Spencer Hawes

LOS ANGELES – During a four-game homestand that saw them play some of the better basketball of the season, the 76ers put together some impressive wins against teams like Indiana, Brooklyn and Portland, But the brutal reality of where they stand in the NBA pecking order reared its ugly face again as the Los Angeles Clippers completed a season sweep of them at the Staples Center on Wednesday, easily beating the Sixers 101-72. The Sixers loss extended their road losing streak to 14 games.

76ers Notes Keep your eye on the 76ers' inside rotation. Starting center Spencer Hawes has gone from a late-game bench ornament to quite effective in the game's final minutes. At the end of Monday night's victory over the Chicago Bulls, Hawes nailed a trio of important jump shots and scored 14 points, his fourth consecutive game in double-digit scoring. "You always want to be in down the stretch, and you always have faith you can do it," Hawes said before Wednesday's 108-97 victory against the Houston Rockets.

For the last two weeks, it has been the big question: When will Spencer Hawes return to the 76ers? The answer has changed from week to week since Hawes last played against Milwaukee on Jan. 16. The Sixers, however, are now leaving the decision up to Hawes. He missed his ninth game in a row Wednesday with a strained left Achilles tendon. "I hope so," Hawes said when asked before Wednesday's game with Chicago if he will be back by the end of the week. "I hope it will be as early as possible, but I said that last week.

BACK IN August, Sixers center Spencer Hawes tweeted about why NBA commissioner David Stern was still collecting his reported $23 million annual salary while the players were being asked to take a pay cut. Within days, reports surfaced that Stern would withhold his salary during the labor situation. So, it was no surprise that Hawes decided to jump in on the NBA's ill-fated Twitterview with Stern and deputy comissioner Adam Silver on Sunday night. The idea was for the NBA to be able to answer questions from fans, reporters and even a few players.

Former Coatesville High star Richard Hamilton took time out Sunday from packaging more than 20 tickets for family and friends to reflect on his career. "It's crazy thinking about how fast and where it's taken me; it seems so fast," Hamilton said as he stuffed envelopes with tickets while sitting in a corner of the Chicago Bulls locker room at the Wells Fargo Center. "Here I am. " Hamilton, drafted by the Washington Wizards with the seventh overall pick in the 1999 draft, was traded to Detroit in 2002 and was a starter on the Pistons' 2004 championship team.

The Sixers got some good news on the injury front regarding center Spencer Hawes before Wednesday's game against New Jersey. Hawes did not face the Nets, marking the sixth game in a row he has missed with a strained left Achilles tendon. Before the game, however, Hawes did some work for the first time since suffering the injury, and he sounded pleased with his progress. "Yeah, I worked out earlier and it went pretty well," said Hawes, who is averaging 9.2 points and leading the Sixers in rebounding (8.8)

CHICAGO - Doug Collins has seen, and knows, all about the profession of being a basketball coach. He is now with his fourth, and he says last, team. His days as the head man on the bench will come to a close in the not too distant future. But as the 76ers coach's career on the bench winds down, his son, Chris, seems about ready to embark on a head coaching position. Since 2000, Chris has been an assistant to Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. Now rumors are swirling, particularly in this area, that the younger Collins might be ready to take over his own program.

CHICAGO - When the Chicago Bulls play without reigning MVP Derrick Rose, as they did last night against the 76ers at the United Center due to a strained right groin, they become very much like last night's opponent. Like the Sixers all season, the Bulls didn't have a go-to player when baskets are needed, a true superstar who can carry a team on any given night. The Sixers are used to playing the team game they need in order to produce wins, though you wouldn't have known it last night.

ATLANTA - When 76ers center Spencer Hawes bounded into the locker room after warm-ups, it was pretty clear that he was going to play against the Hawks Saturday night. "Survey says, I'm good," said Hawes, who missed the last 10 games with a strained Achilles tendon. Hawes has missed 11 games this season - one game was with a lower-back strain. In the 12 games he had appeared in before Saturday, all of them starts, Hawes averaged 10.4 points and 8.8 rebounds. Without Hawes on the floor, the Sixers offense has struggled.

Players to watch 76ERS: Center Spencer Hawes Can he make it three games in a row with more than 20 points? The 7-foot-1 Hawes picked up the scoring slack Sunday when the other Sixers were throwing up bricks, and coach Doug Collins wants him to keep it up for this game. An unlikely scoring threat from the perimeter, Hawes hit the go-ahead 20-footer late in Game 3 and nailed seven of his first eight shots in Sunday's Game 4. Is he the answer to the Sixers' big-man woes?