Tony Battie

When it came time to choose where to play college basketball, Tony Battie knew Temple wasn't the place for him, even though his older brother Derrick played there. "My senior year of high school, Temple was guard-oriented with Eddie [Jones] and Aaron [McKie] and [Rick] Brunson, and I think 60 to 70 percent of their scoring was coming from the guards," said Tony Battie, a reed-thin 6-foot-11 sophomore who, unlike his well-built brother, likes to play on the perimeter more than in the lane.

The Cleveland Cavaliers got older after their trade with the Boston Celtics earlier this week, and in this case, older is better. Eric Williams (31 years old), Tony Battie (27) and Kedrick Brown (22) were brought in by the Cavs in exchange for Ricky Davis (24), Chris Mihm (24) and little-used Michael Stewart (28). Williams, 31, an eight-year veteran, becomes the team's oldest and most experienced player. "I think we've become a more mature team with veteran players, a better defensive team," Cleveland coach Paul Silas said.

  Seeking to add some depth to their roster, the 76ers on Wednesday signed veteran big man Tony Battie. According to multiple sources, the contract is a one-year deal for the veterans' minimum, which, for a player with 10-plus seasons like Battie, is worth approximately $1.4 million. The 34-year-old Battie, who will begin his 13th NBA season this year, is a 6-foot-11 forward-center known for his defense, rebounding, and hustle. The Sixers needed bolstering in all those areas.

Doug Christie, the runner-up as the NBA's most improved player last season, has re-signed with the Toronto Raptors for seven years and more than $22 million. Christie, who had one year left on his original contract, made $1.35 million last season when he improved his numbers in all defensive and offensive categories. He averaged 14.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.48 steals, which was second-best in the NBA. BUCKS: NAME NEW GM Bob Weinhauer, the former Penn coach who joined Milwaukee an assistant to coach Chris Ford last August, was appointed the team's general manager.

It was a busy day for the 76ers, even though they had a day off before they begin preparing for Wednesday's season opener at home against the vaunted Miami Heat. The team exercised its options yesterday on point guard Jrue Holiday for his third year, and on forward/center Marreese Speights for his fourth year. Both players are now signed through next season. Also, the team trimmed its roster to 14, releasing point guard Chris Quinn and forward Trent Plaisted. Quinn, who has 4 years of NBA experience, was brought into camp late and was hurt by the fact that Holiday, Evan Turner and Lou Williams are all capable of running the point.

There were plenty of surprises during Thursday night's NBA draft, but none of them involved the 76ers executing splashy trades. Instead, the draft order became a little screwy, a few minor swaps were made, and everything played out perfectly for the Sixers to snag with their No. 16 pick the guy they wanted all along: University of Southern California center Nikola Vucevic. There was some concern in the days leading up to the draft that the Houston Rockets, drafting two spots ahead of the Sixers at No. 14 and in need of a center to possibly replace the injured Yao Ming, would take Vucevic.

It is time for 76ers coach Larry Brown to begin determining which player he really thinks is worth the No. 2 pick in the NBA's June 25 draft. First up is 6-9 1/2 Tim Thomas, who declared for the draft after one year at Villanova. Thomas will interview with the Sixers today and work out at the HealthPlex in Springfield (Delco). "Tim would love to be in Philly," said Arn Tellem, Thomas's agent. "He's probably the most talented player in the draft, has the greatest upside. " Thomas has been working out with Ted Fiore, the former St. Peter's coach, and Dave Hopla, a shooting instructor.

Tony Battie is about to make Philadelphia his home away from home. Battie, the 6-11 Texas Tech forward-center projected to be among the top three or four picks in the June 25 NBA draft, is expected to arrive today to begin a summerlong workout program with veteran Baker League coach John Hardnett and weight trainer Rob Moore. Battie will be working out with his brother, former Temple star Derrick Battie, who played last season in Italy. In the past, Hardnett also trained Detroit Pistons forward-center Theo Ratliff.

Associate head coach Michael Curry told reporters before and after Wednesday's 118-91 drubbing of the New York Knicks that the emphasis for the 76ers heading into the regular season next week is on interior defense. Shorthanded in the frontcourt throughout the preseason, partly because 7-foot-1 Spencer Hawes sat out the last five games with a lower back sprain, the Sixers shifted 6-9 forward Elton Brand into the center spot. But last week, after coming off their second narrow loss in three games, the Sixers tinkered with a lineup in practice that featured Jrue Holiday and Jason Kapono in the backcourt, and Andre Iguodala, Brand, and a big man up front.

It's as if Doug Collins is playing an intricate game of chess. The 76ers' coach must decide which pieces to use for an attack, which ones to hold back for the second wave, and how they're most effective together. Collins has less than two weeks to devise a plan before the regular season begins. "Pretty much he's looking at a whole different bunch of options and trying to see which groups mesh together well," forward Thaddeus Young said. "That's what we've been doing so far, trying to get a feel for who can play with each other and who can't play with each other.

There were plenty of surprises during Thursday night's NBA draft, but none of them involved the 76ers executing splashy trades. Instead, the draft order became a little screwy, a few minor swaps were made, and everything played out perfectly for the Sixers to snag with their No. 16 pick the guy they wanted all along: University of Southern California center Nikola Vucevic. With their second-round pick, No. 50 overall, the 76ers drafted Temple power forward Lavoy Allen. Allen, 6-foot-9, played all four seasons for the Owls and averaged 11.6 points and 8.6 rebounds a game during his senior season.

There were plenty of surprises during Thursday night's NBA draft, but none of them involved the 76ers executing splashy trades. Instead, the draft order became a little screwy, a few minor swaps were made, and everything played out perfectly for the Sixers to snag with their No. 16 pick the guy they wanted all along: University of Southern California center Nikola Vucevic. There was some concern in the days leading up to the draft that the Houston Rockets, drafting two spots ahead of the Sixers at No. 14 and in need of a center to possibly replace the injured Yao Ming, would take Vucevic.

Third of a five-part series   In the NBA, anchoring your team is much like anchoring a driveway hoop: There are options. You can fill a portable base with sand. You can fill it with water. You can go permanent and install an inground hoop using quick-drying cement. All are viable options. Likewise, there are alternatives to filling the NBA center position. You can be like the Houston Rockets and go with one star center such as Hakeem Olajuwon during the '80s and '90s and Yao Ming a decade later.

Thaddeus Young's odd nose butt of James Jones early in the second quarter of Game 4 appeared to instill a degree of aggressiveness in the 76ers that they lacked in the previous 13 quarters of their series against the Heat. Here's how it unfolded: Jones received a pass and head-faked a jump shot, so Young flew past him. A whistle blew, however, because Jones' foot was on the sideline. With the play stopped, Jones attempted to shoot anyway - a routine thing in such an instance - but rookie Evan Turner hacked Jones, hard, which aborted the shot attempt.

If the 76ers couldn't win this game, they weren't going to win any. With the energy and belief of a sold-out crowd behind them, and with on-court execution that was previously missing, the Sixers were just a few prime-time buckets from pulling the rug from under the Miami Heat - at least for one game. The clock was dwindling; the Sixers were still there. And then they weren't. Despite playing some of their best, most consistent basketball of this playoff series, the Sixers lost to the Heat, 100-94, on Thursday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

With just 12 games remaining in the regular season, 76ers coach Doug Collins indicated that his rotation could be expanded as the team gets into playoff mode. The Sixers (36-34) will play eight of their final 12 games at home, beginning with Wednesday's matchup at the Wells Fargo Center against the Atlanta Hawks. Speaking about the need for experience. Collins suggested that forward Andres Nocioni and center Tony Battie could see more playing time. Both saw action early in the season before suffering injuries.

PORTLAND, Ore. - The 76ers had very little going for them on Saturday night. The Rose Garden was filled, fans in every seat, and the Portland Trail Blazers were potent, hitting more than every other shot. Without starting swingman Andre Iguodala and staring at a cross-country red-eye flight after a weeklong trip, the Sixers would only win this game by displaying remarkable resilience. They showed some, but they just didn't have enough of it. Despite hanging around all game, the Sixers lost to the Trail Blazers, 110-101.

LOS ANGELES - At halftime of Wednesday night's 104-94 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, the 76ers stood itching to get back onto the Staples Center floor, but were forced to wait for the halftime show to end. Without their head coach Doug Collins - ejected just before halftime - and energized by some questionable calls against them, the Sixers wanted back onto the court with 10 minutes still left on the halftime clock. "Yeah, I mean, we came into [the locker room] energetic and enthused and, I mean, 10 minutes left and they were still doing the halftime show and we were outside ready to warm up," said Sixers point guard Jrue Holiday.

LOS ANGELES - Desperate might be too strong a word when talking about the 76ers' plight last night against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Arena. Sure, they had lost their last two games, the first such losing streak since mid-January. And yes, they had dropped three of their last four. And certainly injuries have played a part, as Andre Iguodala (right knee chondromalacia) and Elton Brand (hands) are both far less than 100 percent. The saving grace, however, was that the Sixers still have maintained a comfortable lead over the Indiana Pacers and Charlotte Bobcats for the seventh playoff spot in the East, and the New York Knicks, whom the Sixers are chasing for the sixth seed, have lost three straight.

LOS ANGELES - Doug Collins fought for his guys, then his guys fought for the win. With their coach banished from the court, ejected in the first half for arguing for his team, the 76ers proceeded to stomp on the supremely athletic Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers won, 104-94, on Wednesday night at the Staples Center. At halftime, everyone seemed prepped for an action-packed second half, two teams jazzed after a physical and demonstrative second quarter. Instead, the Sixers outscored the Clippers by 30-19 in the third quarter and looked, at various times during that game-changing stretch, quite pleased with themselves.