Nets rough up Sixers, 96-67

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Nine days from now, if the 76ers end the regular season a game out of ideal playoff position, they will point to tonight's 96-67 loss to the New Jersey Nets as the reason why.

Not only did the Sixers lose, but they lost badly. They trailed by as many as 21 points in the third quarter, then fell behind by 29 in the fourth.

They shot 9 for 23 from the free-throw line, 35.1 percent from the floor, and let the Nets make 11 three-pointers.

The Sixers looked like they were running their offense with a football: Routine passes looked miscalculated, fundamental dribbles bounced out of bounds.

Generally, the Sixers were remarkably ineffective. And don't think that ineffectiveness won't cost them.

The Sixers (40-36) have six games remaining in the regular season, two of which are against the front-running Cleveland Cavaliers and one against the Boston Celtics. Directly ahead of the team is a two-game road trip against the still-in-contention Charlotte Bobcats and Chicago Bulls.

The Sixers entered the game leading the idle Miami Heat (41-36) for the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference. They now trail Miami.

Lou Williams, who was 4 for 15 from the field for 14 points, was the only double-figure scorer for the Sixers. The Nets, led by Vince Carter with 15 points, had seven players reach double figures.

In the first five minutes of the game, the Sixers missed all nine of their shots and scored zero points.

The Sixers' reserves usually stand until the first bucket of the game for the team. They could not finally sit until a back-door cut by Willie Green, which he finished with a layup with 7 minutes, 7 seconds left in the quarter.

For a short spurt - a 16-4 run midway through the first - that awful beginning for the Sixers seemed as far away as if it had happened in another game. The Sixers, down 7-0 to start, surged ahead, 16-11.

The first quarter ended with the Sixers leading, 20-18.

But again, the Sixers could not score to start the second: They didn't make a basket until 9:15 remained.

After a deep jumper from the right corner by New Jersey's Keyon Dooling late in the half, the Nets were ahead, 47-35.

A three-point play by Andre Miller and two free throws by Lou Williams made it a 10-point game with 1:33 left in the half. The Sixers could get no closer.

The Nets went to halftime ahead, 50-39.

Green, who was 4 for 6 in the first half and made the Sixers' only three-pointer, led the team in scoring with nine at the break.

In the first half, Miller, who usually plays 40-plus minutes a game, played only 14:51 as coach Tony DiLeo tried to get his star guard a few minutes of rest on the second night of back-to-back games.