Royal Ivey

Andre Miller's reaction may have been more unexpected than the long three-pointer that inspired it. Miller, whose emotions usually roll as flat as a Midwestern highway, released a scream as if the shot he'd made had won the 76ers a ball game. It had. Last night, the Sixers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 110-105. And it was Miller's three-pointer, two steps behind the painted line, just left of center, with 28.8 seconds remaining that made most of the 13,381 at the Bradley Center sigh with resignation.

This is what it's like right now for the 76ers. It's like three lofted, buzzer-beating three-pointers last night: two by Andre Iguodala, one by Lou Williams. In the first quarter, Iguodala grabbed a rebound, dribbled downcourt, planted his left foot, and adjusted in the air; second quarter, he caught the inbounds pass, dribbled to the left, and launched with both hands at least two steps from beyond midcourt; third quarter, Williams crisscrossed up the court, jump stopped at the left wing, and released, over the extended arm of San Antonio's Tim Duncan.

They called it a "heartbreaking loss. " And it was. But so was the entire road trip. Saturday night's buzzer-beating, turnaround jumper by San Antonio point guard Tony Parker not only put an exclamation point on that game, a 108-106 loss, it closed the door on what could have been a surprisingly productive road trip for the 76ers that ended as most things have this season: subpar. The Sixers last played at home Dec. 20, a loss to the Pacers. Since then, they have played six road games: against the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, and San Antonio Spurs.

Don't think the 76ers didn't have one eye on the basketball, one on that other game. At halftime of yesterday's 109-94 win over the Atlanta Hawks, Sixers forward Donyell Marshall talked with Hawks guard Flip Murray, born and raised in Philadelphia. What did they talk about? "13-11, Eagles," said Murray, turning to walk back to the Atlanta bench. There was more than one relay of that score among the Sixers. And after it was over, after the Sixers won their fourth straight and played perhaps their best basketball of the season, Sixers coach Tony DiLeo said: "First I'd like to thank the people who watched our game; they are true Sixers fans.

It was a great play for more than one reason. But Royal Ivey thought of none of them when he attacked the basket in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's 100-79 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. It was great because of the score: 70-61. It was great because of the time: 10 minutes, 44 seconds left in the fourth quarter. It was great because of the situation: A lead, 22 at the half, diminishing with each flick of Brandon Roy's wrist. It was great because of the awareness: It appeared a Sixers' shot had grazed the rim, re-setting the shot clock, but as Ivey caught the kick-out, he immediately recognized the shot clock was at eight seconds and ticking south.

It began with a Thaddeus Young drive-and-dunk, and ended with a dazzling display by the 76ers' reserves. Twenty seconds into the Sixers' 94-84 win over the Miami Heat last night, Young drove the right baseline - two dribbles from three-point line to rim - and threw it down two-handed. Young was fouled, too, so he was free to hang from the rim until the chaos below him had cleared. And as Young held on, his body language seemed to say to the robust Wachovia Center crowd: Well, that wasn't a bad way to get things started, was it?

With his team set to host the Miami Heat tonight at the Wachovia Center, 76ers coach Tony DiLeo was coy yesterday about who will draw the assignment of matching up with all-star guard Dwyane Wade. The 6-foot-4, 216-pound Wade is leading the NBA in scoring at 28.5 points per game, and is collecting 7.2 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. "I do know who will start out on him; I just don't want to say right now," DiLeo said after the Sixers practiced at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

The New Jersey Nets went 6 for 16 from the floor during the third quarter last night to help the 76ers take a comfortable lead into the fourth period. But when the home team missed a hard-to-believe 18 consecutive shots during the final 12 minutes, the Nets managed to steal an 85-83 victory in front of a crowd of 17,783 at the Wachovia Center. The Sixers scored only 25 points in the second half - a season low for either half. They scored only eight points in the fourth quarter, a season low for any period.

Eddie Jordan's substitution pattern is like the rest of the 76ers: not quite there yet. After yesterday's practice at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Sixers coach said he still was looking for his first guard off the bench, still waiting for one guy to emerge and become No. 8 in the rotation. Tonight at the Wachovia Center, the 2-2 Sixers will play the 0-5 New Jersey Nets, and Jordan still will be watching, waiting, and evaluating. Yesterday, Jordan said one of the players who are in a tight pack at the bottom of the Sixers' stat sheet must "distinguish" himself.

Ed Stefanski left for Las Vegas yesterday to watch a group of NBA players work out. But at a time when the 76ers' president and general manager is considering free agents to bring to Philadelphia, none of the assembled pros will be candidates to become new members of his team. He was headed for a minicamp being held for the USA men's national squad. The 76ers' Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young were two of the 25 invitees, and while Stefanski is there to lend them some support, the trip is also an opportunity for him to rub shoulders with front-office personnel from other organizations, as well as agents.