As the Sixers continue the ups-and downs of an inconsistent season, Larry Brown may be contemplating getting off the ride. Bernard Fernandez of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that Brown talked about finding a replacement to lead his team after a disappointing 97-83 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in front of the home fans.

One night after blowing out the Bucks in Milwaukee, they were dominated by the Hawks in Philly. Brown doesn?t understand the inconsistency.

"I hope some of the guys we've gotten will improve," Brown said. "If not...I don't know where we are. Maybe we get somebody in here at my position that can do a better job. I don't know. I think the way this league is, that's the way it goes."

Brown is a well-documented wanderer, but his six years in Philadelphia is the longest of his NBA coaching career. His players have heard him talk about stepping down before, but it might be more serious this time.

Allen Iverson, who scored a game-high 37 points, said he hoped Brown was just venting after one of the team's tougher, more unfathomable losses. "I just hope it's coach being coach," he said. "I can't tell you what he's thinking. I can't say what's going on in his head."

Eric Snow, who tied a career high with 15 assists, is also frustrated with the Sixers? woes. "Everything we did against Milwaukee, we didn't do tonight," Snow said. "That's why you get beat the way we got beat. We've talked about this I don't know how long. We know what we have to do, and we're obviously not doing it. The organization has to decide if this team is good enough to win. If not, they have to make changes."

Brown clearly misses character guys like George Lynch and Tyrone Hill, who willed themselves to give their best for every minute of every game during the more halcyon days of the Brown regime. "We got a lot of new guys who are different than we had before," Brown said. "I think their mentality's different. George Lynch, Tyrone...people like that wouldn't let this happen. Maybe we'd have lost, but it wouldn't be this way."

Asked whether the Sixers were "schizophrenic," Brown said: "Maybe. I watched 'A Beautiful Mind' before the game. I wanted to see Marilyn Monroe, and Phyllis Diller was out there."

In a related story, Stephen A. Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Brown is unhappy with the makeup of his team and is looking to make changes.

The prevailing rumor has them sending Derrick Coleman and his ending contract to Atlanta for ex-sixers/defensive stopper Theo Ratliff. Brown misses the hustle and defense of his 2001 Finals team and bringing Ratliff back would improve their interior defense immensely.

Before the Atlanta trade talks, they talked to the Knicks about trading Keith Van Horn for Latrell Sprewell. Before that, it was Van Horn to Orlando for injured Grant Hill, months after vowing that Van Horn was the answer to their prayers.

It is hard to deny that Latrell Sprewell has been the most valuable Knick this season, especially looking at how the team started out with him sidelined due to injury.  Yet on the verge of the All-Star reserves being announced Sprewell is looking towards teammate Allan Houston to get the nod rather than himself.

"The record should hurt us, but Allan's been great," Sprewell said. "He's one guy who definitely deserves to be there. He had a great first half. [Kurt's] played well but I don't know if it's going to happen."

While Sprewell lobbies for the player he wanted traded not that long ago, his coach Don Cheaney is pushing hard for Kurt Thomas to be selected as a center.

"Because of the circumstances in the East, with the absence of centers, I'd be disappointed if he didn't [make it]," Chaney said of Thomas. "Allan is in a tough field because the number of 2-guards, but I think he'll get consideration. But I think Kurt has an excellent chance because a lot of centers in the league are hurt."

"It would be a great accomplishment but that's not the most important thing for me now," Thomas said.

Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News writes that as the Lakers are trying to get into the top eight in the Western Conference, and thus the playoffs, they may be looking in the direction of Knicks forward Latrell Sprewell as a possible key.

L.A. is trying to find a third scorer to help relieve some of the burden from stars Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, and they have gone as far as holding internal discussions about trading for the Knicks' small forward, even asking Shaq for his input.

Two names mentioned from the Lakers have been Derek Fisher and Samaki Walker, but combined the Lakers are roughly $8M short of arriving at a deal which would be accepted by the league.  The Knicks, however, continue trying to find other teams who might be interested in Sprewell.

"They've got maybe one player I like - Kurt Thomas - because his money matches his talent," said one Western Conference VP, citing the $5 mil Thomas makes this season, and the $5.4 mil for next. "But who wants Spree at his money?"

Latrell Sprewell is no stranger to trade rumors.  As Feb 20 draws closer he has already been linked with Miami and Dallas, with Milwaukee and Philadelphia also on the cards.  So how does a professional athlete deal with such matters?  "If it happens it happens," is how Sprewell puts it.

Sprewell maintains that he wants to remain with his New York Knicks, helping them back into the playoffs.  But Sprewell is also a realist and knows that trades are a  part of the business.

"The only thing I can do is go out and try and play hard and do the right things on the floor and help us win," he said yesterday. "Anything outside of that is out of my control."

Mark Cuban is what you may cal a "hands-on" owner of the Mavericks. He goes to every game and most practices. He is often seen shooting baskets with his players during warm-ups. James Dolan is much more "hands-off" with his Knicks.

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that Cuban may have a different style than Dolan, but he understands and respects the Knick?s head man and Cablevision chief.

Last month in Dallas, Cuban told a group of New York writers, "If you're not an involved owner, you're an idiot. You live with your [salary-cap] mistakes longer than you live with some spouses." At the time, that remark could have been interpreted as a shot at Dolan.

Cuban elaborated on Dolan?s situation. "If you haven't noticed, the cable industry is going through some challenges right now in the stock market," he said. "I don't blame him at all for focusing on Cablevision. He has a huge, unjust luxury tax bill to pay that impacts [Cablevision's] bottom line. As a shareholder, I want him doing exactly that."

"He has great people [working for him] at the Knicks," Cuban added. "I think [Scott] Layden is a good GM and [Garden president] Steve Mills is doing a great job running the team. Just because the media is impatient doesn't mean they are doing the wrong thing. If I had a company the size of Cablevision to run, it would be impossible to spend as much time on the Mavs as I do."

Chris Tomasson reports on Marcus Camby's ankle.

Chris Tomasson of the Rocky Mountain News writes about last nights Nuggets loss to the New York Knicks.

Chris Tomasson of the Rocky Mountain News reports on all the Marcus Camby rumors flying around.

Nuggets play the Knicks tonight in the Garden.  Gametime is 5:30 and will be on Fox Sports Net and AM950.