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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The Miami Heat decided to treat their visit
to Philadelphia like a playoff game. If they play more like this
in the next postseason, they'll last longer than one round.
Alonzo Mourning had 27 points and 14 rebounds as the Heat defeated the 76ers 98-93 Wednesday night for Miami's best start in
franchise history.
|  | | Alonzo Mourning pulls one of his 14 rebounds away from Philadelphia's Larry Hughes, left, and George Lynch.
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"This is pretty much reminiscent of the Heat I know of old," said Mourning, who scored only five points in the second half due to foul trouble. "Now, we have to carry this over to the postseason."
The Heat, who lost in the first round the last two years and five times since 1992, recovered from Tuesday night's loss to Portland and improved to 7-2 for the first time. They did so
because Allen Iverson missed almost as many shots as the Sixers made.
Iverson failed to score 30 points for the first time in six games and made only 8 of 27 shots for 24 points. Philadelphia shot 39 percent and had its three-game winning streak snapped.
"If I play a better game, we win," Iverson said. "Simple as
that."
Controlling Iverson was as simple as putting 6-foot-6 Dan
Majerle on him. Iverson, the defending NBA scoring champion and
current scoring leader, missed nine of his first 10 shots, was
3-for-14 at halftime and 3-for-17 early in the third.
"Everybody says the quickness deal is so one-sided, but he's a
real smart defender and he's strong," Heat coach Pat Riley said.
"He contained him well."
Majerle scored only five points but served his purpose. Tim
Hardaway had 17 points on 7-of-20 shooting and seven assists for
Miami, while Mourning was 11-for-18 before fouling out with 29
seconds left.
George Lynch had a season-high 26 points and 12 rebounds for the
Sixers, who started a tough four-game stretch on a sloppy note.
Philadelphia plays Portland on Friday, New Jersey on Saturday and
San Antonio on Monday.
"Coach (Larry Brown) will tell you that I feel I've got to do
everything every night for us to win," Iverson said. "That's
hard. I'm so used to it by now, and they kind of look up to me for
it. It was time to step up, I just couldn't get it done."
Iverson scored 187 points in his last five games, including 39
Tuesday night against Washington. He was 3-for-17 before driving
for a basket in the third period that cut the Heat's lead to 59-55.
"We knew they were going to Allen," Mourning said. "We knew
we weren't going to stop him. We tried to contain him. He took some
tough shots."
Mourning sat out six minutes in the third and fourth with foul
trouble, then picked up his fifth foul less than a minute after
returning. He checked out again with Miami leading 78-75 with 7:28
to play.
The Heat survived without him, leading 81-79 when he returned
with 4:46 remaining. Mourning promptly hit a layup, did a
slow-motion taunting pose and made a free throw for an 84-80 lead
with 4:21 left.
Mourning then blocked Lynch on two straight attempts, leading to
a tough fastbreak layup by Majerle to make it 86-80. Hardaway
jumped up and down, and Mourning threw punches like a boxer in
celebration.
"I knew it was winning time, regardless of how many fouls I
had," Mourning said.
After trailing 11-2 and by as many as 15 points in the first
half, Philadelphia cut it to 71-68 at the end of the third. Lynch
drew Mourning's fourth foul and hit four straight free throws to
cut it to 68-62 with 2:14 left. Aaron McKie followed with two
straight jumpers and Larry Hughes hit two free throws to cut it to
69-68.
Iverson hit a running jumper and Billy Owens scored on a tip-in
to give the Sixers their first lead, 72-71, early in the fourth.
Iverson was 5-for-22 at the time.
The Sixers cut it to 86-84 with two straight baskets from Iverson, but got no closer.
Game notes
Iverson, the league leader in 3-point percentage, was
1-for-3 after going 18-for-25 (72 percent) in the last five games.
... The Heat started 6-3 last season, in 1991-92 and 1995-96. ...
The Heat, who came in averaging 106.8 points per game, failed to
hit 100 for the third straight game.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Miami Clubhouse
Philadelphia Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 114
Cleveland 103
Miami 98
Philadelphia 93
Charlotte 104
Dallas 99
Detroit 109
New Jersey 107
Portland 81
Orlando 79
LA Clippers 89
Minnesota 85
Utah 98
New York 90
Phoenix 105
Chicago 81
Seattle 111
Golden State 108
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