"Doug Collins likes his team. He likes talking about them, too. This year, Collins has spent a lot of time praising the Sixers as a selfless bunch that bought into his team-oriented system.

"As I've said over and over, I wouldn't want to be in any other locker room in the NBA," Collins said. "I'll go with those guys any day."

The question is whether the Sixers' front office and president Rod Thorn will continue to go with those guys. The Sixers fell to the Spurs on Wednesday, but they remain atop the Atlantic Division with an 18-8 record. To date, it has been a wildly impressive season. But that's the thing about success: When you start to have some, it leaves you wanting more. "