The Sixers? Todd MacCulloch has battled foot problems all season and may now be battling for his career. The 7-1 center has been diagnosed with a disease that weakens his legs and disrupts his balance. Doctors say that it is unlikely that he will play basketball again.

MacCulloch has a genetic disorder called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. In most cases, patients with CMT lose normal use of their feet and legs slowly as their nerves stop working properly and their muscles deteriorate.

"It's a progressive disease, and at this time there is no treatment,'' said Dr. Carlos Garcia, a professor of clinical neurology at Tulane. "Sometimes surgery can help, but I don't believe you can play basketball once you have these types of problems in your feet and your hands.''

If the diagnosis is accurate, doctors said that the symptoms would only worsen over time.

"The likelihood of him returning would be low,'' said Dr. Shawn Bird, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania. "An athlete who has already had to miss games because of the onset of symptoms might able to play for a bit while longer, but not at the same level.''