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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Philadelphia played like it was at home in
Indiana -- just as it has everywhere it's traveled for nearly two
months.
|  | | Allen Iverson's athleticism helped the Sixers extend their road domination. |
Allen Iverson scored 27 points, including 16 in the fourth
quarter, and led the 76ers to their 13th straight road victory, an
86-81 come-from-behind win over the Pacers.
"I've lost games for years since I left," said 76ers coach
Larry Brown, a former Pacers coach. "And we've started to win
now."
Philadelphia isn't just winning in Indianapolis, though.
The victory Sunday gave the 76ers the fifth-longest road winning
streak in NBA history, matching the Boston Celtics of 1964-65 and
the Chicago Bulls of 1995-97, who needed two seasons to accomplish
the feat.
The 76ers seemed right at home inside Conseco Fieldhouse.
Iverson, despite shooting just 6 of 25 from the field, finished
with only two points less than his average.
Philadelphia outrebounded the Pacers and its 31 free throws were
more than three times more than Indiana had.
"It's a tough game to lose because I thought we played hard
enough to win," Indiana coach Isiah Thomas said. "And
particularly at home, I think we should get treated better at home
than we do for a team that went to the NBA Finals last year."
Reggie Miller scored 18 points and, with teammate Travis Best in
early foul trouble, managed to keep Iverson in check for most of
the first three quarters.
Still, it wasn't nearly enough against the NBA's best road team.
"It is a special feeling," Iverson said. "I know that my team
is so much different than they have been in the past. In the past,
if I struggled like this in a game, nine times out of 10, we would
lose the game."
Not this time.
After Philadelphia jumped to a 53-49 lead with 3:33 left in the
third quarter, the Pacers closed with an 8-2 run, regaining a 57-55
lead on Best's layup with 5.7 seconds to go. They extended their
lead to 64-59 just 2:49 into the fourth quarter.
Then, Iverson took over.
Following a timeout, Philadelphia forced a turnover and Iverson
hit a 3-pointer. That ignited an 11-4 76er spurt that gave
Philadelphia a 70-68 lead.
"They kept playing, they kept putting me on my back, telling me
to keep firing away, keep my head up," Iverson said.
His free throw with 4:31 remaining gave the 76ers a 71-70 lead
and his driving layup with 1:56 left made it 78-74. Iverson then
hit seven of eight free throws in the final 71 seconds to preserve
the victory -- and the 76ers' road mastery.
"We didn't shoot it well and I think they had a lot to do with
it because they defended us about as well as you can," Brown said.
"Fortunately, the little kid (Iverson) made some plays down the
stretch."
Game notes
The 76ers extended their NBA-best road record to 20-4 and
made more free throws (23) than Indiana attempted (10). ... Rose
missed his first eight shots before making one with 0.5 seconds
left in the first half. He was 3 of 16 when Indiana played Portland
Thursday. ... The Pacer defense has held seven straight opponents
to fewer than 100 points but lost its last two games -- at home
against the two NBA teams with the most wins, Philadelphia and
Portland. ... Ratliff injured his right wrist during the third
quarter but returned after getting it retaped.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Philadelphia Clubhouse
Indiana Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 86
Indiana 81
New York 91
LA Lakers 81
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Reggie Miller Official Site
Larry Brown Official Site
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