Some people believe in reincarnation, whereby the spirit of a deceased person is reborn in another living being.

That theory does not apply to Maurice Cheeks and Eric Snow because, well, both are very much alive. But to longtime followers of the 76ers, it might be argued that Snow, the Sixers' point guard, is the ideological and stylistic successor to Cheeks, who established the franchise standard for the position during 11 highly productive seasons here from 1978 to '89.

The Mo 'n' Snow way is to lead quietly, to keep the team's higher-profile players happy and well-supplied with scoring opportunities while playing tough defense and allowing the designated stars to dominate the spotlight. If it is possible to be assertive on the court while appearing to be submissive to others' needs, then Cheeks and Snow qualify as two of the finest supporting players ever to set up Philly's leading men.