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Iverson sparks 76ers past Spurs in OT
(AP)
Updated: 2006-02-16 13:39
PHILADELPHIA - Before Wednesday night's game against Philadelphia, San
Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich praised his team's recent play in the fourth
quarter.
Philadelphia 76ers
guard Allen Iverson (R) shoots under pressure from the San Antonio Spurs
forward Bruce Bowen (L) and Spurs center Rasho Nesterovic during the
second quarter of their NBA game in Philadelphia February 15, 2006.
| A few hours later, Popovich watched his team fall apart in the
final 12 minutes.
Allen Iverson scored 42 points and the 76ers made up a five-point deficit in
the final 20 seconds of regulation on their way to a 103-100 overtime victory
over the Spurs.
San Antonio, which had a nine-game winning streak snapped Monday at
Cleveland, heads into the All-Star break losers of two straight.
"It (stinks) — especially because we really feel like we gave this one away,"
Tim Duncan said. "The last game we got beat pretty good. Tonight we come out and
try to sure up a couple of things, and we still get a bunch of turnovers and
missed free throws, and we still have a chance to win down the stretch and give
it away."
Chris Webber added 21, including a key pair of free throws in overtime, for
the Sixers, who broke a three-game losing streak.
"We know how these games are," Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. "We've been
on the other side. We had games we thought we won, and the other team came back.
San Antonio had the game won."
Hounded by Bruce Bowen, Iverson struggled early and hit just three of his
first 11 shots from the field. He finished 17-for-37 from the field and 8-for-8
from the foul line. He also had nine assists, eight rebounds and two of the
Sixers' season-high 16 steals.
"If that doesn't let us know we can beat a good team, I don't know what
will," Iverson said. "Hopefully this one will give us some confidence, coming
back on the World Champs."
Only twice this season have the Spurs lost consecutive games.
"No one expected us to win this game," Cheeks said. "That's the reason you
play."
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