Sixers Notes: 76ers lead NBA with lowest turnover average

ORLANDO - Entering Wednesday's matchup with the Magic, the 76ers had the lowest turnover average - 13.3 per game - in the NBA.

That statistic is surprising considering that last season, the Sixers were hardly models of fundamentals, and even earlier this season the team struggled to keep its turnover count low.

But, as this season progresses, things are changing. Entering the game, the Sixers were committing fewer turnovers than the Miami Heat (13.56), San Antonio Spurs (13.63), Los Angeles Lakers (13.79), Boston Celtics (14.5), and every other team in the league.

At 17.1 turnovers a game, the Minnesota Timberwolves had the league's highest average.

"It's one of the things that we really stress because I feel a live-ball turnover is two points the other way," Sixers coach Doug Collins said before the game. "If a team is getting eight steals against you, that's probably going to convert to 16 points."

Those giveaway buckets are important to the Sixers because, as Collins admitted Wednesday, the team is "offensively challenged."

Added Collins: "They know [taking care of the ball] is important to me."

Sixers rookie Evan Turner said that during the preseason, Collins made the team run for committing turnovers "every now and then."

"But he just really stressed it to us," Turner said. "If it got out of hand, then definitely we ran, but we did a lot of passing drills and things like that. Full-court drills and transition drills, because it's mostly just a mental thing."

On Dec. 18, the Sixers defeated Orlando, 97-89, at the Amway Center. That was the same day the Magic made two blockbuster trades and were without two starters. On Wednesday, nearly a month later, Orlando was hardly shorthanded.

"This team rolls out of bed and gets 100 points," quipped Collins.

"I think they're back to the classic Orlando team they were before: having three or four guys stepping out on the perimeter and making three-point shots and spacing the floor," Sixers guard Lou Williams said. "We go back to our traditional way of guarding them and trying to run them off the line and make plays at the rim."

Sixers forward Andres Nocioni (fractured right middle finger) was shooting with his left hand before the game but was not active against the Magic. Collins said Nocioni, who is listed as day-to-day, might play on Thursday night against the Bobcats in Charlotte but would more likely be ready for Saturday night's home game against the Utah Jazz.

- Kate Fagan