You want to know about the Sixers? You want to know how good the team is and what sort of season its truly been? Youre in the process of finding out.They have a chance now, an opportunity to do something we werent sure they could: matter again. Really matternot in the way that a 20-9 start to an abbreviated regular season matters, but in the way that a playoff series win matters. Thats still two games away, but its a lot closer now than anyone probably anticipated. If they pull it off? If they upset Chicago and advance? How would that not be a positive referendum on their year?The Sixers beat the Chicago Bulls, 79-74, at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (see Lynam's Instant Replay). They are up 2-1 in the series now, which is something few people could have anticipated before the postseason began. Even without Derrick Rose, the Bulls are an excellent teambut now they are also a vulnerable team.When you get into a series, it becomes about the will to win, Doug Collins said.Not long before the game began, Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said almost the same thing. Thibodeau talked about his team and its chances to recover after suffering multiple lossesthe one that happened in Game 2 on the scoreboard, and the much-bigger one that happened on the court at the end of Game 1.No ones feeling sorry for ourselves, Thibodeau swore, perhaps trying to convince himself. Were capable of playing better. We have toclaw, scratch, fight, whatever is necessary. Youve got to get it done.They didnt get it done.Not having Rose obviously hurts the Bulls, and when Joakim Noah twisted his ankle in the third quarter and had to sit out for the rest of the night, that certainly didnt help, either. But even without the injuries or the depleted roster, the Bulls would have to fight for this series. Thats what the Sixers are doing.Thaddeus Young put up only six points in Game 3. Andre Iguodala mustered just five. Elton Brand didnt score at all. And yet the Sixers still won. That had a lot to do with Spencer Hawes (21 points, nine rebounds), Jrue Holiday (17 points, six rebounds, six assists) and Evan Turner (16 points, nine rebounds, one assist) having an excellent evening, but the point here is that not everything worked well for the Sixers. Some of their guys showed up and some didnt, but they still found a way to do what Thibodeau hoped his team wouldclaw, scratch, fight and, most importantly, get it done.I just think this has been such a crazy season, Collins said. I said before, you look at a team like Oklahoma City, I think they finished up 7-7. You look at the Miami Heat, they were 10-8. Youve had injuries, the condensed season, the games and everything. This year, there was a little bit more overreaction sometimes to things, maybe losing streaks and things that you had to sort of play through. I felt like, as we were ready to start the playoffs, we were better than the 20-9 team that we started the season withall the things we went through, how the team grew, the things we had to do to get here, I think we became a better team, and I think the guys feel that."As Collins said, it has been an odd year for the 76ers. They were up and then they were down. They almost didnt make the playoffs and then, when they did, it was widely believed that theyd get thumped by the Bulls and sent home to begin their summer vacation before anyone realized what happened. And then Rose crumpled to the ground in Game 1. And then he was lost for the remainder of the playoffs. And then everything changed.People around here started believing in the Sixers again, especially when they took advantage of the still-reeling Bulls and smacked them to win Game 2. (That was almost unfair. The Bulls basically had those little cartoon birds circling their heads after Rose went down, and then the Sixers came along with the basketball version of a Tom & Jerry anvil and dropped it on them while they were still dazed.) And now? Now, how can you not believe?Collins, of course, cautioned against everyone getting too far ahead of themselves. It was a big win, even if he tried to insist otherwise.I always think back to Duane Thomas in the Super Bowl, said Collins, whose team has won six of its last eight games. After he finally spoke one day, they said what does it feel like to win the ultimate game? And he said, if its the ultimate game, why are they playing it again next year?It was a big game, but he makes a fair point. You want to know about the Sixers? You want to know who they are and what they can really do? Youre much closer to finding out.
E-mail John Gonzalez at jgonzalez@comcastsportsnet.com.