You gotta play to win: 76ers headed to lottery

Losers of three straight and 10 of 12 games, the Sixers are playing their worst basketball of the season with an upcoming schedule not conducive with mediocre efforts.

Philadelphia, which is only 1 1/2 games ahead of Chicago for the eighth seed in the East, has Cleveland, the Bulls, Boston, Washington, New Jersey and Miami on the schedule.

Even if the Sixers finish eighth in the conference, they will most likely be swept in the first round by the top-seeded Pistons.

Mo Cheeks’ squad, most notably the younger players, must right the ship immediately before fans start counting down the days to the NBA Draft. A few more losses would guarantee them a solid pick this summer.

The Sixers already blew their chances for an Atlantic Division title and are six games below the .500 mark for the first time since December of the 2004 campaign.

Veteran forward Chris Webber voiced his displeasure on the team’s effort, or lack there of, after Wednesday’s 101-91 setback to Detroit. Webber noted that he, along with veterans Allen Iverson and Kevin Ollie, need to start playing better and that the younger players must follow the lead.

Philly will try to get back on track when it opens a home-and-home series with the Knicks on Friday night in the Big Apple.

However, the Sixers have lost their last four road games and are 12-22 away from the Wachovia Center this season.