Sixers Notes: Injured Andres Nocioni insists on staying in the Sixers' lineup

Andres Nocioni admits that he's feeling a lot of pain, but for now he doesn't want to hear about sitting out.

In the 76ers' win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday, Nocioni suffered a dislocated and fractured middle finger on his right (shooting) hand.

The next night he played 39 minutes in the Sixers' 112-109 overtime loss at Detroit.

"It's really painful right now and sore," Nocioni said before Tuesday's 111-103 loss to Indiana at the Wells Fargo Center. "The improvement hasn't been there yet, but I think I can play through it."

Nocioni labored against the Pacers and played just 2 minutes, 48 seconds.

"He tried to play but he couldn't do it," Sixers coach Doug Collins said.

Nocioni started the previous seven games in place of Andre Iguodala, who had been out with right Achilles tendinitis. Iguodala started Tuesday.

Since sitting out Jan. 3 in New Orleans with a back strain, Sixers center Spencer Hawes has struggled.

Entering Tuesday night, he had averaged 6.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in three games since he sat out.

Hawes said he was feeling much better physically. "I've done pretty much everything in practice," he said. "Right now there aren't a lot of opportunities to take a break."

Former Sixers coach Jim O'Brien, now in his fourth season guiding the Pacers, had high praise for his former team from his hometown.

O'Brien said that Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird is impressed with the development of the Sixers.

"Larry was saying to me that the 76ers really get after you and they play games with a real purpose," O'Brien said during Tuesday's shoot-around. "There is no letup, and I concur."

O'Brien lauded the job Collins has done with the team and feels that better days are ahead.

"They have tenacity, speed, and a terrific nucleus of young and older players to not only succeed this year but to put them in a position to be a significant player in the East for years to come," O'Brien said.

Sixers forward-center Tony Battie did not attend the game for personal reasons. . . . The Sixers resume action Friday at the Wells Fargo Center against another team battling for an Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Sixers beat the Milwaukee Bucks, 90-79, on Nov. 19 at home in the only meeting between the two this season. - Marc Narducci