And time to think about the next step for this franchise if Thursday's NBA trading deadline passes without a headline-worthy deal, which is seeming more and more likely as trade talks brew between the Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards and between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns - but not, as yet, involving the Sixers.
Before Wednesday's 104-93 loss to the Raptors, a game in which the Sixers trailed by 23 points and still came back to tie, the Sixers had won five in a row. They'd won 7 of 11 since coach Eddie Jordan switched the starting lineup against the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 22, and had a record of 13-10 since a blowout loss to the Utah Jazz on Dec. 26.
Translation: Since Christmas, the Sixers have been playing better-than-average basketball.
The formula for success had gone something like this: Let rookie Jrue Holiday set the defensive tone, give Samuel Dalembert enough minutes to win the battle of the boards, dump the ball to Elton Brand on the block in half-court sets, but avoid plenty of those possessions with the speed, athleticism, and defensive intensity of the second unit.
Over the previous 10-plus games, there appeared to be growing stability.
On Wednesday, just hours before a much-needed respite, just a few minutes before going into the break with momentum and good feeling, Jordan tossed all that hard-earned stability into a gigantic blender.
In a fit of ill-conceived cleverness, he benched Brand for Royal Ivey, hoping to boost his team's speed and run out on the Raptors. Instead, the Raptors went ahead by 23, essentially winning the game because of Jordan's decision.
The Sixers went into the break the same way they've spent much of the season: frustrated.
