The Sixers have reached the midpoint of an 82-game season with 17 wins.

Doug Collins did not need a computer, an abacus, a calculator, an app.

“That plays out to 34," he said. "I am very concerned. We are seven games below .500. We are going to have to play over .500 basketball to make the playoffs. So, sure, I am concerned. But we are going to keep playing and see what we can do every night.”

He is concerned, he is right to be concerned, and he will continue to be concerned, at least until Andrew Bynum can get off his anti-gravity treadmill and into his lineup.

That's because Collins --- and the 15,346 in Wells Fargo Center --- saw the difference between the Sixers and the Spurs. "They are," he said, "a model of excellence."

They are, the Sixers are not, and though they do not quit, they are flawed, very flawed. And that's why Collins displayed that rare moment of exasperation.

Check out my column on the Sixers in the Daily Times Monday, and, as always, on delcotimes.com