Spirit Of 76ers

WHEN WE LAST LEFT our merry young band of Philly Sixers last Wednesday night, they were holding off a furious Denver Nuggets rally in the third quarter. Eventually they regained the lead and put Allen Iverson, Camelo Anthony and the rest of the Nuggets away for the narrow 115-113 win. Iverson had hit a loooooooong 3-pointer -- 27 feet long, to be exact -- to tie the game at 113. But as has been the case in the 76ers' recent hot streak, they've been finishing off the close games. On this night it was Slammin' Sammy Dalambert, the Haitian Sensation, who hit the winning lay-up.

But then two days later, they had their first real clunker in about two months, dropping one on the road to Orlando 113-95. The Magic just shot the lights out, hitting 41 of 77 shots from the field, including a sizzling 14-23 from beyond the 3-point line. Saturday the Sixers returned home to face the desperate New Jersey Nets, a team who owned them as recently as last year. The 91-87 win evened the Sixers' record at 34-34 heading into the Monday night showdown in Boston, with the Celtics holding the sport's best mark at 55-14. Well, now it's 55-15 after Philly's 95-90 win, moving the Sixers into sole possession of second place. Not that the 76ers are gonna catch Boston for the Atlantic Division lead, but should the teams meet in the playoffs, it has to be a positive knowing they can beat them on their home court.

The 76ers outscored Boston 29-19 in the decisive fourth quarter, which isn't supposed to happen. Also not in the script is the 76ers' sudden ability to get to the foul line at such a frequent rate. Last night Philly once again had a huge advantage at the free throw line, more than doubling Boston from the line; the Sixers shot 30-44 from the line, while Boston only shot 20 total free throws, converting 15. And that's been the case during the recent streak, which has seen the Sixers win 18 out of their last 23 to climb to the 6th seed in the Eastern playoff race.

The free throw numbers don't just come out of a hat, at least since disgraced NBA ref Tim Donaghy was forced to hang up his crooked whistle; they reflect a few things based on the Sixers' quality play of late. First off, if you're going to the line that means you're usually driving to the basket instead of relying on jumpers. Second, you're boxing out and the other team is having to go through you to get to the rebound. And third, more specifically, it's Sixers' C Sam Dalabert finally learning to play without getting into foul trouble of his own.

Against Boston, as I said, the Sixers shot 24 more free throws than Boston; against the Nets it was 10 more; even in the Orlando loss, the Sixers shot 7 more free throws; and then before that, it was 12 more than Denver and 9 more than San Antonio, and any team with Tim Duncan is gonna get to that line.

I really started to take notice of this trend after the Sixers beat the Bulls in Chicago on the 14th. Philly shot a startling 40-44 from the line (versus only 18-20 for the home team that night). You're gonna win a few ballgames on the road when you can shoot 24 more free throws than your opponent, as even old Jumpin' Jimmy Naismith would tell you if he wasn't already in OT, if you get my drift.

But back to reality, the Sixers have a decent chance of catching at least one team ahead of them in the playoff standings, the 36-33 Washington Wizards, for the fifth seed. Which still wouldn't get homecourt advantage in that first round, most likely against either 3rd-seed Orlando or 4th-seed Cleveland.

Last night, for one night at least, the Sixers proved they could play with the biggest of the big boys. During this hot streak, as well as point guard Andre Miller and C Sam Dalambert have played, their best player night in and night out has been Andre Iguadola. Last night was no exception, as AI2 scored 10 straight points during an incredible 19-0 fourth-quarter run that pulled Philly ahead of Boston.

Count the Celtics themselves among NBA players impressed by the Sixer resurgence. "They will be a dangerous team in the playoffs," noted Paul Pierce after his team fell to Philly in a nationally televised game (at least on cable). Finally the rest of the country will get to see a Sixers team that, outside of Houston, may be the league's hottest team heading into the postseason. With promising but unknown kids like Thaddeus Young, Lou Williams and Willie Green contributing nightly and playing major roles, one thing you can't call this young, emerging Philadelphia team heading into the playoffs is overexposed.

How Bout Them Sixers?!

Out of the ashes of yet another lost season, where their record at one point not so long ago stood at a dismal 18-30, the Philadelphia 76ers have played themselves right back into the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, courtesy of a blistering 15-4 mark over their last 19 games, including high-quality wins over powerhouses like Detroit and San Antonio. This hot stretch has included their latest 7 out of 8 streak, with their only defeat coming at the hands of the NBA's best team, the Boston Celtics.

But even that Celtic loss had a positive twist. Philadelphia watched Boston score the game's first 15 points, but refused to throw in the towel, fighting their way back to tie the score at 34, and perhaps sending a message if the teams should meet again in the postseason. Right now the Sixers hold the 6th seed, and would likely square off against either the Pistons or Orlando Magic.

The playoff push continues tonight with a marquee game against old friend Allen Iverson and his Denver Nuggets, also pushing for a postseason berth. How odd that the schedule makers would provide such a fitting opponent for a Sixers team just one game below .500 at 33-34. And the numbers reflect how well this young squad has come together for coach Mo Cheeks. In fact, many of the players reflect back to a devastating loss to the Atlanta Hawks that dropped the Sixers to that 18-30 mark. Philly blew a 20-point lead in that game, and from all accounts it was that sickening feeling of letting one get away that led to the current chemistry that seems to be bonding this 76er team together.

Philly is 12-2 in the second game of their last 14 back-to-back games. Some of that of course is due to the fresh legs, but there are lots of young teams in the NBA and they're not getting it done like that. Right now by the way it's 41-40 Philly over Denver at the Wachovia Center. But it will always the Spectrum in my book. Was there only twice back in the post glory days. It was the mid-80s, a few years after their Moses-led championship peak, but that was still a formidable team the Sixers put out on the court.

Consider that not only was Doctor J still patrolling the upper reaches of the Spectrum (albeit in much less rarefied air those last few seasons; and there was already a new Air up there in the NBA just about due to burst onto the sporting universe), but his fellow forward was none other than a very young Charles Barkley -- still in his Round Mound of Rebound phase and not quite yet the Sir Charles who ultimately took his game elsewhere. Maurice Cheeks was still Cheeks, the ultimate unselfish point guard, smooth as velvet, and one of the most efficient finishers off the break the league has ever seen. Andrew Toney was still there as well, but some tragic knee injuries reduced him to a mere shadow of his lethal jump-shooting self at this point.

It was this Philly Sixer team I watched lose to the Jack Sikma led Milwaukee Bucks sometime in late April of '87 had to be. Less than a minute left in the game, Sixers down by 2, Doc J, as he often did, bringing the ball upcourt in a crucial spot. But instead of swooping in for one last magical dunk, or even one of his patented 17-foot corner bank shots or top of the key jumpers -- which by that time had long replaced much of his free-floating gravity-defying game that shook the basketball world in the 1970s like Jimi Hendrix rocked Woodstock and Monterey in the 1960s -- here was a suddenly mortal Doctor somehow tripping over his own feet at midcourt, feebly turning the ball over, giving it back to the Bucks, deflating a rabidly eager Spectrum crowd, and sending me and Izzy Korman outside into the cruel unforgiving world. In our case it was a long train ride back to New York, but even so how could any Sixers fan hold it against the Doc? He's just fortunate he had already delivered that one shining moment when they finally swept the hated Lakers back to La-La Land.

Which is why I don't think the home Philly crowd will do anything but salute the old A.I. in his first return to his old haunt. I'm a 76ers fan, and while I was glad to see him go last year, I have no hard feelings against Iverson. I will never boo a player for not performing or not getting it done even, as long as they're playing hard, hustling, giving it everything. Fans know Iverson played for the Sixers for too long and too hard to hold a grudge. I'd be shocked if Iverson didn't get at least one standing O early on.

All right! 65-58 Philly at the half! Iverson's got 12, but the new A.I. -- Andre Iguodola -- has 15, leading three Sixers in double figures. You never had three Sixers in double figures at the half when Iverson was here because obviously for better or worse he dominated the ball.

Iverson's replacement and one of the key pieces we got back for him in the trade with the Nugs, Andre Miller, has 13 with 9 assists. That's pretty decent for a half. In fact, Miller has a sky high basketball IQ, and he can control the action like vintage Jason Kidd for long stretches. Witness his recent 7-game stretch where he had an amazing assist to turnover ratio of 49-7. Everyone was calling for the Sixers to trade Miller to a contender, dump the salary, create cap room, etc. Well, now the Sixers are contenders, and it's really due as much to the 32-year-old Miller as to the development of his much younger teammates like Iguadola, Samuel Dalambert, and Willie Green, the shooting guard who returned from missing a few games tonight and contributed 10 points already tonight on 5-6 shooting from the floor.

Boy, Sixer fans should enjoy this team. It's been a long time coming. What's great is how their no-nonsense, defense-first style has won over the Philadelphia fans in a way that's usually reserved for other sports in that crazy town. But this is what sports is all about: a team coming from absolutely nowhere. The 76ers were picked dead last not only in their division by many preseason pickers, but dead last in the Eastern conference. I know Sports Illustrated had 'em picked 15th out of 15. (Hmmm, wonder where the Knicks were picked...) And if you're last in the East, then you're worst in the entire NBA, because even house pets and alien life forms know the West is the Best.

I just get this stupid, crazy feeling that the 76ers may just be destined to making some noise come the playoffs. I don't think many teams are looking forward to their physical style. It's a young, confident, humble team that doesn't know how good it can be. They remind me in that way of another East Coast sports team that peaked at just the right time and beat the can't-lose perfect powerhouse that everyone said couldn't be beaten. Are the Philadelphia 76ers the NBA's version of the Jersey Giants? Hey, you heard it here first and probably last.

Oh balls! Denver came out of the gate smoking in the second half, outscoring the Sixers 17-8 to take a 75-73 lead. Gotta go...

Runnings Of The Mouth

"My whole goal for him was he's got to show me golf is the most important thing in his life. And the most important thing in his life is getting drunk."
Swing coach Butch Harmon on Monday after severing ties with John Daly; on Wednesday Daly was disqualified from the Arnold Palmer Invitational for missing his tee time.

"I felt pretty good. I just didn't get the ball where I wanted to, especially with two strikes. I can get to two strikes. Right now I just don't have an out pitch."
Get ready for another season of excruciating Mike Mussina postgame quotes just like this one, an exhibition loss where he surrendered 5 runs and 6 hits in just 2+ innings.

"Look, this is the deal, folks. All these people that are paranoid about the world come and scream at me everywhere."
Bill Clinton after being booed by anti-NAFTA folks at a Hillary rally. It's always gotta be about Bill.

"I believe that our economy has got the fundamentals in place for us to ... grow and continue growing, more robustly hopefully than we're growing now. So we're still for a strong dollar."
President Bush on the economic "slowdown." Good to know the President supports a strong currency. Go back about your business, Americans; nothing to see here.

"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."
A quote that is this clueless on so many levels is a rare feat, Geraldine Ferraro. Ferraro was "forced" to resign from the Clinton campaign yesterday.

"She is a monster, too -- that is off the record -- she is stooping to anything."
Former Barack Obama adviser Samantha Power on Hillary Clinton; Powers resigned from the campaign last Friday.

"I just don't want to be thought of as a monster."
Ashley Alexander Dupre, aka Kristen, nee Ashley Youmans: one-time "escort" to a now ex-governor. Hey, you had sex with Eliot Spitzer. To paraphrase another disgraced pol, "We feel your pain."

"I cannot allow my private failings to disrupt the people's work."
Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer in his resignation speech yesterday. And somewhere in Washington, Larry Craig and David Vitter are smiling, still "serving" the people.














"In their investigation of the Eliot Spitzer scandal, law enforcement officials found that the Emperors Club escort service called Spitzer by the code name 'Client 9,' but according to escorts who slept with him, he's more of a 'Client 4 1/2' if you know what I'm saying!"
David Letterman in his all-Spitzer Top 10 List Wednesday night.

"They have another custom, very shameful and beyond all human belief. For their women, being very lustful, cause the private parts of their husbands to swell up to such a huge size that they appear deformed and disgusting, and this is accomplished by a certain device of theirs, the biting of certain poisonous animals. And in consequence of this many lose their organs, which break through lack of attention, and they remain eunuchs."
Amerigo Vespucci, overheard in Old Europe discussing an early form of Viagra in the Americas.

"No one except a fool writes for anything except money."
Samuel Johnson, fast becoming my go-to quote guy among 18th century lexicographers.

The Slits live at Mercury Lounge in New York City

Frequent Mutilation

YOU MISSED A rocking little punky-reggae party the other night at the Mercury Lounge. Punk legends The Slits, reformed and reconstituted, but featuring two count 'em two of the three original members from '79's Cut, gave about 200 fans jammed into the Lounge quite a show for the $10 ticket price. Only thing missing was their terrific take on Heard it Through the Grapevine. Typical Girls came out early, around the 4th song; I would've made that the encore, but then I'm not making out their set list, am I. Out of nowhere came their cover of Fade Away, that haunting song from the great Rockers soundtrack by Junior Byles. That last bit of info supplied by none other than lead Slit Ari Up after the show, when me and Steve asked her about not playing Grapevine and other pressing matters.

Oh did I mention the keyboard player in the Slits' new lineup that night? If I didn't, it's not for the lack of an impression she made on me and every member of at least the male portion of the audience that night. Turns out she's the 22-year-old daughter of ex-Sex Pistols' drummer Paul Cook!

The new songs stood up pretty well against the old ones we knew, and those old ones really hold up all these years later. I didn't think it would sell out even in such a small venue, but that was just stupid on our part, because we spent the better part of an hour outside in the cold trying to score tickets. Finally we did, and the band didn't come on until well after 11:00. But we stuck it out, caught the whole set, then lingered at the bar until we got the old Last Call! I paid for this bit of midweek revelry the next day courtesy of a sharply reduced sleep cycle: home at 3:00 am, back up at 7:00 for work, just like the old punk days, keeping up the spirit in some small way...