Kyle Korver

The 76ers are 14 games into their season and they have yet to reach that elusive goal: a two-game winning streak. Hoping to gain momentum from Tuesday's impressive 114-99 win in Milwaukee, the Sixers could not carry over the effort last night in a 106-95 loss to the Utah Jazz at the Wachovia Center. The Sixers are 4-10. Utah, a Western Conference playoff finalist last year, is 11-5. "The missed opportunities we had killed us," said center Samuel Dalembert, who had 11 points and six rebounds in 25 foul-plagued minutes.

This one should not have added up, but the 76ers picked an opportune time to play their most complete game of the season last night. Receiving a major boost from the return of Kyle Korver, the Sixers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 114-99, before 13,186 at the Bradley Center. Milwaukee had been 6-0 at home, including wins over Toronto, the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas. The Sixers (4-9) snapped a three-game losing streak. They also entered the game having lost seven of their last eight.

MILWAUKEE - This one should not have added up, but the 76ers picked an opportune time to play their most complete game of the season tonight against a Milwaukee Bucks team that made its early mark this season by defending its turf. Receiving a major boost from the return of Kyle Korver, the Sixers defeated the Bucks, 114-99, before 13,186 at the Bradley Center. Milwaukee had been 6-0 at home, including wins over Toronto, the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas. The Sixers (4-9) snapped a three-game losing streak.

A frustrating start to the season got worse for 76ers forward Kyle Korver when an MRI on Thursday revealed a second-degree groin strain that is expected to keep him out seven to 10 days. Korver vowed to keep his spirits up and do anything he could to help the Sixers. "It's tough and it hasn't been the start you picture in your mind going into the season, but it is what it is," he said yesterday during the team's shoot-around. "Now I'm trying to get better, and hopefully it won't be as long as they are saying.

Maurice Cheeks wouldn't reveal what he had said to his team at halftime, but the coach's words made an impression on the 76ers last night. Trailing by 25 points during the second quarter and by 17 to begin the fourth period, the Sixers stunned the Portland Trail Blazers, 92-88, in front of a delirious crowd of 11,483 at the Wachovia Center. "I've never been involved in a game like that, and what it says is that our guys know how to stick together and they know how to bond, and I'm just so proud of them because the first half we had was dismal and we hung in there," Cheeks said.

Record: 2-6 Last week: 0-4 Korver update Kyle Korver had an MRI exam yesterday that revealed a second-degree right-groin strain that will sideline the forward for seven to 10 days, the Sixers said. Korver suffered the injury Tuesday against Dallas. A look at last week Toronto 105, Sixers 103, last Friday Lou Williams' previous career high was 18 points, but he exceeded that in a scintillating 19-point fourth quarter. The Hornets outscored the Sixers from three-point range by 30-6.

For the 76ers, bad things continue to happen in threes, specifically from beyond the arc. There may be a laundry list of deficiencies the Sixers have to work on, stopping the three-point shot may be the priority. This was demonstrated again last night as the New Orleans Hornets enjoyed a three-fest in shooting down the Sixers, 95-76, at the New Orleans Arena. The Hornets shot 11 for 20 from beyond the arc and were led by former Raptor Morris Peterson, who scored 27 points and was 6 of 9 from three-point range.

IN THE COURSE of the week, 76ers starters Reggie Evans, Willie Green and Andre Miller missed practice time with flulike symptoms. Last night, the Sixers just made the Charlotte Bobcats look sick. By the end of what became a ridiculously easy 94-63 victory, the Sixers had the depleted Bobcats flirting with setting a record for the fewest points in their brief history. The 'Cats came closer to that than they did to being competitive. The record, though, remains safe for another night.

In order for the 76ers to be competitive against more talented opponents - which constitute most of their foes - there have to be a few givens, such as Andre Iguodala playing consistently and Kyle Korver shooting accurately. Neither has happened for long stretches during the first week of the season, so the Sixers might feel fortunate to be 1-2. Both players realize that three games aren't much of a sample, but they also know that their play has to improve. On the stat sheet, Iguodala looks fine, averaging 20.3 points and shooting 51.2 percent from the field.

When the NBA schedule came out, the 76ers were staring at a possible 0-3 start. They were underdogs in road games in Toronto and Chicago, and in Saturday's home opener against New Jersey. Well, they went 1-2, with a stunning win over the Bulls, and have been more than competitive against top Eastern Conference teams. In the locker room after Saturday's 93-88 loss to the Nets, the Sixers talked about their efforts. "No one likes losers, but if you do take the positive out of it, the games are close," Kyle Korver said.