NEW YORK -- Addressing his Eastern Conference All-Stars before their upset win in the MCI Center, Larry Brown told his players: "You can't give up any layups to the West. Keep them away from the basket."

	Without Theo Ratliff, Philly will have to adjust the style of play.

While his All-Stars did the job, now we'll see if Brown's Sixers can keep teams away from the basket, without the benefit of having the backbone of their championship-quality defense.

With Theo Ratliff out for the next six weeks, if not lot longer, due to a stress fracture of the right wrist that yet may require surgery, it's going to be practically impossible for the Sixers to keep winning at their current pace. So much of their success has started at the defensive end, Ratliff's loss could even wind up costing them the top seeding in the East.

Behind Ratliff, the Sixers have the fifth-best defense, allowing only 89.6 ppg and 42 percent shooting. They also boast the fifth-best block average.

You just can't underestimate Ratliff's loss.

"It's like a nightmare," Allen Iverson said before winning his MVP award Sunday. "I thought it was a nightmare when I first heard about it. But when I saw him with the cast, it wasn't a nightmare. It was a reality."

The harsh reality is that without Ratliff, the Sixers don't have the league's top shot-blocker anymore. Ratliff was on his way to winning Defensive Player of the Year honors, at least on this scorecard, with his 187 blocks, going into the Sixers' game Tuesday in Milwaukee. His total was only eight fewer than the entire team totals of New York and Miami.

"We'll be OK -- I pray," said Sixers president Pat Croce.

They'll all be praying in Philly since the Sixers have to turn to two reserves, Todd MacCulloch and Nazr Mohammed, to patrol the lane. Matt Geiger is still out with a knee injury. Not that any of the three can really step in and replace their All-Star teammate.

"They're not shot-blockers," said the Bucks' Ray Allen. "So now, we've got to take advantage of it. Without Theo, you're taking away the best defensive player in the league. I think that could make them more vulnerable."

Right where they were once almost impenetrable.

"It's going to be like playing Miami now without Alonzo Mourning," the Knicks' Allan Houston observed. "I think we'll all be attacking the basket now. The Sixers don't just let people go by them and funnel them to Theo. We didn't do that when we had Patrick (Ewing) back there to block shots. But as an offensive player, you always knew in the back of your mind that even if you made a hard move to get to the basket, Theo would always be there. So it always required extra effort to score inside against them. Now, he won't be there."

How long is the key question. If, in two weeks, the wrist isn't healing properly, Ratliff likely will have to require surgery. That's where the six-week timetable could change dramatically, to the detriment of the Sixers. As it is, over the next month and a half, they're looking at 18 games, with 10 at home and eight on the road. It's no easy stretch, considering that they have to play the Bucks (three times), Lakers, Suns, Heat and Kings. And, he might also have to miss a three-game West Coast swing to Seattle, the Clippers and Phoenix.

It's not just Ratliff's presence they'll miss inside, either.

"I'll tell you this, Allen Iverson leads the league in steals because Theo is leading the league in blocked shots," Ray Allen said. "Allen can take more gambles because he knows if he gambles and misses, then his guy is going right to the basket, where Theo is sitting, waiting on him. He has more confidence that way."

Iverson has seen the Sixers successfully deal with the losses of Geiger and Eric Snow. But this might be one injury they can't overcome.

"Theo's an All-Star and he's helped us get so far with his success," he said. "You get worried now. It will be tough on us. If a guy scores a layup or an easy basket, everybody will feel like, if Theo was back there, it wouldn't have happened. And, we'll miss his presence down low. We'll all have to step up and play better. I'll have to elevate my game. I'll try to do it. We've shown a lot of character so far. Now, we'll definitely find out what we're made of."

So will the rest of the East.

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