Cavs-76ers In-Game Report

End 3Q: Sixers 89, Cavs 74
* Not much left to say. Sixers built the lead to 23 before Cavs cut it to 15 with a small burst.

* Their only way back into this game is to play defense and get stops. They can't outscore the Sixers at this point and they haven't shown the ability to play any defense for more than a week.

Half: Sixers 66, Cavs 54
* Evan Turner missed a long jumper with 8:56 left in the quarter, but the Sixers didn't miss another shot until until Lou Williams' short jumper clanged out with five minutes left. That's four minutes of perfect shooting. And that's what is wrong with the Cavs' defense.

* J.J. Hickson for Antawn Jamison seems the most likely switch, but Hickson has actually played pretty well tonight. If Boobie was about four inches taller and 25 pounds heavier, he'd be the starting shooting guard.

* The Cavs are shooting 58 percent and they trail by 12. They're getting beaten up on the boards and they have seven turnovers, compared to three for the Sixers. Anthony Parker has three turnovers. Mo Williams and Sessions each have a pair.

* Jamario Moon still M.I.A. He didn't play in the first half and he didn't play Sunday against Detroit, either.

End 1Q: Sixers 35, Cavs 26
* This is the final notice for the starting unit as it stands now. If Byron Scott doesn't like what he sees in the first half, he promised to make changes to start the second half and those changes will carryover to the starting lineup Wednesday against Chicago.

* There aren't very many moves Scott can make. He's certainly not going to mess with Anderson Varejao at center and Mo Williams would seem second on the safe list. He can't start Boobie Gibson at shooting guard because it leaves the Cavs too small and vulnerable defensively. That leaves the 3 and the 4. He already has made one move from Jamario Moon to Joey Graham at the 3. Scott said before the game Graham has struggled the last couple of games and he likes the way Jawad Williams has played lately, but that's hardly a change that will pull a team out of this funk.

* That leaves benching J.J. Hickson in favor of Antawn Jamison as the only other move he could make. The front office seems to favor Hickson in the starting lineup, but Scott has made it very clear he wants to win and he's not worried about grooming a player for the future. Hickson still isn't grasping the defense and rebounding Scott keeps asking for.

* That said, Hickson was OK in the first half. Not terrible, not terrific. Couple of baskets, a rebound and a turnover.

* The Cavs' defense just isn't getting any better. The Sixers drove the middle of the lane too many times in the quarter and had open looks on the perimeter. The players seem to be confused about where they're supposed to rotate on defense. Two defenders run at one guy, leaving another shooter wide open.