PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia 76ers hope to
maintain their grasp on a playoff spot when they host the
Central Division-leading Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
The 76ers had their modest two-game winning streak snapped
Saturday with a 94-88 loss to the Chicago Bulls. Allen Iverson,
playing with a fractured left thumb, scored 31 points, but also
committed 11 turnovers, including two crucial ones down the
stretch.
Chris Webber, who played in just 23 games last season
because of an injured knee, did not play in the loss to Chicago
due to an inflamed nerve in his left Achilles, but is expected
to be back in the lineup Wednesday.
Despite the setback to Chicago, Philadelphia holds a one-half
game lead over Orlando for the eighth and final playoff spot in
the Eastern Conference, and is just one game back of
seventh-place Indiana.
The seventh seed in the East will likely meet the Pistons, who
own the conference's second-best record, in the first round of
the playoffs.
Detroit suffered its first loss in six contests Tuesday, a 91-76
defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Rasheed Wallace scored 25
points and Tayshaun Prince added 22, but no other player was
in double figures for the Pistons, who shot just 37 percent
(30-of-81).
The defending NBA champions have fared well against the 76ers
this season, winning all three contests. The most convincing of
those victories came here, a 93-75 rout on February 16.
Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton scored 20 points apiece as
Detroit opened a 28-13 lead after the first quarter and led by
no less than seven points thereafter.




