Philadelphia has lost eleven of their last thirteen games, but Sixers' President/ General Manager Ed Stefanski says that there are no deals in the works, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

"We made it known there is no fire sale here," Stefanski told the Inquirer before the team's loss to the Knicks on Friday night. "We like our young core of kids, and they will get better as they get older."

Chris Webber has often criticized his former coach in Philadelphia Jim O'Brien, and on Monday O'Brien finally responded in a News-Journal article.

"In one of the first conversations I had with Chris Webber, I said, 'This is one of the ways we're going to use you offensively [down low with Kyle Korver on the outside],' " O'Brien said. "And he said, 'Coach, I don't do the low-post thing anymore.'"

"We just made a major trade to bring in this 6-[foot]-11 guy, and he said, 'No,' and I said, 'Yes, you do.'"

"Webber didn't practice at all that year prior to coming to us," he said. "I think he was just at the point where he didn't necessarily feel he was in need of practice or could practice. It became apparent that he was not going to give the Philadelphia 76ers everything that we had hoped for."

Jim O'Brien, now head coach of the Indiana Pacers, has spoken about the rift between himself and Chris Webber when the pair were in Philadelphia, according to the Associated Press.

O'Brien said he could see Webber's unhappiness the moment he arrived in Philadelphia and said the pair clashed from the start.

"He clearly was toward the end of his career," O'Brien said Monday.

"It became very apparent he wasn't going to give the 76ers everything we had hoped for," O'Brien said.

O'Brien added that Webber was never interested in practice or truly committed to the offensive scheme.

"Webber didn't practice at all that year prior to coming to us," O'Brien said. "He didn't practice at all the previous six weeks. I think he was just at the point where he didn't necessarily feel where he was in need of practice, or could practice, or couldn't practice and play at the same time."

"He said, 'Coach, I don't do the low-post thing anymore,"' O'Brien recalled. "We just made a major trade to bring in this 6-11 guy and he said, 'No.' I said, 'Yes, you do."'

Earlier this season, Andre Iguodala turned down a reported $57 million contract extension, but the source of his frustration appears to be the losing, and now he seems to be beaten down by it.

"Because Andre [has been] one of the most talented players on this team and [has] stepped up and taken the leadership role, he feels accountable, and that is a very good leader," said Willie Green, who scored a team high of 18 points, shooting 7 for 19 from the field. "You can see it in his body language. He is frustrated being in this slump as a team, but all of us are."

Recently, Iguodala has been seen sniping at teammates. He also is one of the more animated complainers when talking to officials.

"I am just upset we are not playing up to our ability late in games," Iguodala said. "There are times where we are down in the game mentally, and it's just tough. It's tough losing."

Luol Deng missed his second consecutive game because of left Achilles' tendinitis when the Bulls hosted the Knicks on Tuesday.

Interim Coach Jim Boylan said he hopes Deng, the team's second-leading scorer, plays Friday at Philadelphia. Although his condition is improving, Deng wasn't sure he would be ready by then.

George Karl believes Andre Miller is "still angry" at him. Miller hadn't wanted to leave the Denver Nuggets. Karl hadn't wanted him to leave. But this was the painful reality show that the NBA sometimes can be.

If the Nuggets wanted to acquire Allen Iverson from the 76ers in December 2006, they were going to have to include Miller in the deal. That, of course, is what happened. The Sixers gave up Iverson and Ivan McFarlin for Miller, the expiring contract of Joe Smith and two first-round draft choices.

In the course of the negotiations, Karl recalled, "The only thing I wanted to do was to try to keep Andre [with the Nuggets], because my dream was Andre and A.I. [in the same backcourt]."

"I remembered Eric Snow and A.I. [with the Sixers]," Karl said before last night's 109-96 Denver victory over the Sixers. "Well, Andre is better than Eric Snow."

Former 76er Kyle Korver did not waste time haunting his old team.

Traded on Saturday to Utah, Korver hit five free throws down the stretch and came up with a key loose ball last night as the Jazz held off a frenetic Sixers' rally in a 110-107 win at Energy Solutions Arena.

Korver played only 11 minutes and 23 seconds, but he scored 14 points, hitting 3 of 4 from the field, including both three-point attempts, and 6 of 7 foul shots.

He said it was difficult emotionally to go against his former teammates whom he could only praise.

"They played so hard, and it was another typical game where they just never gave up," Korver said. "They played hard until the end."

Shortly before tip-off of the 76ers' 98-90 win against the Seattle SuperSonics on Monday, Sixers' President/General Manager Ed Stefanski felt compelled to talk about a popular subject: trade rumors regarding Andre Miller.

Since Stefanski dealt Kyle Korver on Saturday to the Utah Jazz for Gordan Giricek and a future first-round pick, his phone has been ringing.

The calls have come from reporters and NBA executives figuring that phase two of his plan will involve dealing Miller.

That's why Stefanski offered to address the issue without being prompted.

"The trade we made, we felt it set us up in the summertime to either get a free agent or a possible trade because we're under the cap," Stefanski said outside the Sixers' locker room at KeyArena. "We don't know who that player is. . . ."

"We're happy with our team and will see what happens in the summer, but I am not shopping Andre Miller around the league."

When the 76ers face the Utah Jazz tonight in Energy Solutions Arena, all it represents to Gordan Giricek is his first game against his former team. The Sixers sent Kyle Korver to the Jazz for Giricek and a future protected first-round draft choice in a deal that was completed early last Saturday morning.

Giricek made his debut Monday night, scoring six points in 13 minutes of the Sixers' 98-90 victory in Seattle. Korver was more high-profile in his Monday Jazz debut, contributing 11 points in 17 minutes and being named player of the game in a 111-101 victory that ended the Portland Trail Blazers' winning streak at 13.

Time, Giricek said, to look ahead rather than behind.

"We're done with that story [of his three seasons-plus with the Jazz]," he said. "I have a new chapter in my basketball career. It's Philadelphia, and I'm going to do everything I can to help the team."

"It will be awkward a little [tonight]. I've been playing basketball a long time, and I don't need any more excitement like that. I don't fall into the [trap] that this is my ex-team; they traded me and now I'm going to do everything I can to beat them. I think I'm going to see it as a game that I'm going to help my new team beat my old team."