Fadool: Don't abandon Sixers' ship just yet

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With the back-to-back losses to the Magic and the Mavericks, some Sixers fans, and you know who you are, were a bit nervous that the fun with this years team was starting to wane.

It took 27 games into the season before the Sixers lost back-to-back games. That was the deepest in the season they had gone without losing two in a row since they were defending NBA champs.

But after their second two-game losing streak, some were thinking, maybe its just not meant to be, and the hot start was just that ... a start.

But despite posting their first three-game losing streak after Sunday's loss in Minnesota, I still believe this Sixers team is for real.

Injuries have hurt certainly, but the rookies are stepping up nicely. Lavoy Allen and Nik Vucevic are pleasant surprises and have come in to help right away in place of the injured Spencer Hawes.

The Sixers have lost some tough games, including the one to the Timberwolves. I cant even begin to describe how the Sixers got hosed in that one, between the phantom foul, the running clock after said "foul" and then the Kevin Love walk on the same "foul." But I digress.

What Doug Collins' squad is showing me, even in most losses, is that they are a different team from last year and much different from two and three years ago. They are in these games, they are fighting and you have a complete, well-coached team. Nights when they dont win are usually cold shooting nights, and thats just something your shooters need to shoot out of.

The Sixers needed that win in Minnesota but didnt get it. But you saw Jrue Holiday break out of his slump in a big way, and save for a few calls, they win that one. Last years team may not have even been that close to go down to the last shot.

I think there are some growing pains, and Im not saying this team, in its current form, can go to the Eastern Conference Finals. But the excitement is there. I would like to see them make a move before the trade deadline. Another scorer would be ideal, since, defensively, the Sixers are solid.

I got an interesting e-mail from a viewer saying something about trading for Steve Nash. That wont happen. Nash has expressed strong desire to retire a Sun, plus his enviable loyalty says to me that he wouldnt abandon the Suns' ship just because they arent a playoff team.

But the idea of having a solid veteran who can handle the ball is attractive. Ill be watching to see what, if any, move they do make.

Stay tuned, and stay on board.

E-mail Amy Fadool at afadool@comcastsportsnet.com.

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