The Philadelphia 76ers have been defined by their defense all season. Even when Sixers fans like myself complained about the offense, we were still relieved that the defense would usually keep Philadelphia in most games. However, there are still bound to be one or two off nights – and such a performance came on Mar. 14 in Indiana.

The Sixers could have needed a win over the Indiana Pacers before two straight games with the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls. Instead, the Pacers torched them unlike almost every other opponent in the NBA, as they scorched their way to a 111-94 victory.

In high scoring battles, Philadelphia is normally at a disadvantage. But the Sixers kept pace for the first half, even though the Pacers scored 30 points in the second quarter to take a 54-51 halftime lead. However, since it isn’t Philadelphia’s specialty to score 100-110 points, it couldn’t keep up the pace in the second half – but Indiana could.

It helped that the Pacers barely missed a shot, as they racked up an unheard of 56.6 percent shooting against the Sixers. Philadelphia wasn’t exactly cold itself, as it shot over 52.5 percent and Evan Turner continued his resurgence with a 21 point, 9-for-11 night. Normally that is more than enough for the Sixers to win, but all it did was get them beaten by 17 points instead.

If the Sixers were to give up this much against the Heat and the Bulls, it wouldn’t be that much of a surprise, given their firepower. Yet being steamrolled by the Pacers is a more ominous sign, especially with this coming weekend ahead. Considering how Indiana was on fire against the stout Philadelphia defense, how much better can Miami and Chicago do – especially since they have had their way with the Sixers already this year?

The team was probably bound to have an off night, after winning three straight games and facing a much tougher schedule this week. It technically wasn’t that much of an off night, since the offense did come to play. But the Sixers just happened to forget how to defend, which is an odd thing to forget considering how it is their bread and butter.

However, their other bread and butter is winning games over inferior opponents – and none of them are facing Philadelphia for a while. Although the Sixers reestablished control of the Atlantic Division by handling three straight non-elite teams, they have to hope another reality check isn’t on the way. The Pacers handed them an early bill, and unless the Sixers want the Heat and Bulls to cash in on them yet again, they will remember how to stop a shot or two.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have used a three-game winning streak to take back command of the Atlantic Division. While Sixers fans are relieved that they still have that much, it once again raises the question of how much more they can do. Yet when the Sixers have had chances to prove they can do more than win the NBA’s worst division, it often hasn’t gone well.

The latest chance to turn that around comes in the next four days with three big tests. Philadelphia will have a back-to-back stretch against both the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls on Mar. 16 and Mar. 17, which could be very promising or very ugly. But first, the Sixers have to get ready by visiting the Indiana Pacers on Mar. 14.

The Sixers certainly can’t look past the Pacers before facing the Heat and Bulls, since Indiana is another highly ranked Eastern team. In fact, this might actually be a first round preview, as Philadelphia and Indiana are tied for the fourth-best record in the East. But as long as the Sixers lead the Atlantic Division, they would have home court in the first round even if the Pacers have a better record.

However, since Philadelphia hasn’t done that well against winning teams lately, it doesn’t speak well to its playoff chances. Yet one of the first Sixers statement wins of the season came against the Pacers on Jan. 9. The two up-and-coming teams were just starting out back then, but the Sixers got a step ahead by beating the Pacers for their fifth straight win at the time – and their first against a plus .500 club.

Two months later, Philadelphia and Indiana are both safely over .500 and are still lurking behind the Eastern elite. But the Pacers are in the same division as the Bulls, so things are a little tougher for them. With no hope for winning the Central Division and with the Orlando Magic pulling ahead as the second best second place team, the Pacers are actually hoping to face the Sixers in round one so they don’t get the Magic, Heat or Bulls.

Of course, facing the Sixers shouldn’t be that much of a better alternative – or so Philadelphia fans hope. For now, we hope that the Sixers can show the Pacers how tough a first round opponent they can really be. If they do, maybe they can move on to show the Heat and Bulls that they are tougher than they remember as well.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan.

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PHILADELPHIA — Evan Turner made certain his name will be inked into the starting lineup.

Turner scored a career-best 26 points, helping the Philadelphia 76ers rout the Boston Celtics 103-71 on Wednesday night to maintain their lead in the Atlantic Division.

Before tip-off, Turner denied a radio report that a mystery problem was causing his inconsistent play. Then Turner went out and proved he’s just fine. He shot 11-of-19 and grabbed nine rebounds.

“I’m just trying to build off this and enjoy the moment,” Turner said. “I’m not saying ‘I told you so.’”

So far, Turner hasn’t played like a guy worthy of the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 draft. He started just 14 games last year and only moved into the lineup two nights ago.

But Sixers coach Doug Collins said Turner will be out there for the long haul. He was reluctant to make a change after Philadelphia’s strong finish last year and hot start this season. After the Sixers lost seven of nine, Collins finally inserted Turner and sent Jodie Meeks to the bench.

“Evan is a great leader,” Collins said. “He worked his tail off to be a better basketball player in the offseason and he was when he came back. When he didn’t start, I know a part of him said ‘I should be.’ But he didn’t say anything. Evan has extreme confidence. He thinks he’s the best player on this team.”

Six Sixers scored in double figures, including Elton Brand (18), Lou Williams (15) and Nik Vucevic (14). Vucevic’s 12 rebounds were a high for the rookie. Andre Iguodala had 10 points, eight assists and seven boards.

The Sixers, a surprise contender a month ago, had lost eight of 10 to drop their lead in the division to one game over Boston, which had won five in a row.

But the Celtics were no match for Philadelphia in this one.

Paul Pierce had 16 points and Brandon Bass added 12. Rajon Rondo had just five points and Ray Allen only two.

“We just didn’t have it,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “We missed shot after shot and nothing was working. But give them credit. They were organized and they played really well. They’re a good team and we just didn’t fight through it.”

Coming off an overtime win at home over Houston on Tuesday night, the Celtics clearly were sluggish in their 11th back-to-back game of the season.

The Sixers, helped by Turner’s 10 points, led 33-17 after one quarter. Turner’s best play, though, was an alley-oop pass to Iguodala, who thrilled the crowd with a thunderous dunk.

Collins said Turner is a true point guard and called him the team’s best rebounder. Jrue Holiday has been the starting point guard, but Collins wants to see Turner and Holiday in the backcourt together and share the ball along with Iguodala.

“Evan needs the ball. He’s a totally different player when he has the ball,” Collins said. “I have to find the right fit. I have to see how those guys play together over an extended period. They are our future.”

Turner hit a jumper to cap a 14-0 run in the second quarter that gave the Sixers their biggest lead to that point, 49-21. Williams started it off with a 3-pointer and Holiday swished a 3 during the stretch.

Turner slammed one in off a pass from Iguodala in the third. Minutes later, he made a driving layup, got fouled, high-fived a fan and then sank a free throw to complete a 3-point play.

He nailed a 3 to reach 26 points, surpassing his previous high of 23 during his rookie year. Turner entered the game averaging 7.7 points per game. He shot just 1 for 12 in a 97-93 loss at Milwaukee on Monday.

“I didn’t worry about anything,” Turner said, adding that it helped when Collins told him he’s going to keep starting him. “You have to understand that as a pro you’re going to have good nights and bad nights.”

The Sixers haven’t had much success against the better teams in the league. A convincing win over Boston should boost their confidence heading into the next five-game stretch. After playing Utah and New York, they’ll face Indiana, Miami and Chicago.

“We had some tired legs and Philly took advantage,” Pierce said. “I feel like we can always win a game. I do. I always feel like we have enough to come back. But we just didn’t have it tonight.”

Game notes:

Former Sixers president Pat Croce received a rousing ovation when he was introduced at half court before the game. Croce once was an athletic trainer for the Sixers and Flyers who rose to part-owner and drafted Allen Iverson with the No. 1 pick in the 1996 draft. … Celtics are 5-6 in second game of back-to-backs. … Boston C Jermaine O’Neal sat out because of a sprained left wrist. … Sixers F Thaddeus Young didn’t play because he has an upper respiratory tract infection. … Philadelphia has 19 double-digit wins, and its 11 victories by 20-plus points are the most in the NBA. … The Celtics were 0 for 8 from 3-point range. The last time they didn’t make a 3 was at Orlando on Jan. 22, 2009.

PHILADELPHIA — Evan Turner scored a career-best 26 points, helping the Philadelphia 76ers rout the Boston Celtics 103-71 Wednesday night to maintain their lead in the Atlantic Division.

Before tip-off, Turner denied a radio report that a mystery problem was causing his inconsistent play. Then Turner went out and proved he’s just fine. He shot 11 of 19 and grabbed nine rebounds.

Six Sixers scored in double figures, including Elton Brand (18), Lou Williams (15) and Nik Vucevic (14). Vucevic’s 12 rebounds were a high for the rookie. Andre Iguodala had 10 points, eight assists and seven boards.

The Sixers, a surprise contender a month ago, had lost eight of 10 to drop their lead in the division to one game over Boston, which had won five in a row.

But the Celtics were no match for Philadelphia in this one.

Paul Pierce had 16 points and Brandon Bass added 12. Rajon Rondo had just 5 and Ray Allen 2.

Coming off an overtime win at home over Houston on Tuesday night, the Celtics clearly were sluggish in their 11th back-to-back game of the season.

The Sixers, helped by Turner’s 10 points, led 33-17 after one quarter. Turner’s best play, though, was an alley-oop pass to Iguodala, who thrilled the crowd with a thunderous dunk.

Turner hit a jumper to cap a 14-0 run in the second quarter that gave the Sixers their biggest lead to that point, 49-21. Williams started it off with a 3-pointer and Jrue Holiday swished a 3 during the stretch.

Turner slammed one in off a pass from Iguodala in the third. Minutes later, he made a driving layup, got fouled, high-fived a fan and then sank a free throw to complete a 3-point play.

He nailed a 3 to reach 26 points, surpassing his previous high of 23 during his rookie year. So far, Turner hasn’t played like a guy worthy of the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 draft. He started just 14 games last year and only moved into the starting lineup two nights ago.

Turner entered the game averaging 7.7 points per game. He shot just 1 for 12 in a 97-93 loss at Milwaukee on Monday.

The Sixers haven’t had much success against the better teams in the league. A convincing win over Boston should boost their confidence heading into the next five-game stretch. After playing Utah and New York, they’ll face Indiana, Miami and Chicago.

Notes: Former Sixers president Pat Croce received a rousing ovation when he was introduced at half court before the game. Croce once was an athletic trainer for the Sixers and Flyers who rose to part-owner and drafted Allen Iverson with the No. 1 pick in the 1996 draft. … Celtics are 5-6 in second game of back-to-backs. … Boston C Jermaine O’Neal sat out because of a sprained left wrist. … Sixers F Thaddeus Young didn’t play because he has an upper respiratory tract infection. … Philadelphia has 19 double-digit wins, and its 11 victories by 20-plus points are the most in the NBA. … The Celtics were 0 for 8 from 3-point range.

It feels strange that we are in March and the Philadelphia 76ers have yet to face the Boston Celtics. That will change on Wednesday, March 7 when the Celtics visit the Wells Fargo Center. This is a huge game for the 76ers. The Celtics have won five straight games and are just one game behind the 76ers for the division lead. The 76ers are going the opposite direction. They have lost eight of their last 10 games and have failed to close late. If they are going to turn things around this game is the best place to do it. A win here would restore faith in the 76ers as the best team in the division.

This used to be one of the best rivalries in the NBA. I grew up watching many great games between the 76ers and Celtics. Unfortunately, the 2000s saw both teams struggle and the rivalry faded quite a bit. It started making a comeback last season and the future looks positive. The first battle between these two teams this season has a lot on the line. The 76ers have been in first place all season while the Celtics were showing signs of age. But everyone knew Boston would get on track at some point. They are doing that now. The pressure is on Philadelphia to regain their confidence and push forward.

For the 76ers to win this game they will need to figure out how to play an entire game. The recent trend for this team has been to start fast and fade down the stretch. Recently, good teams have come into Philadelphia and dominated the 76ers in the second half. If the 76ers are going to be a contender they have to stop letting that happen. They will have to maintain defensive pressure throughout the game. Of course, they will need to shoot the ball as well. They haven’t done a good job of that in recent games.

Assuming Evan Turner gets his second straight start, the game could come down to him. He was awful in the last game but we know he is a better player than that. This is a critical time for Turner. He is being given the chance to lead this team and he needs to start delivering. If he has a strong effort and helps the 76ers win this game, fans will start believing that he is the guy. I am optimistic that Turner can play well and help the 76ers strike first against Boston.

* – Mark Paul is a Philadelphia resident and lifelong 76ers fan.

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PHILADELPHIA — One month ago, the Philadelphia 76ers were one of the early-season success stories in the NBA.

The Sixers were 11 games over .500 on Feb. 13 and had started to distance themselves in the Atlantic Division. Returning the same roster from last season — when the Sixers pushed the Miami Heat to five games in the playoffs — confidence was soaring and so was the win total.

The Sixers are now in a big-time slump and are losing their grip on the division lead. The Sixers lost five straight games at the end of last month and have lost three of four entering Wednesday’s game against Boston. The Celtics, and Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks have improved over that span, and suddenly the division is up for grabs.

The Sixers’ inability to find a go-to scorer down the stretch has cost them. Each of their last four losses have come by six or less points.

PHILADELPHIA — For the fourth straight game, the Chicago Bulls will be at full strength Sunday night when they seek revenge against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Philadelphia scored 29 points off 17 Bulls’ turnovers in a 16-point home victory on Feb. 1. The Bulls played that night without Richard Hamilton and Luol Deng. Derrick Rose skipped the morning shootaround due to illness and sat out the fourth quarter.

“Those were all factors,” 76ers coach Doug Collins said Sunday morning following shootaround. “This is a very proud team. They defend very well. Tommy Thibodeau has done a wonderful job with that team. They rebound. They shoot the 3-pointer well. They have all the elements of a championship team.”

Collins coached Hamilton in Washington and heaped praise on the veteran shooting guard, whom the Bulls have brought back slowly from groin and thigh issues. Hamilton, from nearby Coatesville, Pa., said always enjoys playing in Philadelphia.

“He probably uses and reads screens as well as anyone in the NBA,” Collins said of Hamilton. “You can post him up a little. We’re expecting him to probably try to post up against Jodie Meeks to start the game. But where Rip has really improved through his championship days in Detroit is when he comes off those screens, he has become a much better passer. If that big guy helps up, he does a better job of finding that big guy rolling to the basket.”

Collins said creating defensive havoc, forcing deflections and limiting the Bulls’ shooting percentage is critical to success. The Bulls are focused on limiting turnovers.

“They’re athletic and quick,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “If you turn the ball over, you put them in the open floor and that’s really where they do their damage.

“What’s different about them is they have a number of guys who can go off the dribble. (Andre) Iguodala can handle the ball, (Jrue) Holiday handles it. Lou Williams comes in and is a great pick-and-roll player. (Evan) Turner can handle the ball. And Thaddeus Young is a matchup problem because of his quickness at the four.”

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Mar 4, 2012 – Two of the Eastern Conference’s best teams, the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers, battle each other on Sunday. Chicago will be looking to end a four-game losing streak against Philadelphia, which defeated the Bulls on Feb. 1 at Wells Fargo Arena, 98-82. The Bulls were short-handed in the first match-up of the season, missing Luol Deng to a sprained left wrist. The Sixers forced 17 turnovers in the win.

The Sixers are trying to get on their first winning streak of two or more games in quite a while. Philadelphia (22-15) is the loser of six of its last eight contests, while the Bulls (30-8) are winners of 12 of their last 14.

Derrick Rose certainly hasn’t forgotten about the loss to the Sixers just over a month ago, and told ESPNChicago.com that the Bulls have to come better prepared against this emerging Philadelphia team.

“They’re a good team,” Rose said of the Sixers. “I think we’re kind of mad with the way that they smacked us last time at their place. It’s definitely going to be a fun game.”

Game time/date: 6:00 p.m. CT, Sunday, March 4, 2012

Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

TV: ESPN

For more information on the Chicago Bulls, check out SB Nation’s Blog a Bull, or the SB Nation NBA hub page.

Read More: Luol Deng (F – CHI), Derrick Rose (G – CHI), Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers

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The Philadelphia 76ers have been trying to get to the level of the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls. Unfortunately, Sixers fans like myself know quite well that the Heat have had their way with us twice this season. However, the slightly better Bulls had less luck against the Sixers a month ago, and now Philadelphia hopes history will repeat itself on Mar. 4.

When Chicago visited the Wells Fargo Center on Feb. 1, it was at the start of Philadelphia’s big seven-game stretch against winning teams. Then when the Sixers throttled the Bulls by 98-82, it was the crowning achievement of the season and seemed to prove that this team was for real. Yet the Heat deflated those dreams two nights later and things haven’t really been the same since.

Thumping the Bulls remains the highlight of the year – and it is getting more problematic that this win hasn’t been topped yet. Since Feb. 1, Philadelphia has been steadily cooling off and now needs to get hot again fairly quickly. Defeating Chicago at home for a second time on Mar. 4 would certainly be a step in the right direction.

A month after their last meeting, the Bulls haven’t cooled off as much as the Sixers have. In fact, although the Heat have all the buzz as an Eastern Conference and NBA Finals favorite, the Bulls now have a better record than Miami again. At 30-8, Chicago rolls in with a five-game winning streak and the best record in the entire NBA.

Losing twice to Miami has proven that Philadelphia is not on the level of the elite – and so have several losses to the likes of the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks. But if the Sixers can go 2-0 over the Bulls, it would be a very valuable feather in their cap. Not to mention it would give us fans more reasons to prefer Chicago over Miami as a playoff opponent.

To face either the Bulls or Heat in the playoffs, however, the Sixers need to at least win one round first. The Philadelphia team that manhandled Chicago a month ago looked more than capable of that goal. But ever since this watershed victory, that version of the Sixers has only reappeared once in a while.

Philadelphia started the month of February on the highest note possible, before struggling badly over the next 28 days. Likewise, beating Chicago to start March might not carry over for the rest of this month too. But there’s no reason for the Sixers not to beat the Bulls and try to find out anyway.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan.

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The Philadelphia 76ers have lost five straight games but they are still one of the big stories of the first half of the NBA season. The 76ers are 20-14 and sit atop the Atlantic Division. While the team gets some much needed rest it is a pretty good time to think about the highlights of the first half of the season. The 76ers had some impressive wins in the first half of the season. As a fan here is a look at the wins that have impressed me the most.

February 1 – 76ers 98, Chicago Bulls 82

This was the best win of the season for the 76ers. The Bulls had the best record in the conference last season and look like a title contender again this season. But Philadelphia proved that they belong among the better teams in the NBA with an impressive win from start to finish. They neutralized Derrick Rose and held Chicago to 43 percent shooting. The 76ers shot 48 percent and had five players in double figures. Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young led the team with 19 points each.

February 4 – 76ers 98, Atlanta Hawks 87

This was the second win of the season over the Hawks and might be the biggest road win for Philadelphia. A huge second quarter carried the day for the 76ers. They outscored Atlanta 37-20 in the second quarter to mount a 16 point lead at the break. The 76ers kept the ball rolling the rest of the game and ended up with a solid win. Six players were in double figures for Philadelphia.

February 6 – 76ers 95, Los Angeles Lakers 90

The Lakers aren’t as strong as they have been but this is still a huge win. The 76ers contained Kobe Bryant. Despite scoring 28 points, Bryant made just 10 of his 26 field goal attempts. Meanwhile, Lou Williams tallied 24 points to lead the 76ers. The 76ers got the job done despite being outrebounded 55-30 in the game.

January 7 – 76ers 97, Toronto Raptors 62

This was the second home game of the season. It was the kind of game that had to impress any fan that watched it. Philadelphia dominated on both ends of the court, even after center Spencer Hawes was knocked out early with an injury. The 76ers held the Raptors to 28 points in the second half and piled on the offense. Philadelphia easily outshot the Raptors and proved that they would be a force in their first game against a division opponent.

* – Mark Paul is a Philadelphia 76ers fan. Follow him on Twitter here.

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The 2012 NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 26 was a big deal for Andre Iguodala. Philadelphia 76ers fans like myself had never seen Iguodala in an All-Star Game before, especially since its sometimes hard to think he’s worthy of such an honor. But after a five-game losing streak to end the season’s first half, he and the Sixers needed something to brag about in Orlando.

As a reserve, Iguodala didn’t play a huge factor in the event, as the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade were in charge. The Sixers’ sole representative only had 14 minutes of action, yet he was more efficient than he has been in most regular season games.

Of course, the NBA All-Star Game isn’t an occasion for poor offense or any defense in general. As such, Iguodala was involved in his first and probably only shootout of the season, as he finished shooting six-for-seven although the West held off the East by 152-149.

When actual defense is involved, the Sixers have had to rely on theirs while Iguodala and the other scorers have been thoroughly shut down. But for one night a Philadelphia player was on target, as Iguodala scored 12 points, took four rebounds and only turned the ball over once. It was a reminder that someone involved with the Sixers can score points every once in a while.

Because that isn’t being put into practice in games which count, the Sixers are losing a bit of their Atlantic Division lead. Iguodala may have scored 12 points in 14 minutes of the All-Star Game, but that is his regular season average as well – and that is more of a problem in real contests. Still, since the other Philadelphia players aren’t scoring as much either, the blame can’t be placed entirely on their leader.

Iguodala was one of six Eastern All-Stars in double figures, which is more of a familiar concept. When he was one of five or six Sixers in double figures, Philadelphia kept winning in the first month of the year. If it’s possible to get back to that, Iguodala can blend in with the others again and the Sixers can get back to coasting through the worst division in basketball.

For Iguodala’s brief efforts, the East still lost the All-Star Game and his personal losing streak was increased to six. Philadelphia needs him to be part of a winner again – and hopefully playing in a game with actual offense will help him bring some of it back to the Sixers.

Iguodala didn’t play like an All-Star in the last several days before the game, and Philadelphia didn’t play like a first-place team either. Yet if either of them remember who they are/were, then the rest may fall into place once more.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan.

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The Philadelphia 76ers are not considered a team stacked with All-Stars. As the 2012 NBA All-Star Game nears on Feb. 26, Sixers fans like myself are worrying more that the franchise doesn’t have a championship-level superstar like other contenders. The closest player to that which the Sixers have is Andre Igoudala, which was good enough until about a few weeks ago.

When Iguodala was selected as an All-Star reserve for the first time ever, he was the symbol of Philadelphia’s red-hot start as he finally arrived into the elite. But since his selection, both Iguodala and the Sixers have hit much harder times.

Not only are the Sixers limping into the All-Star Game on a five-game losing streak, Iguodala has barely done much of anything in the last few weeks. It has only confirmed that he was merely selected as an All-Star just to get someone from Philadelphia in there – even if he isn’t their MVP.

Lou Williams, Jrue Holiday and Thaddeus Young have usually done more to win games than Iguodala has. While Iguodala has been Philadelphia’s leader, Williams has been the leading scorer, followed by Holiday and Young. Meanwhile, Iguodala only has 12.4 points a game – but then again, the Sixers as a whole have not been good at scoring lately.

Williams couldn’t have been an All-Star because he doesn’t even start for Philadelphia, while Young is also a bench player and Holiday is still developing. But at the time the All-Star Game selections were made, the Sixers were blowing out the Atlantic Division and it would have looked weird for them to have no one selected. Since Iguodala was having one of his better starts and was the most recognizable Sixer, he was the most obvious choice and it was hard to argue with it.

Of course, it is easier to argue now that he and the Sixers have collectively gone ice cold. Hopefully, experiencing an All-Star Game for the first time will jumpstart Iguodala and help him jumpstart Philadelphia when the second half begins. Somebody needs to do it, or else the Sixers might lose that big early lead to the New York Knicks or Boston Celtics.

Since Iguodala is the only Sixer in the All-Star Game, the bulls-eye has to be on him although it is usually on Williams or Holiday. But if he is really one of the 12 best players in the Eastern Conference – and if Philadelphia really is among the conference’s best teams that aren’t the Miami Heat or Chicago Bulls – it is time they acted like it again.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan.

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The Philadelphia 76ers head into NBA All-Star weekend during rough times, having lost five games in a row. The struggling Sixers seem to have gone from possible Eastern Conference contenders into pretenders in just a few weeks time. However, Sixers fans like myself knew that the first sign of that came against the Miami Heat before their losing streak started – and our closest Atlantic Division competition can now relate.

Philadelphia and the New York Knicks are in first and second place in the Atlantic, yet few will confuse them with being real championship threats. It isn’t just because they have the worst records of any first and second place team, but because they tested themselves against the very best – in this case the Heat – and were found lacking.

The Sixers already tested themselves against the Heat in last year’s playoffs and went down in five games, although most of the battles were close. But this presumably better Philadelphia club took a few steps backwards against Miami this year, in two rather decisive losses.

The first came on Jan. 21 in Miami, as Philadelphia was blown out in the second half en route to a 113-92 loss. It temporarily halted the Sixers’ early momentum, yet they recovered to win a few games against tough opponents. By the time the Heat visited Wells Fargo Center on Feb. 3, we thought a victory would announce the Sixers as true contenders.

But when Miami popped Philadelphia’s bubble again in a 99-79 triumph, it was the beginning of hard times ahead. The Sixers have gone only 4-7 since then, although those results have been skewed by that current five-game losing streak. However, despite wins over the Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks, the Sixers just cannot be considered for real with those two poor losses to the best team in basketball.

The Knicks just learned that exact lesson the hard way on Feb. 23, as the Heat finally gave a reality check to ‘Linsanity.’ Despite a 17-17 record going into Miami, New York would have announced itself as a true contender – or at least a threat to overtake Philadelphia – with an upset victory. But just like the Sixers did, the Knicks and Jeremy Lin hit a brick wall when facing the Heat and fell to a 102-88 loss.

The Sixers and Knicks have each had stretches where they looked like a potential elite team. They have also had horrific stretches as well, although New York’s came in the first 23 games of the season while Philadelphia’s has come in the last five. But every time we think that these two teams can be elite, there will always be their losses to Miami to show us otherwise.

Both clubs could always beat the Heat in the second half of the year and finally prove themselves that way. However, after the way the Sixers and Knicks lost to LeBron James and company in the first half, it may take a lot more than that.

For the next several years, the only way for an Eastern Conference team to challenge for the title may be to go through Miami. And given what we have seen so far, it may just take several years for the Sixers and Knicks to meet that task, no matter what they do against everyone else. That is the harshest lesson that these two are carrying into the All-Star break right now.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan.

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The Philadelphia 76ers will finally get some rest. It couldn’t have come at a better time. The 76ers enter the All-Star break having lost five straight games. All five of those games took place over the course of eight days. It seemed clear that the packed schedule was taking its toll on a team that was leaning on several rookies as they try and get healthy. With six days off, the 76ers should get recharged and be ready to take the court again. As a fan I’m hopeful that Doug Collins and the team make the most of this little break.

In many ways, the condensed NBA schedule works to the advantage of the 76ers. They have a lot of young players and tremendous depth. That enables more players to rest and keeps the team fresh. However, there are also some disadvantages. The lack of an offseason and a regular practice schedule is not good for the rookies. LaVoy Allen and Nikola Vucevic have been thrust into big roles because of injuries. Both have been impressive for the most part but they have shown signs of fatigue in the recent stretch of games.

Doug Collins acknowledged that the schedule has taken its toll on the young players. Both rookies played in Europe during the lockout so they have been more active than other players on their team. Even at a young age that kind of work wears on the body. When you consider that both are dealing with unexpected minutes it is easy to see why a break might help.

The break should also help the other players on the team. Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner will be participating in the All-Star festivities. Hopefully that can give both of them a boost. Turner really needs one as he has struggled lately. His shot has been off and his minutes have been reduced. He needs to bounce back in a big way. Hopefully his weekend in Orlando will help.

The 76ers can have a strong second half if things start going right. The break should help the young players get rest and the veteran players heal. It should also give Collins a chance to regroup and get the team on a normal practice schedule. The 76ers should be able to recapture the great chemistry they had early in the season.

* – Mark Paul is a Philadelphia 76ers fan. Follow him on Twitter here.

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