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Brown gets 1,000th win; Knicks beat Hawks
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-14 10:56 Ricky Davis scored 33 points and Mark Blount had 27 for the Celtics.
"It's tough, but it's fun," said Boston's Paul Pierce, who scored 18 points.
"It's draining, but I'm glad I had a chance to be a part of it."
Samuel Dalembert had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Kyle Korver added 12
points — including his biggest 3-pointer of the season — as the Sixers avoided
dropping two games under .500 for the first time since Dec. 9.
"It was an amazing game," Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said.
With the Sixers ahead 125-124 and only seconds left in the third overtime,
Blount grabbed a defensive rebound and looked down the court for an open man,
only to have Webber reach around and strip the ball.
"That was a game-saving steal," Cheeks said.
Iverson missed two free throws — the second intentionally — with 2 seconds
left in the Sixers' longest game since a triple OT victory over Miami on Nov.
20, 1992.
Korver prolonged the drama in the 395th game between the longtime, fierce
rivals when he buried a game-tying 3-pointer over a flailing Delonte West to end
the second overtime tied at 121-all.
"I pulled up, and gave about all I had," Korver said. "It was on line,
luckily."
Iverson calmly pumped his fist, his face expressionless as if he expected it.
Brian Scalabrine mouthed "What are you going to do?" as the rest of the Celtics
headed for the bench stunned.
Boston scored the first three points of the third overtime on a free throw
and then a basket from Blount.
Over? No way.
Andre Iguodala added a driving layup and Webber gave the Sixers a 125-124
lead on two free throws.
Webber powered his way down the baseline for a layup and a 118-117 lead with
21 seconds left in the second overtime. Pierce lobbed a pass from the top of the
3-point arc to a streaking, wide-open Blount for an uncontested dunk that gave
Boston a 119-118 lead with 17 seconds left in the second OT.
The Celtics appeared to have this game won until Korver did what he does best
— hit a clutch 3-pointer.
Webber scored the first four points of overtime on a turnaround hook and an
18-footer for a 105-101 lead. Davis scored six points in the first overtime to
finish the quarter tied at 109.
Oddly, the Sixers chose to play a clip from "Cheers," Boston's favorite bar,
to get what was left of the sold-out crowd pumped for the second overtime.
Both Davis and Webber picked up offensively where they left off in the first
OT, with Davis' three-point play matched by Webber's 3-pointer from the top of
the arc.
Blount converted a three-point play for a 117-114 lead, only to have Iverson
answer with a layup.
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