I know you don’t wanna hear this but the Philadelphia 76ers are done. Turn the propane off on the grill, turn off the back porch light and call it a night cuz these boys are over. History. Finito. 

Here’s why.

In the post game press conference on Wednesday following Game 4, I saw what I thought was the unthinkable. All Allen Iverson did was whine, whine and whine some more. No matter how his soundbite began, it always ended with a whine. "Shaq gets to do whatever he wants. They get the respect out there. They get the calls." Wonk, wonk, wonk! 

Allen, baby, you’ve totally shattered my image of you. You don’t whine. That’s Scottie Pippen’s job. You’re the warrior. Non-ballers whine. Certified ballers like you, never make excuses for getting polished. They just shut up and play. 

The ugly truth is that the Sixers are no match for the Lakers. Yes, they spanked Los Angeles in Game One and woke their Hollywood arses up. But in a seven-game series, the hardest working team in the league cannot hang with the mega power of Shaquille O'Neal. And as slow as Iverson makes Kobe Bryant look at times, you can’t deny that at 6’8", Kobe poses some deathly problems for most defenders.

So, can the Sixers whip up enough magic to shock the Lakers? Will Ally McBeal ever wear a double digit sized skirt? Please. But let’s say for entertainment purposes that AI and his boyz decide to show up in Game 5, here’s what they’ll need to do.

#1. Quit whining (surprised?) and play your game. 
#2. Make Shaq give up the ball. When he turns over that left shoulder to shimmy with that patented drop step flush (which he does 85% of the time), have a defender (plus Mutombo) lying in wait for the charge. 
#3. Make some freakin’ shots and stop waiting on Iverson to heat up (he’s shooting less than 50% in the series). All the defense in the world is moot unless you can make a wide open 10-foot jump shot. 
#4. Consider shot selection. So, you’re a high octane, fast breakin’ machine? You’ve still gotta have enough upstairs to realize that high percentage shots (ergo layups and dunks) will always come before a three-ball in transition. 
#5. Bring in some oxygen tanks. Your orange fuel light was flashing before the end of the first quarter last time out. And if all of this fails, well, at least you got there, fellas. And that’s more than your team’s done in the last 18 years. 

Check out Fran's weekly WNBA column, One-on-One with Fran Harris.
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