SIXERS NEWS

After consecutive tough losses the Sixers still came into tonight with a golden opportunity to move within a victory of clinching there first playoff spot in 3 years. All they had to do was head into New Jersey and knock off the floundering, now Kiddless Nets. Thus, it seemed a give in that the Sixers would get back on the winning track tonight, instead like most teams fighting for their playoff lives, the Nets refused to roll over and the Sixers had to come up with the goods yet again in the 4th quarter to pull out a win. Offensively, five Sixers scored in double figures(Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert, Willie Green, Andre Miller, Louis Williams) with Miller's 24 leading the way. Defensively, Sammy D led the way again, with 13 rebounds and 5 blocks as the Sixer's out rebounded the Nets narrowly 39-38, and pilfered them for 11 steals, mostly in the late going when it counted the most. In the first quarter of play, the Sixers squeaked out to a 3 point lead, with the score 35-32. In the second quarter of play the Nets turned the tables, and by the half it was all knotted up at 57. As the young guns began to come in the game, the Sixes began to wrest away control of it late in the third period of play, taking a 5 point lead with the score 78- 73, heading into the 4th. Finally in the 4th quarter the Sixers took control early and never let go eventually winning by a solid final margin of 9, with the final score 108-99. So the Sixers improve to 38-37 overall, but remain 7th in the Eastern conference now just a half a game out of 6th and 5th in the conference, and now just a win away from clinching a playoff spot.