DiLeo Not Looking Ahead

The mantra of coaching says you may NEVER, EVER dare look ahead beyond the next game. Exactly where this all started no one can quite say for sure.

But chances it was some time when the Greeks and Roman were waging battle.

So Sixers’ coach Tony DiLeo refused to take the bait when it was suggested that having his team in a three-way fight with the Hawks and Heat to escape the 6-7-8 playoff positions in the East and near certain first round death, might be a good thing. While it only makes sense that getting into either the fourth shot—which would mean having home court advantage—or No. 5, would seem to be the way to go, DiLeo wasn’t interested in looking beyond tonight’s test with old friend Larry Brown’s Charlotte Hornets.<

`` ``As you said we just want to win as many games as we can and I’m only worrying about tonight,’’ said DiLeo, whose 37-33 team technically holds the No 5 spot by a percentage point over 38-34 Miami, while trailing 42-30 Atlanta by four games. ``If we win them all we’ll be in good shape.’’<

While DiLeo stuck to the mantra, one of his players, came right out and said there’s one team the Sixers would just as soon avoid—and it has nothing to do with any lack of confidence they don’t match up. ``There’s only one team I don’t want to play,’’ said veteran forward Reggie Evans, referring to Lebron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers, the likely No. 1 seed. ``.LeBron is the face of the NBA.<.
``Revenue. Ticket Sales. They want to see him on TV as much as possible,
``It’s not like I’m scared of playing them, but there’s a lot of political stuff going on.’’
Then Evans did momentarily project a bit long term. ``It would be good to have home court, but it really doesn’t matter,’’ said Evans, who’s faced then Clippers’ big man Elton the Spurs’ Tim Duncan and Detroit’s Rasheed Wallace in previous playoff series. ``The main thing is we’re going to have a better record and higher seed than we did last year (40-42, No. before losing in six to the Pistons)
``Once we get to the first round we’ll see what happens.’’
But first, there are 11 more games to play, beginning tomorrow in Detroit.