The 76ers are hard on the heels of the Hawks and holding off the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia was 3 1/2 games behind the Hawks and one ahead of the Knicks entering Wednesday night's home game against Atlanta, and the Hawks were coming off a soul-crushing 114-81 pummeling by the Chicago Bulls.
The Sixers have won 21 of 28 at home and like their chances down the stretch. Eight of their final 12 games are at home, and Louis Williams (South Gwinnett) hopes the 76ers can run the table.
"We're doing a good job of taking care of our home court this year," Williams said to phillyburbs.com. "We're happy at our chance to win out at the house, even though we have some challenging games there this year."
Williams is having a sterling season coming off the bench, averaging 13.5 points and 3.3 assists in 23.4 minutes. While his shooting isn't great (40.3 percent from the field), when he is on, so are the 76ers. The team is 8-3 this season when he scores 20 points or more.
The Georgia connection contributes mightily to Philly's run to the playoffs.
In March, Jodie Meeks (Norcross), who has been starting since December, has averaged 14.5 points per game with 2.8 3-pointers (while shooting 49.5 percent from the field and 92.9 percent from the line), along with 3.9 assists to only 0.6 turnovers.
In his three games this past week (2-1), Meeks scored 22 points (7-for-12 from the field) with six rebounds and three assists in a 104-94 victory at the Los Angeles Clippers on March 16, but fell to seven points (3-for-11) and six rebounds in a victory over Sacramento on Friday. On Saturday, he scored 17 points in a 110-101 loss at Portland.
Williams averaged 17.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists during the three-game stretch. He scored 24 points with four assists in the loss at Portland.
Forward Thaddeus Young (Georgia Tech) averaged 11.3 points and 7.0 rebounds, scoring 19 points (9-for-11 from the field) with six rebounds in the loss at Portland.
The week that was
Clippers rookie forward Al-Farouq Aminu (Norcross) continues in his reserve role. In the past week (through Tuesday), Aminu averaged 13.3 minutes, scoring a total of seven points with eight rebounds. The Clippers went 1-2.
Bobcats center Kwame Brown (Glynn Academy) averaged 5.7 points and 7.0 rebounds in three games -- all on the road, all losses.
Pistons guard Will Bynum (Georgia Tech) played sporadically, sitting out games against the Raptors on March 16, a 107-93 victory, and the 104-96 loss to the Hawks on Sunday. In between, Bynum scored five points with five assists in a 99-95 victory Friday against the Knicks. Despite his reduced role, he continues to prepare. "It's my job to be ready, not to complain and pout," Bynum said to the Oakland (Mich.) Press. "I have to stay positive."
Rookie forward Derrick Favors (Georgia Tech) averaged 9.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in the Jazz's three games (1-2). In the 119-104 victory against the Timberwolves on March 16, Favors scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds. "I'm just getting used to the system," Favors said to the Salt Lake Tribune. "Every day after practice, Coach [Tyrone Corbin] keeps me and some of the other guys about a half hour or so working on plays."
Cavaliers post player J.J. Hickson (Wheeler) averaged 17 points and 7.8 rebounds in the past four games, all losses. On Saturday versus the Clippers, he scored 28 points on 12-for-18 shooting and had nine rebounds and four assists in the 100-92 loss in Los Angeles.
Hornets guard Jarrett Jack (Georgia Tech) played a total of 21 minutes in two games -- a 100-95 victory against Phoenix and an 89-85 loss to Boston -- scoring a total of two points with two rebounds.
The Nets' Anthony Morrow (Georgia Tech) averaged 12 points and 3.3 rebounds in four games, all losses. Morrow's high for the week was 19 points in a 98-92 loss to the Wizards on Sunday.
Backup center Garret Siler (Augusta State) sat out all four Suns games.
Golden State forward Al Thornton (Perry) continues his steady play. Thornton averaged 17.5 minutes, 7.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in four losses.
The superstars
The Heat's Chris Bosh (Georgia Tech) averaged 18.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in Miami's three games (2-1), shooting 44.1 percent. Miami remains third behind Chicago and Boston in the East. Since the Heat's five-game losing streak -- and Bosh's verbal outburst about needing to get the ball where he can be more effective -- Miami has won five of six by an average margin of 19 points. "He took a lot of the responsibility on his shoulders, and not many players are willing to do that,'' coach Erik Spoelstra said to the Miami Herald.
Center Dwight Howard (Southwest Atlanta Christian) and the Magic won three consecutive games in the past week, and Howard averaged 25 points and 19.3 rebounds. On March 16, he scored 31 points -- he shot 9-for-12 from the field -- and pulled down 22 rebounds in a 93-89 win against Milwaukee.
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