O'Brien newest coach of 76ers\nPHILADELPHIA -- Jim O'Brien wanted to coach the Philadelphia 76ers -- and Allen Iverson.\n"When you're dealing with somebody like Allen, I really want to be as close to 100 percent sure as I possibly could that I'd be coaching him," O'Brien said.\nO'Brien got his wish, and the Sixers have their new coach.\nSixers president Billy King reiterated Wednesday he will not try to trade Iverson, a former league MVP and scoring champion who is signed through 2008-09.\n"Allen will be here next year," King said.\nSo will O'Brien, the former Boston Celtics coach who was introduced Wednesday. He is Philadelphia's 20th head coach and the third to lead the 76ers since Hall of Famer Larry Brown stepped down last May. Brown, who spent six seasons in Philadelphia, is the coach of the Detroit Pistons.\nKing picked assistant Randy Ayers as Brown's successor, but he was fired 52 games into the season. Ayers was replaced by Chris Ford.\nThe Sixers missed the playoffs for the first time since the 1997-98 season. Ford will remain in the organization.
Prior pitches off mound Wednesday\nPITTSBURGH -- Mark Prior threw nearly 50 pitches off a mound Wednesday and expects to start throwing to batters at the Chicago Cubs' extended spring training camp next week.\nRecovering from right Achilles' tendinitis and a sore elbow, Prior has thrown about 85 pitches since Monday, including some curveballs off a flat surface Wednesday. He threw only 10 pitches in his first session last week.\nPrior plans to throw some breaking balls off the mound during his next throwing session in a few days.\n"It went all right," Prior said Wednesday. "I'm not as accurate as I'd like to be, and I'm not hitting my spots, but I think it will come. It was only my third bullpen session (Wednesday). I'm not necessarily worried."\nPrior, 23, was 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA last season in helping the Cubs reach the National League championship series. He finished third in Cy Young Award voting.\nThe right-hander will continue his bullpen sessions until heading to camp in Mesa, Ariz., next week. The Cubs aren't setting a definitive timetable for Prior's return, but mid-May has been mentioned.\nPrior probably will go on a minor league rehabilitation assignment in early May.
