by Johnathan Suggs
posted April 24, 2003

The Hornets played Iverson differently in Game Two, but Van Horn and the Sixers were able to counter them. Jesse D Garrabrant NBAE/Getty Images

After forging a 2-0 lead against the New Orleans Hornets, the Sixers held a light practice on Thursday at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, gearing up for Game 3 on Saturday, April 26 in New Orleans. Head Coach Larry Brown’s agenda during practice was for the team to shoot around and to improve both defensively and offensively.

“We got to be happy, we’re 2-0,” Brown stated at practice. “The big thing is we just have to work on ways to improve our team. We did some good things to get those two wins, and we did some things that we need to improve on.”

The Sixers, who won Game 2 at the First Union Center on Wednesday night, accredit teamwork, which pulled them through their home court advantage.

“Derrick (Coleman), Kenny (Thomas) and myself, knew we had to step up and contribute because they (New Orleans) were going to double Allen (Iverson) a little more,” Keith Van Horn said. “I saw them trapping Allen a lot more, guarding him, double-teaming him with pick-and-rolls. They did play him differently, but I think we did a good job at countering that.”

As the Sixers pack-up for their road swing, they are positive about winning away from home.

“When we go on the road we really try to focus in a lot more than we do when we’re at home,” Coleman said.

“We have to rebound, defend, and execute away from home,” added Brown. “Those are the things that we’re going to work on.”

Only seven teams in NBA history have come back to win a seven-game series being down 2-0, however, the Sixers don’t believe that they’re over confident going into Game 3.

“I don’t feel that we’re over confident. I don’t think that we will have to deal with that. We know that they’re (New Orleans) a good team,” Van Horn said. “We know that they have veteran guys who have been in the playoffs before. I think we all realize that, and we’re going to go in the game feeling good about ourselves and confident. (We) know that they will not just lay down for us.”

As the Sixers celebrated Eric Snow’s 30th birthday today, they are well aware of this series being far from over.

“We can’t underestimate New Orleans,” said Coleman. “We will just keep the same mindset that we have and go down there to steal one. Hopefully, we’ll go down there to steal one.”