Williams, Dalembert help 76ers halt skid

Maybe it was going to a deeper bench. Or perhaps the team was just sick of losing. Or it could have been the opponent.

No matter what the reason was, the 76ers snapped a three-game losing streak and beat the New York Knicks, 101-90, last night at the Wachovia Center.

The Sixers will go for their first two-game winning streak of the season when they visit these Knicks tonight at Madison Square Garden.

Maybe the Sixers should play all their games on Fridays. They are 4-2 on that day and 2-11 the rest of the week.

Lou Williams, who scored just two first-half points, was the spark the Sixers needed after intermission. He finished the game with 15 points.

"I wanted to make sure I did my part - come in and give a spark and make sure we maintained the lead," Williams said.

It helps when Samuel Dalembert can stay on the floor for long stretches. Last night, the Sixers center had 20 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocked shots, shooting 9 for 12 from the floor in more than 36 minutes.

When he has led the team in scoring this season, the Sixers are 3-1.

Reggie Evans chipped in with his first double-double of the season, 11 points and 12 rebounds.

"When we are getting the ball inside, it makes us a better team," Dalembert said.

The Sixers have lacked a consistent offensive presence. When Dalembert can operate down low, the team has better balance.

"It helps a lot because it opens up the court for everybody," said Andre Miller, who had 11 assists, giving him 23 in his last two games. "It helps a lot with our ball movement."

Evans isn't counted on to score, but when he does, it's a big bonus.

"I have to take advantage of those opportunities near the basket," he said. "And Coach told me I need one to two transition baskets."

Before the game, Maurice Cheeks talked about expanding his rotation. He had been going with eight players, but rookie Thaddeus Young made it nine last night. Young, who hadn't played in the last four games, had four points and two rebounds in more than 12 effective minutes.

"I thought in the second half Thaddeus was good," Cheeks said. "He played good defense, caused one turnover and another 24-second violation."

No Sixer played as many as 37 minutes, and the team was fresh down the stretch.

In the fourth quarter, Williams scored eight points, and Dalembert and Kyle Korver added six each.

For Korver, the game represented a return to his three-point shot, which has been MIA for most of the season.

In the previous four games, Korver was 1 for 15 from beyond the arc. Last night, he hit all three of his three-point shots, which accounted for his nine points.

"It's going to take a couple of games before you start feeling really good," Korver said.

During warm-ups, he said things felt different.

I told [assistant] Coach [John] Loyer that I might have found something," Korver said. "It just felt better tonight, and hopefully I can carry it over tomorrow."

Jamal Crawford scored 28 points, including 17 in the final quarter, but the lack of a low-post game hurt the Knicks.

Zach Randolph had just four points, and Eddy Curry scored 12.

"It just seems like we were out of rhythm," said Knicks coach Isiah Thomas, whose team had won four of its previous six games. "But you have to give the other team credit for getting us out of our rhythm."

And for showing a low-post game.