76ers keep fading, lose to turmoil-racked Magic, 88-82

Doug Collins has just about had enough. The 76ers coach inferred that lineup changes could take place if the team continues its floundering ways.

After losing their third consecutive game in Saturday's 88-82 loss to the Orlando Magic at the Wells Fargo Center, Collins blasted his team and subsequently his starters for slow starts.

Orlando took a 12-2 lead to open the game and also began the third quarter on a 15-7 run.

Collins said he won't make a change for Sunday's game in Boston against the Celtics, but all bets are off after that. The Sixers trail the Celtics by two games in the Atlantic Division, with both teams having 11 left to play.

"I am going to give the starting unit one more time and if we start like that again, I'm going to make a change," Collins said. ". . . They will get a chance [Sunday] but I told them we can't keep digging holes like that."

It appears that the former starter Jodie Meeks could be getting his spot back. Meeks had 16 points off the bench. He and Lou Williams, who scored 15 off the bench, gave the Sixers energy.

Collins inferred that Williams would continue to come off the bench, but he also lavished praise on Meeks, which means Evan Turner's days as a starter could be numbered.

"Jodie is a glue guy who brings an element," Collins said.

Meeks has never been one to lobby for a starting spot.

"I will do whatever the coaches ask me to do," Meeks said. "If it happens, great; if not, great. I will do any role they want me to play."

The starters - Turner, Spencer Hawes, Jrue Holiday, Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand - shot a combined 13 for 44.

"We got 15 points off turnovers, we had 23 assists, seven turnovers, but we just couldn't make a shot," Collins said.

Yet another bench player, Thaddeus Young, led the Sixers with 20 points, including eight in the fourth quarter.

For Orlando, Dwight Howard had 20 points and 22 rebounds, but more importantly he shot 12 for 18 from the foul line after entering the game as a 48.6 percent free throw shooter.

In addition, Glen Davis scored a team-high 23 points, including 15 in the third quarter, while J.J. Redick scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter.

The Magic were without starters Ryan Anderson (sprained ankle) and Hedo Turkoglu (facial fracture) and reserve swingman Quentin Richardson (back spasms).

Orlando is also dealing with the after affects of Thursday's press gathering, where coach Stan Van Gundy told the media that Howard wanted him fired.

"It was weird," said Magic point guard Jameer Nelson said about the situation.

Van Gundy and Howard have both said they have put the incident behind them, and for one night that was the case as Orlando snapped a five-game losing streak.

Meanwhile in the home locker room, the Sixers didn't have many answers.

"We have to do something," said Brand, who had seven points and 11 rebounds.

Point guard Jrue Holiday and Andre Iguodala both shot 2 for 9 from the field.

"I don't want to say we have to force the issue but we have to be the aggressor in the beginning of the game," Holidsay said. ". . . We need to start better."

The Sixers got to within 82-80 when Williams hit two free throw with 2:21 left, but Howard then made five free throws on four possessions while the Sixers didn't score, extending the lead to 87-80.