Sixers know they're close to tasting postseason

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Thursday, March 31, 2011
Posted: 7:53 p.m.

By Dei Lynam
CSNPhilly.com

It is always nice to control your own destiny, which is exactly the situation the Sixers find themselves in with regards to the postseason.

They could sweep the season series with the Nets on Friday night as well as solidify their season beyond April 13, which will be an awesome feeling that many of these players know, but not all.

It definitely will feel great to know that we have clinched the playoffs and know that we are finally in, Thaddeus Young said. We are only one year removed from the playoffs. We didnt go last year, but the previous two years we did so some us know what that feeling is like. Its just a matter of giving that to other guys who havent been there.

Spencer Hawes is in his fourth NBA season and this will be his first postseason experience. He is joined by Jrue Holiday, Jodie Meeks and Evan Turner as Sixers that lack playoff experience.

Hawes dreamt of being in the playoffs when he was a young kid growing up in Seattle.

When I was a kid, a lot of guys talk about dreaming of being in the NCAA tournament but I always watched the NBA playoffs, Hawes said. I would say, Man, thats where I want to be. That looks like what I want to be doing. My first few seasons it was tough not being able to experience that.

The Sixers clinching a playoff spot is only a matter of time, but Doug Collins postseason rotation is still a work in progress. One through seven is obvious with the starting five, plus Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young.

Still, Collins will likely need the reliable services of another wing player and big man. There is a good chance Andres Nocioni will get the perimeter nodas he did Wednesday nightover rookie Evan Turner.

It has nothing to do with how much talent he has, Collins said of Turner. It is more about how I am getting our pieces together right now. When Lou is going well with that second unit I am going to put the ball in his hands. And Jrue and Dre (Andre Iguodala) have it a lot with the first unit so it has been tough for Evan, simply because he is not that comfortable yet moving and playing without the ball.

Collins was able to get 13 solid minutes out of Nocioni against the Rockets. The veteran wing scored six points and grabbed three rebounds.

Tony Battie looked like he was going to be getting regular minutes as he did on the Sixers recent west coast swing, but a bout wit the flu has kept him sidelined the past two games. Marreese Speights is Collins other option, though over the last five games the fourth-year forward has played a total of 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, Iguodala, the most experienced playoff guy on this roster, zeroed in on what this team needs to concentrate on from now through its postseason run.

We talk mainly about possessions and how important they are throughout the course of a game, Iguodala said. Coach has been real adamant about turnovers and how important it is to keep them down in order to get wins and I think thats setting the tone for playoffs.

The Sixers commit 13 turnovers per game on average, fourth-fewest in the league.

Iguodala has also tried to stress to his inexperienced teammates how playing the same opponent for what could amount to seven games is very different than seeing a new opponent every other night.

When you see a team over and over and over, you know each others plays, he stressed. But now is the time you really want to peak and you dont have to make any major changes. You dont want any breakdowns where you have to go through drills to fix it.

That said, it would be nice to have the luxury of tinkering with concepts and lineups knowing the playoffs are a lock. Yet, two weeks remain before the Sixers will play the first of those most meaningful games.

Notes
Elton Brand was sick Wednesday and he did not attend practice.

E-mail Dei Lynam at dlynam@comcastsportsnet.com

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