they may need to win to keep NJ out of the playoffs.  Then two cake games against Milwaukee and Atlanta.

It's not impossible for them to get the third seed as the Atlantic Division winner.  Having home court for the first round would be very good for the Sixers.

As it is, these games are getting close to playoff intensity as a lot of the teams they're playing are also stuggling for seedings.

Chicago 9-1, has been playing very well lately and so has Indiana 8-2.  

Boston and Washington are only 5-5 in the last 10.  Definitely not the way to head into the playoffs.  

[Reality]

3rd is really a long shot.  Philly should go for it, but you'd have to have the Celts tank also.  It could happen.

Bottom line you want to stay ahead of Cleve and NJ.  Catching WA would be nice. Passing Bos would be coma-celebration time.
Well Sixers play(ed) them all so it's gonna be decided on the court.

Miami game if you can catch with Shaq resting will be a plus.

[rickortreat]

No Iverson.  No Webber.  No Problem!

How this for balanced scoring- 6 players in double figures, no one with more than 20.  No one took more than 18 shots.  Shooting percentage .506.  29 assists, only 8 turnovers.

The Sixers practiaclly blew the game open in the first quarter, getting out at one point to a 20 pt lead.

Wizards came back and were up by 13 in the fourth quarter and the Sixers could easilly have hung it up.  Not a chance, they came back hard and took control of the game.

This is a big win not only from the standpoint of the standings, where the Sixers gained a game on both the Wizards and the Celtics, but also stayed ahead of NJ.  The real impressive thing was that the Sixers beat a playoff team (although a faltering one) without their two big money big name players.

This should give the Sixers great confidence going into the post season, and will hopefully make O'brien realize how deep the team is.  This wasn't a defensive contest, the Sixers scored 112 points.

Igoudala was his usual excellent self 20 points and 8 assists, and Willie Green played a tremendous game at the point with 20 points and 9 assists.    

Very hard for the Nets to catch the Sixers when they've gone 7-3 in their last 10.  Boston on the other hand is 4-6....Now they're only 2 games behind with 6 to go and a game with the Celtics.  Very nice.  

[Derek Bodner]

Iguodala: 20 pts, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 0 turns
Green: 20 pts, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, 1 turn.

15 assists to 1 turnover for a starting backcourt with 1 year combined experience.

That's your ballgame right there.

[Reality]

Iguodala: 20 pts, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 0 turns
Green: 20 pts, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, 1 turn.

15 assists to 1 turnover for a starting backcourt with 1 year combined experience.

That's your ballgame right there.

Can they pass some of that experience on to A.I.?  

Were you two a bit nervous when Arenas launched his final 3 with 17 seconds?  Sixers were up 4, no need for Areanas to rush up a 3 but i guess since he had been hitting all night (6-13 prior to launch) he felt he was was feelin it.

Weekend Mission accomplished by 6ers big time.

Now throw in NYK over Indy 113-112 OT.

[rickortreat]

No.  I thought the game was over when Arena's launched that shot.  I wondered why the hell Korver wasn't in the game since they were going to foul, and sure enough, O'brien put him in.

It makes you wonder why AI is playing so many minutes when Green is capable of playing like that.  The nice thing about the Sixers is that even if AI and Webber can't go, the team is now good enough to get into the playoffs without them, now and in the future.

They desparately need another PF/Center who can board and box out, and they'll be a competitive team for years.