SIXERS NEWS

The Sixers stayed hot tonight as they returned to the Wachovia center, where they have not lost since February 1, to welcome Kevin Durant and the Seattle Supersonics, winner's of just 6 road games thus far this season. They never had a chance. Seven, yes seven Sixers scored in double figures(Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala, Willie Green, Samuel Dalembert, Reggie Evans, Thaddeus Young, Jason Smith) with Slammin Sammy's 22 leading the way. On defense, it was also Slammin Sammy leading the way with 13 rebounds and a block, as the Sixers out rebounded Seattle 43-35, forced them into 20 turnovers, including 11 steals , and held them to just 48% shooting from the field. The Sixers meanwhile, shot over 50% from the field and beyond arc, and turned the ball over just 12 times, en route to a well, route. In the first quarter of play the Sixers jumped out to an 11 point lead, with the score 33-22. In the second quarter the Sonics, playing catch up cut into the Sixers lead, and by the half it was only 9, with the score 61-52. In the 3rd quarter of play, Seattle kept cutting into the lead, and at one point it was down to 5, before the Sixers finally powered away, to the point where by the 4th quarter of play the lead had ballooned up to 22, with the score 88-66. Finally, in the 4ht quarter of play the pounding continued even with the Sixers reserves in the game, and eventually they won going away by 34, with the final score 117-83. So the Sixers improve to 29-33 overall, and remain 3rd in the Altantic division and 7th in the Eastern conference, now a comfortable 3 games ahead of the Nets.