Moms can sense these things. They know when youre hurting -- even if theyre someone elses mother.
The Sixers recently returned from a brutal eight-game road trip. It did not go well. Maybe you heard. The Sixers won two of those games, which also means they lost six. The math is simple but ugly.
While the team was on the West Coast prospecting for losses instead of gold, the Sixers made a quick stop in Portland. They lost. After the game, Spencer Hawes mother -- whom we assume is known as Mamma Hawes or maybe MaHa -- dropped off a care package to Doug Collins. It wasnt chicken soup. It was better.
She stopped by to say hi and she brought me a little wine to ease my pain a little bit, Collins said.
It was a nice gesture even though there isnt a wine in the world strong enough to make Collins forget how his team is performing these days. (Hint: not well).
The Sixers played at the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday night. It went as swimmingly as when they were on the road. The Brooklyn Nets stomped the Sixers, 109-89 (see game recap). The loss was exactly as bad as the score suggests. Maybe worse.
Perhaps the Sixers were tired, worn out, beaten down from all the time spent traveling from city to city. Jrue Holiday noted that playing so many games on the road is mentally and physically tough. No one doubts that.
We fought, Holiday insisted. And we had a lot of heart. Most games on that trip, we had a chance to win.
Hold please while we look for the chance to win column on the NBA.com standings page. Keep holding. Elevator music playing. And nope. Not there.
Its nice that they fought and its nice that they had heart, but the NBA, unlike your middle school, does not award participation ribbons. (We think). The Sixers are 15-21. They are just 3-7 over their last 10 games. If the playoffs started today, theyd be making vacation plans. (CSN sources confirm the playoffs do not start today).
The thing for me, and Ive talked to our guys about it, we cant get discouraged, Collins said. The minute you start losing confidence or stop believing in yourself and thinking you can win games, then youve got problems. Its up to me and my coaches to instill in our guys that were going to win basketball games and do what we have to do.
The problem weve had all year long is the inconsistency. We have too many guys on a nightly basis that have been inconsistent. Whether its the way theyre utilized or whatever, we have not been able to find that formula night in and night out to get more consistent play. Thats a concern we have.
Thats a concern, but its not the only concern. The Sixers average about 93 points per game. Only three teams (New Orleans, Indiana, Washington) score fewer.
They allow about 97 points per game. Thats a differential of around minus-four points per game. Only seven teams (Phoenix, Dallas, New Orleans, Sacramento, Cleveland, Charlotte and Washington) have been worse.
The Sixers dont do anything particularly well this season. At least not so far. Maybe that will change. After getting kicked in the basketball shorts by the schedule, the Sixers will play 12 of their next 14 games in the Wells Fargo Center. As Holiday said, they need this stretch to be a breath of fresh air. Thats what they need, though Collins didnt sound so sure thats what theyll get.
You have Houston coming in. You have San Antonio coming in. You have the Knicks coming in. Unfortunately, were not going to play a preseason schedule that a Big East team might play to get about nine wins in a row to get you back rolling, Collins said. Were going to have to beat great teams. To do that, were going to have to play good basketball.
That would be a start. It will also be tough to pull off. The Sixers havent played an approximation of good basketball since they began the season 10-6. That seems like a long time ago in a basketball galaxy far, far away.
Were still growing, Holiday said. I think every team grows. We played well as a team, but there are certain things that we have to do better or pay attention to detail on. Again, were still growing.
If thats true, theyre not doing it fast enough. They need to hit a growth spurt. Sooner would be better than later, because when later comes around the season might be impossible to salvage.
E-mail John Gonzalez at jgonzalez@comcastsportsnet.com.