SAN ANTONIO VS. LOS ANGELES PHILADELPHIA VS. MILWAUKEE

Sunday, June 3 Iverson says Bell deserves success Associated Press PHILADELPHIA -- Raja Bell was playing against older men in empty gymnasiums just two months ago. Now he's going to the NBA Finals. Raja Bell chest bumps Allen Iverson as the two realize they are going to their first NBA Finals. Bell scored 10 points Sunday night, one short of his entire playoff output, and helped the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 108-91 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. "Two months ago, I was chilling at home in Miami and now I'm on the biggest stage of my life," said Bell, who didn't play in eight playoff games and logged just 36 minutes in the postseason before Sunday. But the 6-foot-5 Bell showed coach Larry Brown enough in 16 minutes of Game 6 to warrant more playing time in Philadelphia's most important game in 18 years. He was the second player off the bench Sunday. Bell's fastbreak slam cut Milwaukee's lead to 34-33 midway through the second and his layup capped a 12-0 run as the Sixers erased a nine-point deficit. He then nailed a 3-pointer to give Philadelphia its biggest lead to that point, 48-38, with just over four minutes left in the first half. "When he hit that 3 in the corner, I was going 'No, no, good shot,' " Brown said. "That's what this team is about." When Bell re-entered the game in the final minute of the first half, the sellout crowd of 21,046 at the First Union center gave him a standing ovation. He then made a driving layup, got fouled and completed the three-point play, giving the Sixers a 56-48 lead. "That was really a feeling I can't describe," Bell said about the ovation. "When I went in and heard them yelling for me, it made me melt and play that much harder." Bell, signed as a free agent on April 6, played in the CBA in 1999-00. He missed the last CBA season with a fractured right thumb and stress fracture in his left ankle. But the Sixers signed him to fill out their playoff roster, and he made his biggest contribution when it mattered most. "I've been working hard and I felt I was part of the team," said Bell, who played at Florida International. "I'm just thankful I finally got an opportunity to prove it." Allen Iverson was especially happy Bell got the chance. "Raja played with a lot of heart," said Iverson, who scored 44 points. "I'm glad to be his teammate for a special moment like this. He works real hard, is one of the last players to leave practice and he deserved it." Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories

ALSO SEE Sixers reach NBA Finals as Iverson KO's Bucks Allen unable to deliver Bucks in Game 7 AUDIO/VIDEO  Ray Allen turns the ball over and Aaron McKie pushes the ball up to Raja Bell for the jam. avi: 856 k RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN Cable Modem