RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- It was payback time for the Philadelphia
76ers.
| | Allen Iverson scored 18 of his season-high 37 points in the third quarter Friday. |
Ten days after the Charlotte Hornets snapped Philadelphia's
season-opening 10-game win streak, Allen Iverson scored a
season-high 37 points and a career-high 10 rebounds in a 95-74 win
Friday night that broke Charlotte's six-game win streak.
"We heard guys talking about what they did in Charlotte," Theo
Ratliff said of the Hornets' 88-73 win on Nov. 22. "I personally
wanted to beat this team tonight."
Matt Geiger returned after missing the team's win over
Washington on Wednesday with tendinitis in the right quad and
scored 15 points in 22 minutes.
"We definitely called it a kind of revenge game," Geiger said.
"You remember things like that."
Iverson had 18 points in the third quarter as the Sixers opened
up a double-digit lead. In the loss to the Hornets, Iverson was
3-for-17 with seven points.
"Iverson penetrated a lot more than last game," Hornets coach
Paul Silas said. "He takes over the game when they need it."
Iverson, who has struggled with his shooting during the last few
games, was pleased to break out.
"I finally found my shot and I hope it doesn't ever go away
again," said Iverson, who was a combined 26-for-79 in the four
games prior to last night. "I felt really good out there
tonight."
Tyrone Hill added 13 points and Eric Snow had nine assists for
Philadelphia.
Jamal Mashburn had 19 points and nine rebounds, Baron Davis
added 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and David Wesley
had 12 points for the Hornets, who lost for the first time since
Nov. 17.
Wesley, who handled Iverson well in the previous matchup,
noticed a difference in Iverson's play.
"He didn't settle. Instead of taking two dribbles and shooting,
he took 15 and found ways to put balls in the basket," Wesley
said.
After Charlotte scored the first nine points of the third
quarter, Philadelphia went on a 21-4 run to open up a 65-50 lead.
The advantage reached 15 at the end of the period when Iverson hit
a 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds to go.
The spurt was highlighted by fast break as Iverson sent an
outlet pass to Snow, who left it for the trailing Geiger, who
dunked. Philadelphia extended its advantage to 23 in the fourth
quarter.
The Hornets missed 15 straight field goals at the end of the
second quarter and the early stages of the third.
"We put ourselves in the hole with turnovers and missed field
goals," Silas said.
The Sixers scored 12 of the last 14 points in the final 5:54 of
the second period while holding Charlotte without a field goal to
pull ahead 44-36. Iverson had 17 points and eight rebounds in the
half to pace Philadelphia.
Game notes The 76ers activated Todd MacCulloch from the injured list
and placed Juan "Pepe" Sanchez on it with left hip bursitis.
MacCulloch had missed 10 days due to left ankle tendinitis. ...
Charlotte's Derrick Coleman missed his return to Philadelphia
because he is still on the injured list due to "lack of physical
conditioning." ... Philadelphia's Jumaine Jones had a career-high
eight points. "He was a big lift for us tonight," 76ers coach
Larry Brown said of Jones, who had two crowd-pleasing dunks in the
second quarter.
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NBA Scoreboard
Charlotte Clubhouse
Philadelphia Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 95 Charlotte 74
Toronto 104 LA Clippers 95
Minnesota 102 Boston 98
Utah 94 Miami 92
Orlando 83 New Jersey 80
Detroit 103 Cleveland 93
New York 91 Chicago 86
Indiana 86 Vancouver 76
LA Lakers 109 San Antonio 100
Sacramento 105 Phoenix 98
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