It should be interesting to see who suits up tonight. By PHIL JASNER jasnerp@phillynews.com HOUSTON - Aaron McKie? Maybe. Allen Iverson? Who knows? Matt Geiger? Doubtful. But if the 76ers can't lead the NBA in anything else right now, why not a list of injuries? So add Matt Harpring, and mark him questionable. And throw in Derrick Coleman, who sprained his left ankle in practice yesterday, and then try and figure out exactly what coach Larry Brown might do for a lineup and substitution rotation tonight against the energized Houston Rockets. The search for answers is likely to continue to be rocky at the start of a three-game trip that continues Saturday night in Dallas and finishes Tuesday in Miami. A year ago, the Sixers opened 10-0 and 41-14, taking advantage of a huge window of opportunity that opened because the Eastern Conference was stripped of four top centers - Patrick Ewing, Rik Smits, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Alonzo Mourning - at the start of the season. It also didn't hurt that a rising Milwaukee team stumbled out of the gate with nine losses in its first 12 games. That open window has been replaced by what appears to be, at least for the moment, an impregnable barrier. The Sixers are 0-4, the only winless team in the conference, the first Sixers team to drop its first four since 1997-98. The good news is McKie (arthroscopic surgery, right shoulder) and Iverson (arthroscopic surgery, right elbow) practiced again. The bad news is, Harpring (sprained left ankle) and Geiger (fluid drained from his left knee Tuesday) sat out, and Coleman lasted the first hour of a workout that stretched more than two hours. The worse news is, the Rockets are 4-1 after Tuesday night's 99-93 victory over the Denver Nuggets. So here's the bruised and battered update: The availability of McKie and Coleman tonight will apparently involve game-time decisions. Iverson's situation seems less sure. Geiger's situation is as unsure as always. Harpring played through his injury in Tuesday night's 87-77 loss to the Indiana Pacers, and is likely to try to do the same thing against the Rockets. The even more pressing issue is the unacceptable way the Sixers approached the first four games. Brown, Iverson and Eric Snow (fractured left thumb) all addressed a lack of emotion and excitement after Tuesday night's game. "I was sick about it," Brown said. "Eric brought it up. He doesn't think we've outhustled any of our opponents. That's always been a characteristic of this team; we might not always play great and look great playing, but we've always given unbelievable effort. That has not happened [in] one game." Brown attributes that to "a lot of kids who are unsure of things, new guys trying to find themselves, [and] I don't think our confidence level is real high right now. I think, in their own minds, they're trying." Case in point is Speedy Claxton, starting at the point but - in Brown's demanding view - playing too much like a shooting guard. "Speedy's got to learn to be a true point," Brown said. "And he can. He's made unbelievable progress, but there's only one Allen. It's great for [Claxton] to have the ability to score, but if you're playing the point you have to get other people involved; you can't be the first or second option. "The ability to score is certainly a terrific asset for him, but the way our team is made up, he has to be a guy who distributes the ball and gets others involved.'' Remember, Brown's mantra is "Play the right way," whether the regulars are on the floor or the patchwork group of Claxton, Raja Bell and even the just-acquired Tim James are on the floor. "We're just shorthanded,'' Brown said. "I don't think it's them. . .consciously not trying. I just think there are a lot of other issues right now.''
Iverson definitely isn't playing tonight. I remember seeing the interview with Iverson during the 76ers/Wizards game on NBC last week, and he practiced for the first time that day and said his elbow wasn't ready, and the way it sounded he wouldn't be ready for at a week. I doubt if McKie will be back tonight.
Even all Sixers rosters are in the floor, I don't think they can beat us. In Philly last year, we killed them and game here last year that we lost was just one of those crappy play that the coaches called in. We can put Sixers away easilly.
If McKie and Iverson sits this one out I would like to see Griffin start at the 4 with Cato and Morris getting extended minutes. I think Cat And Franchise alone could beat Phili without those two.
Actually i was watching sportscenter and they said iverson might be ready for the rockets game. they said this tuesday while showing the sixers highlights. So i will still go to the game just in case.
Good !! With Iverson out, that makes them easier to beat. Take all the freebies you can get boys. We will need them in the upcomming stretch. DaDakota
WOW There is no one on the 76ers current roster that we played against last year . A.I , Snow and McKie are out . Mutumbo was traded , Bell wasnt signed , Claxton was injured and the rest got traded in the off season .
I don't have the link with me right now, but the AP report says that McKie will play, but Iverson will not.
