Sixers' best and worst of the week

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Winners and sinners from the Sixers week:

Best

Sixer: Thaddeus Young, with an asterisk. He rebounded from a tough stretcha stretch in which he was, he said, out of synch, not tiredto collect 49 points in three games last week, on 22-for-39 shooting. But in Fridays galling loss to the Nets he lost the ball as he was about to score the tying bucket with 1:47 left. Thad being Thad, he then dove for the ball before it trickled out of bounds, which only made matters worse. New Jersey gained possession and raced downcourt, setting up Gerald Greens 3-pointer. So instead of being tied, the Sixers were down five, en route to a 95-89 loss.

Game: The new starting lineup debuted to rave reviews Tuesday in New Jersey, as the Sixers ripped the Nets, 107-88. Five guys reached double figures, and one of themdeposed center Spencer Hawesgenerated a season-high 19 points off the bench.

Shot: Lou Williams jumper from the left corner at the first-half buzzer of that first New Jersey game.

Moment: When Doug Collins emerged from his office to meet with reporters after the second New Jersey game, he was hand-in-hand with one of his grandsons. And at the end of his news conference he invited a girl named Sarah, who had asked to meet him through the Make-a-Wish Foundation, to share the podium with him. His voice catching, he then asked everyone in the room to pray for her. Say what you want about this guys coachingand certainly he has attracted his share of detractors this seasonbut dont ever question his decency as a human being.

Quote: Sixers CEO Adam Aron, to Young after Tuesdays victory: It feels like January again.

Elton Brand, after Fridays defeat: This is definitely a tough loss, considering we turned a corner (with victories over the Nets and Raptors)not because of the opponents record, because you see they have some talented players that can kind of get hot, but because of our sense of urgency to get this game. (We had) two eight- to 10-point leads and couldnt put the hammer down. So thats whats disappointing about it.

Worst

Pass: Andre Iguodalas careless backcourt flip toward Jrue Holiday early in Fridays third quarter. New Jerseys Deron Williams scooped up the loose ball and turned it into an easy dunka haunting play in a game the Sixers dropped by six.

Slump: Lou Williams was averaging 16.1 points a game on March 11. He has seen that slip by a full point since then.

News: You mean, besides the fact that the Sixers, once fourth in the Eastern Conference, are now eighth? How bout the fact that they play three games in as many nights beginning Monday? They start out with a trip to Orlandowhich will be without injured center Dwight Howardthen host Indiana and visit Cleveland. And the game against the skidding Cavaliers begins the season-ending stretch of five straight road games.

Gordie Jones is an award-winning journalist who has worked in the Philadelphia market for 28 years. He also co-authored a book about the 76ers' 1982-83 championship team with former Sixers general manager Pat Williams.

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