Jason Smith News

Jamal Crawford scored 11 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, Mike Bibby added 21 and the Atlanta Hawks snapped a two-game losing streak with a 100-86 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.

The 76ers' Elton Brand, who strained his right hamstring in Tuesday night's loss in Washington, is sitting out a second game tonight and is not expected to play Sunday night in San Antonio.

Williams will miss eight weeks. Early in the first quarter of Tuesday night's loss to the Washington Wizards, Williams suffered the injury in a collision with Washington forward Antawn Jamison.

The 18,624 packed inside TD Banknorth Garden didn't seem to think the Boston Celtics could lose.

This was supposed to be Allen Iverson's return to the Wachovia Center as a veteran mentoring the young Memphis Grizzlies, while showing 76ers fans that he still has something left at 34.

I am a former 76ers season ticket holder. The 76ers recently gave me two tickets to see the 4-6 Sixers host theA 3-7A Bobcats on Wednesday night.A It was a good game.

YOU COULD see it mounting on the face of Elton Brand the past few weeks - as the minutes dwindled, the frustration grew.

Marreese Speights is the one with the partially torn knee ligament, but it looks as if 76ers coach Eddie Jordan will do the tweaking, possibly to his starting lineup.

The Friday night home loss to the Utah Jazz hurt the 76ers' pride as they were outmanned, outmuscled, outplayed and thoroughly thumped in a 112-90 loss.

If Eddie Jordan wants scoring from a big man in the fourth quarter, he relies on Marreese Speights.

THE STARTING lineup is set. For now. The substitution rotation is, well, a work in progress.

I don't see a lack of confidence in Elton Brand. I don't sense him having doubts about himself.

Although Elton Brand is no longer injured, he's on the sideline nearly as much as if he were.

The 76ers' Jason Smith looms large as he tries to stop the Suns' Steve Nash during third-quarter action.

Yankee Stadium is just starting to fill up. There's about an hour before the first pitch of Game 6 of the World Series between the Phillies and the Yankees.

It is one of the most common defensive laws in basketball. Through four games this season, in which they've won two, the 76ers appear to have the help part down.

Baylor freshman phenom Brittney Griner had 13 points, four rebounds and three blocked shots while playing 19 minutes in the seventh-ranked Lady Bears' exhibition opener Tuesday night, a 97-43 victory over St.

The best news about last nighta s season opener in Orlando is that thanks to the Phillies and Game 1 of the World Series, few people actually witnessed the debacle put on by the 76ers.

On Wednesday night in Orlando, 76ers rookie point guard Jrue Holiday had to borrow teammate Jason Kapono's sports coat for the game against the Magic.

A FEW THOUSAND Sixers fans had gathered in the lower bowl of the Wachovia Center to share in the happenings of the 2007 NBA draft on the night of June 28.