There was a lot of talk during the All-Star break that the Sixers had turned the corner on their first-halt struggles.

Last night they turned the corner, and drove right off a cliff.

The Sixers were, in a word, horrid in getting blown out by the Miami Heat.

Coach Eddie Jordan didn’t even try to sugar-coat it in his post-game comments.

“A classic, classic butt-kicking,” is the way Jordan summed it up. Hard to disagree with him.

What is going to be hard for the Sixers is to turn this thing around.

All eyes will now focus on G.M. Ed Stefanski, who has until the NBA trade deadline of 3 p.m. Thursday to do something about this wretched mess.

Maybe that’s the answer. Maybe the Sixers shouldn’t do anything. What’s the point of winning a few more games, or staging a late-season push to get into the playoffs.

For what? So they can be summarily dispatched in the first round?

This team needs a total makeover. And to do it they actually need to get worse. They need to get into the lottery so they can get a stud player they can build around.

It’s pretty obvious Andre Iguodala is not that players. Neither is Elton Brand.

Allen Iverson? He had four points after shooting one for seven from the field.

The stage is yours, Mr. Stefanski. You got us into this. You gave Iguodala that huge contract. You brought in Brand as the key player to build around. You decided Jordan was an NBA coach.

Now let’s see if you can get us out of this mess.

Hey, how ‘bout those Phillies!