RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
DENVER (AP) -- Antonio McDyess got some help from his Denver
Nuggets teammates for a change.
McDyess, who scored 77 points the past two games, was one of
four Nuggets to record a double-double as Denver beat the
Philadelphia 76ers 105-98 Monday night.
|  | | Allen Iverson scored 16 of his game-high 37 points in the first quarter, but he wasn't there for the Sixers in the end. |
Raef LaFrentz led the way with 25 points and 14 rebounds and McDyess had 24 and 11. Voshon Lenard added 19 points and 12
rebounds and Nick Van Exel scored 17 with 10 assists as the Nuggets
became the only team to score 100 points against Philadelphia in 17
games this season.
"We knew they would really concentrate on McDyess and they
did," Denver coach Dan Issel. "They had a game plan to defend
him, but we had a couple of other guys step up."
Allen Iverson had 37 points and nine rebounds for the Sixers,
who lost for just the third time this season. Theo Ratliff added 14
points.
"It was a great team effort for us," Van Exel said. "Lenard
had 12 rebounds, LaFrentz, McDyess and I all had double-doubles,
and the guys off the bench did a good job."
Denver led 99-90 on a basket by Van Exel with 3:42 remaining
before Philadelphia scored eight straight points to come within one
with 1:41 to play.
But Iverson missed a layup, pressured by McDyess, and Van Exel
hit an easy layup to give the Nuggets a three-point lead.
"We made a great run, and we had our chances," Philadelphia
coach Larry Brown said. "We got it down to one point, and then we
had a semi-breakdown and took too quick of a shot."
Van Exel put the game away hitting all four free throws while
the 76ers missed four shots in the final minute.
"I made some big mistakes late in the game," McDyess said. "I
turned the ball over twice in our end. Luckily for us, Nick made
some big shots to put it away."
Van Exel, who had only three points in the first half keyed a
19-10 run in the first seven minutes after halftime to give the
Nuggets a 73-64 lead.
"We were right there at the end and couldn't get it done,"
said Ratliff of the 76ers, who shot a dismal 26 percent in the
fourth quarter. "We didn't finish off our chances."
Iverson didn't get his first point of the quarter until 4:26
remained with two free throws. The Sixers trailed 85-78 when Aaron
McKie closed the quarter with a 3-pointer.
Iverson scored 16 points in the first quarter as Philadelphia
jumped out to a 31-25 lead.
Game notes
Players and coaches were evacuated from the building an hour
before the game. They stood outside for 20 minutes while firemen
investigated a pulled fire alarm switch. ... Matt Geiger left the
game in the third quarter for Philadelphia with a strained
quadriceps muscle. ... Tyrone Hill sat out for the 76ers with a
sprained right ankle. ... Van Exel was 5-for-15 shooting and is
12-for-40 his past three games. ... At 10-8, Denver matched its
best start since 1994-95.
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NBA Scoreboard
Philadelphia Clubhouse
Denver Clubhouse
RECAPS
New York 106
LA Clippers 78
Denver 105
Philadelphia 98
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