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**RoyWilliams** · 03-03-2004, 11:29 PM

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76ers are in a battle royal

They're one of six teams trying to squeeze into three playoff spots. They meet another tonight.

By Joe Juliano

Inquirer Staff Writer

You don't need an advanced mathematics degree to determine that the 76ers need to win and win again in the season's final 22 games to reach the NBA playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.

But the games they really need to win are games such as tonight's at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks, one in a scrum of six teams that are battling for the final three of the eight playoff berths in the Eastern Conference.

Only 11/2 games separate the Knicks, who had a precarious hold on the No. 6 seeding going into last night, and the Sixers, who are in 11th place in the East with a 24-36 record. The Cleveland Cavaliers also are 24-36 but hold the tiebreaker edge, thanks to a 3-0 record in their season series against the Sixers.

ucdawg12 · 03-04-2004, 03:42 PM

do the rest of you want to make the playoffs though? if they get in I highly doubt they win the east and if they cant do that I'd rather just tank and get a good pick. A nonlotto or even a high lotto resulting in trying to win would just delay the enivitable and waste another year of AI's career. This team is too old and has very few young prospects, the only one showing any significant and constant progress and hope(I want Salmons to be a player and think he can, as for Willie and Kyle, well I just dont see it in kyle, for being a 3pt specialist I have seen him miss way too many, Willie I will need to see more of.) If we could get another exciting young player in the draft then I'd be happy but we wont get one if we make the playoffs or attempt to and get a high lotto.

**RoyWilliams** · 03-04-2004, 11:06 PM

Im a little undecided, sometime i get my hopes up and think somehow this team could make a run.

Other times i just want to get a high lotto pick.

Bruno · 03-05-2004, 07:24 AM

In my opnion the draft only hes good if we can get Okafur or trade players in the draft for others players in tha league ,

**Kunlun** · 03-06-2004, 04:21 AM

Right now I really do NOT want to make the playoffs. Why make the playoffs when all that will happen is losing to the Pacers in the first round? We could end up with a nice lottery pick, we even have a chance to get the #1 pick although that is highly unlikely. But, any player 5-10 would be nice for the team, we need a big man that can score and rebound or a two guard that can play a big of the point.

ucdawg12 · 03-06-2004, 07:08 AM

getting a #1 isnt necessarily out of the question for Philly since we are a large market team and the NBA favors money over fair competition, I mean look at Cleveland magically getting their hometown Lebron last year to create excitement and revenue(it has), Houston had one of the highest population of Asians(Chinese Government wanted this) compared to most lotto teams except Golden State, but they knew better then to throw him into a team no one cares about, MJ comes back and oh he gets the #1 pick! I mean it hasnt been discreet lately and hopefully the trend continues for our sake. Man Ivey, Okafor and Sammy D, the lane would be closed completely and Ivey would be able gamble even more then he does now for steals.

**BEEZ** · 03-07-2004, 10:56 AM

If I were the Sixers I wold definitley NOT want to make the playoffs. I would honest if the #1 pick fell into our lap I would try to trade the pick to Washington and or the Bulls for Kwame Brown and or Eddy Curry plus whatever pick both teams have in the draft. We would get better in a hurry

jsa · 03-08-2004, 11:23 AM

UCDAWG- The lottery is not fixed. Not for moral reasons, but sheer econonics. If they got caught, a billion dollar industry would suffer beyond belief. It is a bad risk /benefit ratio, that is all.

The players should always try to win, and do.Talent , injury and psychology and emotion do impede optimum performance in many many cases, but it is not intentional.

If healthy, they have more talent than the bottom group of playoff contenders in the East.But they are bejind now, and injured. It will be tough.

**thaKEAF** · 03-08-2004, 02:50 PM

If you're a team that actually could win it all, of course you should go.

If you're a young team that barely gets in, you should go becaue it'll help motivate.

I'm a big Sixers fan but their neither of those, they're old and only have a few prospects. I say sit this season out, let AI rest and focus on making some moves in the offseason and drafting a good young player.

**RoyWilliams** · 03-08-2004, 03:03 PM

Im for tanking now. Lets move up the lotto charts.

ucdawg12 · 03-09-2004, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by <b>jsa</b>!
UCDAWG- The lottery is not fixed. Not for moral reasons, but sheer econonics. If they got caught, a billion dollar industry would suffer beyond belief. It is a bad risk /benefit ratio, that is all.

How would they get caught? How do we even know if there are ping pong balls back there? I mean how would someone know I mean just by the examples that I gave I just dont know if I can believe that the lottery is always %100 clean and straight. If it was why dont they just do it for the public to see rather than doing it in a back room? What exactly is the point in doing it in the back room anyway?

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