Sixers Vs. Bulls: Doug Collins Taps Lavoy Allen to Start Over Hawes, Vucevic

In what has to simultaneously be the most and least surprising news of all time, Doug Collins has decided to start Temple rookie Lavoy Allen at center over Spencer Hawes and Nikola Vucevic. If you remember, just a few days ago Doug essentially said he doesn't know who it's going to be, but it won't be Vuce. That's nice, Doug. Good confidence boost for Nik.

Here's what I said two days ago:

He's got 13 games on the season but Collins gave him most of March and April off for an extended St. Patrick's Day holiday. 9 points and 4 boards in 19 minutes against Cleveland may be enough for Doug to pull his starting trigger. What have you done for me lately, indeed. Of the candidates, Lavoy is the least pillowy soft.

So Doug goes with Lavoy, previously ranked THE WORST PLAYER IN THE NBA, to start a postseason game as a rookie. Take that, every Hall of Famer ever. Cherry and White, baby. It's indicative of the sad state of the Sixers bigs that Doug chooses Allen, who was a DNP-CD the last time these two teams met in March. Whoever's the least terrible gets to start!

Starting doesn't really matter for the Sixers because Nik played less than 3 minutes the other night out of the starting spot. I'm just happy it's not Tony Battie. Actually, I'm ecstatic that it's not Battie. Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer are licking their jobs to get a chance at Lavoy, but he's hands down the best defender and has a bit of muscle to him (WHAT UP NORTH PHILLY) so it won't be as easy as E.D. Hawes getting the call.

At the very least, we know what Spencer will be doing in his hotel room before the game tomorrow.