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Sixers try to improve upon opening night win percentage

Nov 1, 2006 - 3:21 PM Atlanta (26-56) at Philadelphia (38-44) 7:00 pm EST

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the best all-time in season openers.

Allen Iverson and the Sixers will look to improved upon that fact when they begin their 2006-07 campaign against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.

Philadelphia is 38-19 lifetime in its first game of the season, placing itself atop the all-time list with San Antonio (20-10), which also has won 67 percent of its openers. The Sixers should feel pretty confident facing the Hawks, who have dropped their last seven games to open a campaign.

Iverson and Chris Webber will once again lead Philadelphia's offensive charge. The duo led the league with 53.3 points per game last season, largely due to Iverson's 33 which trailed only Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (35.4).

During the offseason, the Sixers picked up a pair of players in draft-day trades, acquiring athletic swingman and 17th overall pick Rodney Carney from the Chicago Bulls and second-round selection Bobby Jones from the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Meanwhile, Atlanta has run into some preseason misfortune. As soon as newly acquired point guard Speedy Claxton was due to return from a left hand injury, second-year forward Marvin Williams went down with a broken finger on Thursday, sidelining him for six to eight weeks.

With the departure of last season's second-leading scorer Al Harrington, Williams was in line to become the second option behind Joe Johnson, but now that role must be filled by someone else.

In the draft, the Hawks addressed their interior defensive concerns by selecting shot blocker Shelden Williams fifth overall and 6-10 Solomon Jones in the second round. They also signed free agent Lorenzen Wright.

The Sixers took two of three meetings from the Hawks last season and have won five straight over Atlanta here.