During their 11-15 start, the Sixers have been a mere shell of last season's Eastern Conference champions. They have lost to one quality opponent after another and gift-wrapped victories for far inferior teams. Road wins have been few and far between.

Meanwhile, the players have seen Larry Brown accept more responsibility. But at least in the last week, seeming not to recognize the restraint their coach has exhibited, they have expressed fear of a public lashing by him.

All of this would appear to be enough to lead Brown to say, "I don't need this anymore," particularly with the Sixers about to embark on a difficult seven-game road swing, beginning with a game tomorrow night with the Los Angeles Lakers, the defending NBA champions.

But Brown has no intention of walking away. Not now, anyway. Instead, he seems to be in a reflective mood, remembering mistakes that he has made and determined to lift his team out of mediocrity by not duplicating those mistakes.