It's going to be a very nice litmus test this week for the Philadelphia 76ers. Doug Collins' crew is getting ready to finish up their current seven game home stand, which they're 3-1 on so far. The road gets significantly tougher this week, when the Magic, Bulls and Heat all come to the Wells Fargo Center in succession.
On Monday, Orlando comes to town after being pounded by New Orleans 93-67. Dwight Howard lambasted his team which should provide some motivation going into the tilt. The 76ers will have to be ready against a ticked off and talented Magic squad.
Wednesday brings Chicago into the city of brotherly love. Derrick Rose leads his team in with the best record in the East, currently sitting at 17-5. Known for their defense, it will be a battle to score between these two formidable foes. The Bulls are one of the best teams at taking away a star player, but Philadelphia employs great balance. It should be interesting to see how it plays out.
Come Friday, the Heat will be making their first or two trips into Philly. Miami has been as good as expected early on, posting the second best record in the conference. LeBron James leads his team with 29.5 points per game, second only to the ageless Kobe Bryant. The 76ers will need all hands on deck to slow down Eric Spolstra's high-flying circus, including Chris Bosh who lit them up for 30 points back on Jan. 21.
Finally on Saturday, Philadelphia will take a trip to Atlanta to visit Joe Johnson and the Hawks. Just over a week ago, the 76ers took care of business at home against Atlanta 90-76, with Thaddeus Young scoring 20 points and Elton Brand cleaning the glass with 16 rebounds. They'll need similar efforts to beat the Hawks again, who come into the week only a half game behind the Heat in the Southeast.
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