Sixers stand tallest with acquisition of Mutombo.(Philadelphia 76ers player Dikembe Mutombo)

When it comes to roster management, I've always adhered to the Charles Oakley philosophy, which states, "If it ain't broke, don't break it."

But something tells you that the move pulled off by the 76ers last week was the correct roll of the dice at the right moment.

No one in the Eastern Conference is willing to admit it, but the Sixers' acquisition of Dikembe Mutombo last Thursday scared the hell out of everyone who thought they were a contender the day before. You could tell by some of the reactions, such as this one from Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy: "Obviously, they've set their sights on winning a championship this year."

Oh, now we get it And to think, all along we were under the misconception that 41-14 was just a trial run for a title run in 2004. Seriously, even some of Philly's greatest admirers (of which Van Gundy is a notable member) still harbored some doubt about the Sixers' viability in a series against one of the Western titans. Dikembe's arrival changes all that. Whereas some general managers refer to Theo Ratliff as "short in the pants"--that's this year's operative term for undersized--there's nothing small about Deke, and size will count for something when (not if) the Sixers get to June.

Indeed, you had to admire what Ratliff--who went to the Hawks in the deal, along with Toni Kukoc, Nazr Mohammed and Pepe Sanchez--has become, and how well his post game is developing. But this deal was about two things: expedience and impact. The Sixers had to start wondering how many more bullets they could dodge, how much longer they could hold out against another long-term injury--so Ratliff's six-week absence had to make them very nervous.

"Everybody's talking about not trying to fix something that's going in the right direction," Larry Brown says. "But when I saw Tyrone Hill sprain his ankle (the day before the trade), the only thing I could think of is that you can't take anything for granted in this league."

Moreover, Theo is a great shot blocker--leads the league, in fact--but Dikembe is an offense--blocker There is a difference. The last we looked, there are only two players who can dominate entire games at the defensive end, and one of them is on the injured list in Miami. Once Mutombo becomes assimilated, 75-point games by Sixers opponents will become the norm.