Allen Iverson was practically going
like 60.
Iverson scored a career-high 58 points -- the most in the NBA
this season -- as he rallied the Philadelphia 76ers to a 112-106
overtime victory over the Houston Rockets.
In his fifth career 50-point game, Iverson scored 14 in the
final seven minutes of the fourth quarter, including two free
throws with 23 seconds left that forced overtime.
In the extra session, Iverson made a jumper, a gutsy 3-pointer
and the clinching free throws as he eclipsed his previous career
high of 54, set January 6, 2001 at Cleveland.
"I have won scoring titles, I've scored 50 points before and I
have won individual awards," Iverson said. "I haven't won a
championship and that is the only thing that I am concerned
with."
Iverson made 21-of-42 shots and 14-of-14 free throws as he fell
two points shy of becoming the 17th player in NBA history -- and
the shortest -- to score 60 points in a game.
"You know something? He has the ultimate green light," Rockets
guard Cuttino Mobley said. "It's hard to stop somebody when
he's got the ultimate green light and when (he) gets hot. He's
one of the best players in the league. Plus, he's fast as all
hell."
The NBA's scoring leader more than doubled his average of 28.2
points and established a league season high, one night after Los
Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant scored 56 points in just three
quarters vs. Memphis.
"We knew when Kobe got 56, he'd have a big game," 76ers coach
Larry Brown said. "He was incredible. He played 50 minutes.
He defended and he just played a phenomenal game."
The outburst was the most by any Sixer other than the legendary
Wilt Chamberlain. Chamberlain scored a team-record 68 points at
Chicago on December 16, 1967.
The Sixers are 3-2 when Iverson scores at least 50 points. That
does not include two playoff wins over Toronto last year.
"He is just tremendous," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said.
"We were running guys at him. Iverson just shot it before we
could get anyone across the floor. He was winging them from all
over the place. It was a great performance."
Rookie Speedy Claxton scored 16 points for Philadelphia, which
has won five of its last seven games.
"(Claxton) was aggressive every time he received the ball in a
double-team, shot it, and didn't even think about it," Brown
said. "His defense is just incredible."
"The important thing is trying to stay consistent," Iverson
added. "That's what makes a team good. With bad teams, you
knock them off and good teams you try to knock them off. If you
don't, you give the effort and then that carries on to the next
game."
Cuttino Mobley scored 25 points and Kenny Thomas added 20 for
the Rockets, who wasted a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and have
alternated wins and losses in their last 11 games. Houston fell
to 2-3 in overtime.
"We have had a lot of games like this," Tomjanovich said. "Maybe
this is right where we are."
A scoop layup by Iverson moved the Sixers within 88-85 with 6:58
to go. Consecutive 3-pointers by Philadelphia natives Eddie
Griffin and Mobley rebuilt the lead to nine points, but Iverson
made two free throws and a three-point play before a jumper by
Eric Snow made it 94-92 with 2:59 left.
Thomas made two free throws, but Iverson hit the 500th 3-pointer
of his career and took a steal in for a layup, giving the Sixers
a 97-96 lead with 2:05 remaining.
Griffin turned a low-post jumper into a three-point play for a
99-97 edge with seconds to play. Iverson tied it with two from
the line 25 seconds later and the Rockets did not get off a last
shot.
"Nothing ever materialized," Tomjanovich said. "You have to
give Snow a lot of credit. (Moochie Norris) was going to take
it on his own and try to shake the guy and create something."
Iverson's jumper came after two foul shots each by Snow and Matt
Harpring and gave Philadelphia a 105-99 lead with 3:43 to play.
A jumper by Francis got Houston within 105-104, but Iverson hit
a deep pull-up 3-pointer on the next possession.
"It's just frustrating," Griffin said. "He's so small, but he's
fast. He can get a shot off because of his quickness."
A steal by Snow led to a tip-in by Dikembe Mutombo and Iverson
sealed it with two from the line with 23 seconds to go.
Snow and Harpring each scored nine points and Mutombo had eight
and 13 rebounds for the Sixers, who shot 48 percent (43-of-90),
made 24-of-26 free throws and committed just 10 turnovers.
Griffin had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Steve Francis added
13, 10 and seven assists for the Rockets, who shot 48 percent
(41-of-86). Houston made 10-of-20 3-pointers but committed 16
turnovers.
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