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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The All-Star break can't come soon
enough for the Philadelphia 76ers, who admit they've "hit the
wall."
The Sixers certainly played that way Sunday in their biggest
letdown in almost a month as they allowed the lowly New Jersey Nets
to score 34 points in the fourth quarter and lost on the road for
just the sixth time this season, 96-89.
"Yeah, we're tired. Everybody's tired. You know something's
wrong when I get tired," said Allen Iverson, who scored 32 points
but was held to just two in the fourth quarter.
Stephon Marbury scored 34 points and Kenyon Martin and Keith Van
Horn added 20 apiece for the Nets, who snapped a seven-game losing
streak and beat a team with a winning record for the first time
since Dec. 10.
The Nets outscored the Sixers 34-17 in the fourth quarter.
Tyrone Hill and Aaron McKie also admitted that the Sixers were
exhausted, and coach Larry Brown agreed. Still, the Sixers can go
into the All-Star break with a record of 35-13 if they win their
next two games at home against Denver and Houston.
"This whole thing has been a miracle, the lineups we've been
playing and asking too many guys to play too many minutes, relying
on Allen to take 30-35 shots a game, it's starting to bite us
now," Brown said. "We need Matt (Geiger) and Eric Snow. We've got
to hold on until the All-Star break."
Theo Ratliff had a season-high 22 points, 12 rebounds and eight
blocks for the Sixers, who turned to McKie and George Lynch for a
majority of their big shots in the fourth quarter.
McKie missed three consecutive shots in the final minute as
Iverson didn't take one until attempting a meaningless 3-pointer
just before the final buzzer.
"He was doubled, and the next perimeter option is myself -- it's
been like that throughout the season," McKie said. "They were
pretty good looks, I just didn't make them. If I had 'em again, I'd
take 'em again."
Given the quality of the competition, it was the worst loss for
the Sixers since an 18-point home loss to Portland on Jan. 10.
Philadelphia's road record dropped to 21-6.
"These are the scariest games to play, because against teams
with a losing record you tend to have a letdown, and by the time
you wake up the game is over," said Iverson, who was angry that
the referees did not send him to the free throw line more when he
kept getting knocked down on drives to the basket.
"When I'm going in there and getting knocked down and nothing's
happening, I'm the one looking like a fool," Iverson said. "If it
continues to go like this, I might not make it through the second
half of the season."
New Jersey opened the fourth quarter with a 17-6 run to pull to
79-78 and finally tied it at 84 on an 18-foot jumper by Martin with
3:30 left.
Aaron Williams made two foul shots to give the Nets their first
lead since early in the second quarter, then blocked a shot by
Iverson to start a fastbreak layup by Marbury for an 88-84 lead.
Lynch scored the 76ers' next five points, but the Nets stayed
ahead by scoring their next three points -- a putback by Van Horn
and a free throw by Williams -- after grabbing offensive rebounds.
The Nets had a 53-36 edge in rebounding.
McKie missed a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left, and Marbury drove
the lane for a double-clutch layup that gave New Jersey a 91-87
lead. McKie then missed from the corner, Johnny Newman made a foul
shot and McKie missed another jumper before Williams hit two foul
shots to wrap up the victory.
"It's very big for us, being that we've been playing bad,"
Marbury said. "When we have Kenyon and Keith making shots, it's a
different game."
The Nets stuck with the Sixers through the first quarter, but
Philadelphia opened the second quarter with a 15-4 run ending with
an alley-oop dunk by Rodney Buford on a pass from Iverson for a
35-26 lead.
Iverson took over in the third quarter, scoring 18 points and
making four 3-pointers -- one of which came as he was falling down --
to help the Sixers take a 10-point lead into the fourth.
Game notes
Marbury is playing with a ruptured tendon in his left
pinkie finger that will require surgery at the end of the season.
... Nets forward Jamie Feick, out all season after surgery on his
Achilles' tendon, has played in New Jersey's last two practices and
is anxious to be activated. He could return Tuesday against Atlanta
or Thursday against San Antonio. ... Philadelphia's Toni Kukoc
missed his fifth straight game with a lower back strain. ... Evan
Eschmeyer started at center for the Nets and grabbed seven rebounds
in the first quarter. He finished with four points and 11 rebounds,
and Marbury called him the player of the game.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Philadelphia Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
RECAPS
New York 103
Miami 100
LA Lakers 100
Sacramento 94
Boston 103
Cleveland 82
New Jersey 96
Philadelphia 89
Phoenix 85
Charlotte 82
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Larry Brown Official Site
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