Bob Cooney: Brand an early concern for Sixers

Wednesday vs. Charlotte: Larry Brown returns to the place as the hated, loved, hated and loved former coach. What will the reaction be? Well, here's hoping there's a big enough crowd so that, whatever the reaction, it will be heard.

Next Friday: Perhaps the return of Allen Iverson, with Memphis Grizzlies visiting. If we were betting, we'd say the Grizzlies will be without A.I.

BY THE NUMBERS:

* 18.6, 6.8, 4.9, 48.7, 2.0: Those are the impressive numbers Andre Iguodala has put up thus far in points, rebounds, assists, shooting percentage and steals per game this season.

* 2: That's where second-year forward Marreese Speights ranks on the team in scoring, at 15 a game. He has become the most lethal threat the team has down low, and has shown no hesitation to take big shots late in the game.

* 41-10: Assists and turnovers so far from Lou Williams. Sure, this offense doesn't ask him to be a true playmaking point guard, but Williams is doing a nice job of getting the ball where it needs to go at the right time.

* 114: That's how many points Sixers' opponents have outscored them by from beyond the arc. That's quite a substantial number this early in the season.

FROM THE MOUTH:

Asked what he thought about not being credited with a blocked shot when he denied Brook Lopez toward the end of Wednesday's 82-79 win over the Nets, Sam Dalmebert said: "It's all about the W. That's all that matters. It's all about the W." It would have been his fifth block of the game.