Throughout the Utah Jazz's eight-game road win streak, coach Jerry Sloan has emphasized that his team has caught some opponents at good times - usually when they were tired.
The Jazz may be catching the Sixers at a good time, too, but not because of fatigue. According to the Philadelphia media, the Sixers are a team in disarray.Philly has lost three games in a row, five of six. The Sixers' only win came when journeyman guard Willie Burton scored 53 against Miami. After an injury-riddled Detroit Pistons squad came in here Saturday night and pulled off a victory over the Sixers, team owner Harold Katz made a 20-minute visit to the locker room. Later, Katz criticized players who aren't performing, such as Shawn Bradley and Scott Williams. Late in that game, team star Clarence Weatherspoon had been benched by coach John Lucas. Weatherspoon is reportedly unhappy that Burton is getting more focus in the offense.
And there's some urgency to right this sinking ship soon; after playing the Jazz Tuesday night at the Spectrum, the Sixers embark on an eight-game, 17-day road trip.
"One thing we've got to continue to do is stay together," Lucas told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I'm really trying to stress that we don't have individual agendas versus team agendas."
Right now, it sounds like the Sixers are anything but together. And Katz is getting impatient.
"It's not just a matter or effort, it's a matter of not playing smart," Katz told the Daily News. "We're finding ways to do something silly. The Pistons were missing four guys and should've been blown out. But we let teams stay in games they shouldn't be in."
Katz singled out ex-BYU star Bradley for inconsistent play.
"I know what Dana Barros is going to give me every night, but I don't know about Shawn," he said. "What he has been doing doesn't warrant the money ($44.28 million over eight seasons) that I'm paying him. He wanted the money, and now he has to perform."
Bradley had 13 rebounds and five blocked shots against Detroit, but he has fouled out of five of his last eight games.
"We talked about roles," Katz said, "and the roles for Shawn and Scott aren't hard . . . rebound and play defense. They need to do it, but not one out of three nights."
It hasn't helped that ex-Jazzman Jeff Malone has missed the last five games with a bruised heel. The Sixers considered putting him on the injured list and picking up another player, but Malone ran Sunday for the first time and may try to play against the Jazz. In the meantime, Malone says he's been frustrated.
"There's not a lot I can do," he said. "I know there's going to be a certain amount of pain to tolerate the rest of the year. It's not going to get totally better until the season's over and I can rest it for two or three weeks."
Part of the Sixers' problem, of course, is the expectation level (probably unrealistic) of fans not known for tolerance. As has been pointed out many times, these people even booed baseball great Mike Schmidt.
"The environment here the last three years was one of losing, with no pressure to win," Lucas said. "Now we're feeling pressure to win and aren't handling it very well."
Weatherspoon criticized Sixer fans for being as inconsistent as the team.
"Sometimes this building is a joke," he said. "In places like Sacramento, even if (the Kings) are down, they still cheer. Here, the only time they're behind us is when we're coming back or we have a big lead."
And lately, that has meant few opportunities to cheer.
GAME NOTES: Karl Malone was limping a little Monday, after being kneed in the thigh early in Sunday's game against Milwaukee. He's expected to play.