<div align="center"> <font size=""3"">VS</font> Time: 7:00PM (EST) Local TV: --- National TV: --- Arena: Sovereign Bank Arena</div> <font color=""Sienna""><font size=""1""><u>Probable 76ers Starting Lineup</u></font></font> <font size=""1"">PG- Allen Iverson SG-Andre Iguodala SF-Kyle Korver PF- Chris Webber C- Steven Hunter</font> <font size=""1""> Coach: Maurice Cheeks</font> <font color=""DarkOrange""><font size=""1""><u>Probable Cavaliers Starting Lineup</u></font></font> <font size=""1"">PG- Damon Jones SG- Larry Hughes SF- LeBron James PF- Drew Gooden C- Zydrunas Ilgauskas</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Mike Brown</font> <u>Injury Report</u> Samuel Dalembert(76ers)- Out, Right quad strain Chris Webber(76ers)- Probable, Right quad strain Michael Bradley(76ers)- Out Allen Iverson(76ers)- Probable, Knee swelling LeBron James(Cavaliers)- Probable, Pulled Hamstring <u>Keys To The Game</u> <ul>Dre & Salmons. You can't help but to let these guys lead the pack. They were both extra sensational in their last game against the Knicks and while the stars are playing at the end of the game the younger guys and the bench are the one who will really determine the outcome of the game.[/list] <ul>Iverson & Webber. Its preseason but you can't help but utilize them. If these two can make just the slightest connection…expect trouble. The younger guys may not even have to do much because the game may be already won. However if they play lackluster like it could potentially cost them the game well before even really begins. These two are the biggest difference makers and if they do well it will impact the team in the best way it possibly can but if they do bad it will impact the team in the worst way it possibly can.[/list] <ul>LeBron the Playmaker. Like any team playing the Cavaliers they're main priority is trying to slow down the chosen one. The 76ers have a knack of throwing everything they have against star players, so what would be best for the Cavs is by LeBron serving as a decoy. He has enough weapons around him so if he throws jus the slightest pass to the open man it's more than likely they will finish. LeBron coming into his second game since the injury might want to get into midseason like form and put on a show for the crowd. But it’d be best if he plays a casual game and take things easy. A 15 point, 5 rebound and 8 assist night should be enough to possibly get the win.[/list] <ul>The Big’s. With Webber not being 100% and Hunter often getting into early foul trouble, the Cavs are going to need points in the low post. It will be wide open for them so they must capitalize on that. If they outscore the 76ers by at least 15 points in the paint they will be in good condition. There is not much of a line of a defense in the middle for the opposing squad with Dalembert out so expect Brown to have his squad feast on that advantage.[/list] -------- Prediction: I love the Cavs, but I have a gut feeling the 76ers will come through tonight. Being that Iverson will play and there is about a 75% chance Webber will play you may think they may look discombobulated playing their first game together since last season. I personally think the training camp helped out and they will give us a taste of what' to come. I expect them to mesh and before we know it there will be articles the next morning by different writers jumping on the bandwagon and saying how this relationship may potentially work out. Being that this is preseason the bench/younger guys will be the difference maker and with the way guys like Salmons, Nailon, Iguodala and Ollie has been performing as of late it's hard to root against the 76ers.
For the first time, we may potentially see C-Webb(healthy) along with A.I under coach Cheeks. Don't take too much out of this game but at the same time we will get a glimpse as where they might stand. Like I said in my preview I expect them to do sensational and look as if they have been playing for years. But then again it's not a guarantee that C-Webb will be in action. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">PHILADELPHIA - This is by no means definite, but it appears as if Allen Iverson has already picked out his wardrobe for tonight in Trenton; an outfit that would comply with commissioner David Stern's new dress NBA code. How about "The Answer" wearing a Sixers' uniform for tonight's game? Not only that, but there's a good chance LeBron James could be dressed in Cleveland Cavaliers' red, as he returns to the Sovereign Bank Arena, the scene of his 52-point Prime Time Shootout game on Feb. 8, 2003. "LeBron, when I talked to him, said he was planning to play," said Sixers president-general manager Billy King following yesterday's practice at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. "Allen's planning on playing, too. It's important to have guys out there, but it's important to have guys healthy." That means Chris Webber, who has been sidelined the entire preseason with a strained quadricep, may or may not be out there, while center Samuel Dalembert is definitely out. But for the local fans to get a taste of both Iverson and James on the same night should more than appease them. Plus, Iverson, who did not play in the Sixers' two previous visits to Trenton, is looking forward to tonight's 7 o'clock tipoff. </div> <div align="center">Source</div>
Solid effort by the 76ers, but if they would have made their free throws they possibly could have won or sent this game into an extra period or more. Surprisingly AI missed around half of his free throws and Steve Hunter missed one that could have tied the game with under a minute to play. I though Chris planned on playing this game? He is out the Nets game as well and I'm a tad bit concerned. Allen is also going to be out again with that right knee problem, I hope that is a minor knee problem because usually knee injuries are the harder ones to recover from. Look for Andre and Salmons to step it up again like they did against the Knicks a couple of nights ago.
