Spencer Hawes

It is the enduring curse to bear for Spencer Hawes, currently the starting center for the 76ers, that his game, even when he does good things, doesn't look all that good while he's doing them. And when he misfires or stumbles or plays poorly, well, he mostly looks like a tall guy who happens to be on a basketball court through no fault of his own. This is unfair because Hawes has talent and works hard and probably has more strengths than weaknesses. Nevertheless, it is true. It is the reason Hawes doesn't get the benefit of the doubt from NBA officials, who are unconsciously wired to reward smooth, pleasing play.

The 76ers offense has been slowly grinding to a halt for a few weeks now, and on Friday against Dallas it completely crashed. Their total of eight points in the third quarter, the Sixers' worst showing in any quarter this season, was inexcusable. They added just 16 more in the fourth quarter for a grand total of 24 in the second half - matched by Dallas superstar Dirk Nowitzki. So now the Sixers, with few problems defensively, have to quickly figure how to unbridle their offense.

When things aren't going, well, like most folks anticipated, the obligatory fallout has to get directed somewhere. We'll never know what might have happened, had Andrew Bynum's knees just cooperated this season. Alas, they didn't. And the result is a 28-43 record for the Sixers as they head into Friday night's game at Cleveland, still barely mathematically in contention for a playoff berth, though reality strongly suggests otherwise. So management gets blamed for pulling the trigger on such a risky trade, even though everybody seemed to be on board way back when.

MIAMI - In the old movie "Cool Hand Luke," there's a famous line that goes: "What we've got here is a failure to communicate. " The 76ers appear to have that problem between coach Doug Collins and forward Thaddeus Young. Collins has spoken for the past couple of weeks of how worn down Young has appeared. In Saturday's win over the Atlanta Hawks, Young played only 20 minutes, 39 seconds, scoring only four points and not getting a rebound. Tuesday, after the team's shootaround at American Airlines Arena, Young laughed when asked about his health and about his coach's assessment of his health.

If these were the final days of another losing season for the 76ers, the return of center Samuel Dalembert would be the only exciting plotline. But since this season has plenty of narrative power remaining, including the push for a higher playoff seed, Sunday afternoon's game against Dalembert's new team, the Sacramento Kings, is enticing for more reasons than the homecoming of the exasperating big man who played his first seven NBA seasons with...

Memo to 76ers fans: If all goes well, the Sacramento Kings' version of Spencer Hawes will not come to Philadelphia. "I have been focusing on this summer, kind of getting stronger, trying to get back down to the post," said the 7-foot-1 center, who along with combo forward Andres Nocioni was acquired by the Sixers in a trade for Samuel Dalembert on Thursday. The two newest Sixers were in Philadelphia on Tuesday to take physicals to complete the trade. Hawes, 22, said a post presence was a strong point for him before he became the Kings' 10th overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft after one season at the University of Washington.

The 76ers haven't lost three games in a row since November, when they dropped five straight during that train wreck of a 3-13 start. But they'll face a challenge to avoid three straight defeats after Sunday's 114-111 overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings in a matinee mishap at the Wells Fargo Center. After losing in Miami on Friday, the Sixers must win Monday in Chicago against the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls to avoid a three-game skid. The last time the Sixers visited the United Center, they lost by 45. The Sixers (37-36)

While a 3-2 record after five road games against Western Conference opponents is something to be proud of, it is a loss at Utah that coach Doug Collins wants the 76ers to hold onto as they prepare to play 18 of their next 22 games at the Wells Fargo Center. Of their two losses - the season-opener at Portland and the third game of the season, at Utah - only the Portland game stands out as a game in which the Sixers were just outmatched. But it was against Utah, where the Sixers blew a 14-point, second-quarter lead and at times appeared as if they might have been intimidated by the Jazz' physical style, that Collins thinks the Sixers learned a lesson that will help them.

When it comes to injuries this season, the 76ers (10-4) are going to err on the side of caution. What this means for the immediate future is that you're not going to see center Spencer Hawes in a Sixers uniform Friday, against Southeast Division leader Atlanta (11-4), and perhaps on Saturday, when the Sixers play at Miami. Hawes is no longer suffering from the sore back that kept him out of the Sixers' loss at New York last week. Hawes sat out Wednesday's 108-104 overtime loss to Denver at the Wells Fargo Center - the Sixers' first loss at home this season - with a strained left Achilles tendon.

When Doug Collins tells people that the 76ers are a better team when Spencer Hawes is playing well, he's not making it up. Last season, his first with the Sixers and his fourth since the Sacramento Kings made the 7-foot-1, 245-pound center the 10th pick in the 2008 draft, Hawes started 81 games for the Sixers and averaged 7.2 points and 5.2 rebounds in slightly more than 21 minutes per game. However, when Hawes' contribution to the team's effort included him scoring in double figures, the Sixers, who finished last season 41-41, were 14-6.