Sixers notes: Collins preaching perserverance

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Sunday, April 24, 2011
Posted: 12:37 p.m.

By Reuben Frank
CSNPhilly.com

Doug Collins knows exactly how daunting the challenge is now facing his young Sixers team.

Its easy for them to talk about ignoring the reality that one more loss means the end of the season. Its just very hard to do.

So the big goal for Game 4 of the Sixers-Heat Eastern Conference first round playoff series Sunday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center is to push that reality out of their minds.

Just go play basketball. Dont think about the ramifications.

We talked about it yesterday, Collins said pregame Sunday. Theres two little voices right now sitting on each of your shoulders. One of them is telling you this is too tough: If it gets close, do you really want to go back to Miami? Do you think you can beat this team four straight times?

And the other one says, Fight through it, fight through it, give yourself a chance. Thats the voice I want you guys listening to. Give yourselves a chance. All we want to do is get back to Miami and force a Game 5. Every single game that these guys get a chance to play like this is helping not only them but our franchise and where were headed.

The Heat own a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. They won two games in Miami and Game 3 in Philadelphia on Thursday night. With a win Sunday afternoon, theyll end the Sixers season and advance to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2006, when they won the NBA championship.

No team in NBA history has come back from 3-0 down to win a playoff series.

The Sixers have played tough in two of the three games -- Game 1 in Miami and Game 3 in Philly -- but theyre 1-8 in their last nine games overall and one loss from being swept in a seven-game series for only the second time in franchise history.

Just play free, Collins said he told his young team. Just get out there, and if you have an open shot take it, dont think about the consequences if you miss it. We want to play with confidence, and in this series for the most part in this series, weve done that a lot.

Weve had our moments when weve gone cold and we havent been able to make a basket. Specifically, in Game 2, I think we missed our last nine shots in the second quarter when they went up by us by 18 at the half. But other than that, I feel like weve played with confidence. Were not going putting any pressure on our guys to re-invent the wheel. We feel like were prepared.

Im a very stubborn guy, and I feel as long as were in the game, we have a chance to win. Thats what weve preached all season long. Thats what well continue to preach.

LeBronWade = MichaelScottie
Collins compared Miamis LeBron James and Dwyane Wade Sunday with two guys he used to coach in Chicago -- Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

Not on the offensive end. On the defensive end.

They are one of the toughest teams to score on, because Wade and LeBron are playing like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Collins said pregame. You can put those two guys on your best perimeter scorers, and youve got a tough time scoring.

Forget about the points theyre giving you. I always felt like thats what Michael and Scottie did -- they took the other teams two best perimeter scorers out of the game, and LeBron and Wade can do that.

E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com

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