Doug Collins is paid to see progress amid the process, and to speed it along, and he saw plenty on Monday. This was the kind of game the Sixers routinely lost earlier this season, particularly as they began with a 3-13 record. The next step will involve not losing those leads, and not needing last-shot heroics to get their wins. In the meantime, patience.
By beating Charlotte, one of the six smaller fish swimming around the Eastern Conference looking for a possible playoff nibble, the Sixers gain a season tiebreaker that might be useful later on. Collins would love his team to be rewarded for its effort with a postseason appearance, and with the playoff experience that would pay eventual dividends.
Still, with the current team configured as it is, the Sixers are a long way from belonging in the playoffs, as opposed to just being included in them. Their big men are not a physical presence and the team must rely on getting into the open floor on offense and being tenacious on defense. It is a formula that requires effort and desire and the good news this season is that the team is showing it again after a season of dourly going through the motions. The bad news is that's not enough against the more talented teams in the league, and certainly not beyond April.
"To have any chance at all, you've got to win at home, and we've got great fans. As they watch this team, we're going to get more and more of them," Collins said. "How could you not want to cheer for this team? I do."
The Sixers have now equaled their total of home wins from last season. They were 12-29 in 2009-10, and are 12-7 in Wells Fargo Center this season. It is encouraging, but there is still a piece missing in the turnaround that leads into the future.
