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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
PHOENIX (AP) -- Penny Hardaway had a horrible time against Allen Iverson in last season's playoffs.
When the two faced off again Thursday night, Hardaway had plenty
of help, and Iverson didn't have his shot.
|  | | Billy Owens of the 76ers finds it tough to get a shot over Suns rookie Shawn Marion. |
Jason Kidd, Hardaway's partner in a new Phoenix backcourt that could be the NBA's best, scored 22 points and helped force Iverson into a miserable 4-for-20 shooting night as the Suns won their home
opener over Philadelphia 84-80.
Hardaway added 18 points and rookie Shawn Marion 16, but it was
anything but easy for a Phoenix team that committed 26 turnovers
and blew a nine-point lead early in the fourth quarter.
"I thought Jason had a fantastic game defensively," Suns coach
Danny Ainge said. "All the energy that you have to put out to
defend Allen Iverson, then to go out and score 22 points, that's
pretty impressive."
Kidd said he didn't deserve the credit.
"It wasn't an individual defense. It was a team defense that
focused on if he was going to penetrate, make him pass and make
somebody else beat us," Kidd said.
Iverson didn't think anyone had defended him all that well.
"I missed shots I usually make," he said. "They weren't
falling and I don't know why."
Kidd scored seven of his 22 points in the final 5:12 as the Suns
recovered from an early fourth-quarter collapse.
The 76ers led 77-72 with 6:02 to play, then didn't score again
until George Lynch's layup with 7.4 seconds remaining.
Tyrone Hill scored 14 and Iverson 11 for Philadelphia. Lynch and Aaron McKie added 10 apiece. Eric Snow was 2-for-12, making the two
starting 76ers guards a combined 6-for-32.
"I've had games worse than this, and I'll have plenty more,"
Iverson said, "but it just hurts. Me and my teammates fought so
hard to get back into it, then the shots at the end I've got to
make and I didn't step up and make them."
Hardaway, suspended for Tuesday's season opener for throwing a
punch at Miami's Rex Walters in the preseason, was 5-for-14 from the field and 7-for-8 from the foul line. He scored nine in the
third quarter as the Suns built a 68-59 lead.
Hardaway said there wasn't any special feeling going against
Iverson, who was widely credited with outplaying him in the 76ers'
first-round sweep of Orlando in last season's playoffs.
"I left all of that behind," Hardaway said. "I mean, I knew
Philadelphia was going to be tough. I knew I wanted to come out and
have a better showing than I did in the playoffs, but it wasn't
like I was going to mark it on the calendar like, 'Hey, I owe these
guys.' I know they're a great defensive team, and whatever you get
off of them is a blessing."
The 76ers outscored Phoenix 15-0 to start the final quarter and take a 74-68 lead on rookie Todd MacCulloch's rebound basket with 7:06 to play. Iverson, MacCulloch and Hill each scored four during the run. The Suns were 0-for-6 with four turnovers during that stretch.
A 7-0 Suns run put them up for good 79-78.
"Allen is 4-for-20. Eric is 2-for-12 and Billy Owens is
1-for-8," 76ers coach Larry Brown said. "It's a miracle we were
in the game. The guys played their hearts out."
Game notes
Iverson was 2-for-10 in each half. ... Hardaway had a
spectacular block of Iverson's layup attempt in the first quarter.
... Phoenix didn't play Philadelphia last season but has won 13 of
15 meetings between the teams. ... The Suns showed a video spoof of
the TV show "Friends" with a slimmed-down Oliver Miller, now playing for Phoenix, and The Gorilla mascot as best buddies. Last
season, The Gorilla drew Miller's ire when he did a skit spoofing
Miller's weight problem. ... After getting 22 points and 17
rebounds in the season opener at Denver on Tuesday, Gugliotta
scored five from the line and was 0-for-6 from the field. ...
Philadelphia has one more road game against the Los Angeles
Clippers before finally playing its home opener next Monday.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Philadelphia Clubhouse
Phoenix Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 97
Miami 86
Milwaukee 119
Atlanta 109
Charlotte 98
Indiana 89
San Antonio 104
Golden State 81
Phoenix 84
Philadelphia 80
Utah 98
Houston 82
Seattle 106
Dallas 96
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