Sixers' Brown prepares for another postseason jouney
Posted: Monday April 15, 2002 4:09 PM
SI's Marty Burns surveys the NBA landscape every week with his Roundball Roundup. Check back during the week for Marty's columns, power rankings and NBA mailbag. To send a question to Marty's mailbag, click here.
Larry Brown has his bags packed again. No, the itinerant Sixers coach isn't planning to bolt Philly any time soon, at least not in the next six weeks. Brown, rather, is getting his tattered passport ready for another long journey through the NBA playoffs.
"This is about as satisfying a win as I've ever had," Brown said Sunday, after his Sixers overcame the absences of Allen Iverson, Derrick Coleman and Aaron McKie to pull out a huge 95-89 win at Orlando. "When you play as a team, it's incredible what you're capable of doing."
After a long season of injuries and apparent boredom, the Sixers are finally beginning to show the stifling half-court defense and clutch shot-making that defined their run to the Finals a year ago. Even without Iverson, they have now won two straight, four of five, and eight of 10 on the road. More important, they've caught Orlando for the No. 4 spot (and home-court advantage in the first round) in the East.
Home-court is much more important to the Magic (just 16-24 on the road) than the Sixers (20-19). But even if the Sixers don't get it, they should be favorites against a reeling Orlando squad that has lost three in a row. Keep in mind, Iverson could be back as early as Wednesday's regular-season finale at Indiana.
The Sixers have been up and down all year, but only a fool would count them out. Soon they will have their full complement of players healthy, and their playoff experience of a year ago will come into play. If they can get past the Magic, it's not hard to envision them giving the inexperienced Nets (and then perhaps the Pistons?) a grueling series. Brown, suitcase in hand, is counting on it.
Mavs continue to vex Kings
OK, so maybe the game didn't really mean anything to the Kings. Still, the Mavericks' impressive 113-100 victory Sunday at Sacramento has to give Dallas confidence going into the playoffs. Despite playing without Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavs not only snapped the Kings' 11-game win streak, but they also took the season series 3-1, including both games at Arco Arena. More important, Steve Nash (21 points, 13 assists, one turnover) continued to get wherever he wanted on the court against the Kings' perimeter defense. Dallas attacked the Kings with high pick-and-rolls all game, luring Chris Webber outside, and wound up with five players scoring in double figures.
Chaney looking ahead to NYC
Forget those rumors that his recent contract extension was strictly for show -- Knicks coach Don Chaney says he will be back next year. Chaney says he plans to hit the video room hard as soon as the season ends, trying to design ways to make the Knicks a more up-tempo squad. While he admits the team probably can't make major changes, he hopes it can add one decent free agent with the $4.5 million exception. Another priority must be to get Latrell Sprewell, who was suspended for Sunday's game after missing the morning shootaround, back on track after a subpar season that saw him shoot just 40.3 percent from the floor.
The eyes have it
Optically speaking, it was a tough week for veteran swingmen. Denver's George McCloud had surgery on his right eye Saturday after suffering a corneal abrasion from a Danny Fortson backhand while chasing a loose ball in their game last week. An angry McCloud refused to believe the incident was an accident. "I should have punched him in the mouth and said it was an accident," McCloud told the Denver Post. Meanwhile, Philly's McKie missed Sunday's game in Orlando with a scratched cornea after being poked in the eye during last Wednesday's loss in Washington. He is listed as questionable for Monday's game against the Bulls.
An opposing team's scout gives his take on the Bucks' Enron-like collapse this season from Eastern Conference title favorite to bubble contender.
"First, the addition of Anthony Mason has really slowed their offense. They used to move the ball very quickly and had three guys on the perimeter who could knock down open shots. I know in our case we had trouble guarding that many guys on the outside. Now it slows down. Before if they threw it in to Scott Williams or whomever, he would either shoot or kick it right back. But Mason a lot of times holds the ball, backs it in, slows it to a standstill. It has disrupted their flow, in my opinion.
"The second factor is I think they miss Lindsey Hunter. When they took out Ray Allen or Glenn Robinson, they could put Hunter in the game and still have three or four guys who could score from the perimeter. I think they miss that dimension off the bench. Overall, I'm shocked at their situation. I thought they would win the East."
This week's theme: Miscellaneous
1. Who holds the all-time record for most regular season games played (929) without appearing in a playoff game?
a. Pete Maravich
b. Tom Van Arsdale
c. Popeye Jones
2. Whose record will John Stockton tie this season by appearing in the playoffs for the 18th season?
a. Robert Parish
b. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
c. Karl Malone
3, Which team holds the record for most consecutive appearances (22) in the playoffs?
a. Philadelphia 76ers
b. Boston Celtics
c. Portland Trail Blazers
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