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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A standing ovation in the first quarter, a chant of "M-V-P" in the fourth. In between, Allen Iverson did plenty to show he was worthy of both accolades.
|  | | Allen Iverson had himself fired up and the Philly crowd chanting "M-V-P" with his 40-point performance. |
Iverson scored 40 points and at times made Kobe Bryant look silly on defense Wednesday night as the Philadelphia 76ers had an easy time with the Los Angeles Lakers in a 112-97 victory.
Iverson, who reached 40 points for the second consecutive night
and the 11th time this season, basked in the adoration of his fans
and relished every chance he had to go one-on-one with Bryant.
"I had goose bumps so bad that you wouldn't believe," Iverson said of the response from the fans.
Iverson even let a huge smile break across his face as he was speeding in for a breakaway layup early in the fourth quarter as the Sixers were opening a 17-point lead.
Iverson got his first standing ovation when highlights of his
All-Star MVP performance were shown on the scoreboard during the
game's first timeout, and the fans broke into a loud "M-V-P"
chant as he reached 40 points from the free throw line with 1:28
left. He left to another standing ovation moments later.
"I just felt so good, I mainly felt good about my family and
friends who have been through me for all my struggles and pain,"
Iverson said. "And most of all my teammates and my coaching staff,
because you can't chant M-V-P for Allen Iverson if Allen Iverson doesn't have this group of guys playing here with him."
Nazr Mohammed added a career-high 12 points starting at center,
Tyrone Hill also had 12 and George Lynch 11.
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He shouldn't be tired. He's only 22. ” |
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— Shaquille O'Neal, on teammate Kobe Bryant |
Shaquille O'Neal, who was guarded by backups Mohammed, Todd
MacCulloch and Jumaine Jones in the absence of regular Philadelphia
center Theo Ratliff (fractured wrist), led Los Angeles with 29 points.
Bryant added 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists -- along with another stern lecture from his coach when things weren't going well.
"It wasn't Kobe's best game, we'll just say that," coach Phil Jackson said.
Iverson started going at Bryant right away, and it quickly became apparent that Bryant -- coming off an overtime victory the previous night at New Jersey -- was a step slow.
Unlike last season when Bryant came into the First Union Center and shut down Iverson, Bryant seemed to fall for every ball fake or head fake.
Iverson had a 3-pointer over Bryant that was followed by a drive
around him as Iverson was putting 15 points on the board in a first
quarter which ended with Philadelphia ahead 29-25.
"I was tired, and normally when I'm tired I cruise and try to
get my teammates involved, then turn it on in the fourth quarter,"
Bryant said.
"He shouldn't be tired. He's only 22," O'Neal said.
Isaiah Rider hit a 3-pointer early in the second quarter for a 32-31 Lakers' lead, but the Sixers responded with a 6-0 run, ending
with a 3-pointer by Toni Kukoc off a behind-the-back pass from Iverson.
Mohammed, who made his second start of the season, hit a jumper
over O'Neal with 6:02 left in the third to surpass his previous
career-high of 11 and give the 76ers a 69-63 lead.
"I've been begging every team in the league to take him for the last two years," Sixers coach Larry Brown said of Mohammed.
Jackson started yelling at Bryant during the ensuing timeout,
the latest in a number of public spats the two have had during
games this season. Bryant later sat out the first six minutes of
the fourth quarter.
"In the third quarter he tried to get it going, but they were double-teaming and helping and we didn't read it well and had some turnovers," Jackson said.
A 3-pointer by Snow and a dunk by MacCulloch gave the Sixers an 82-70 lead at the end of the third, and Iverson's smiling fast-break 90 seconds into the fourth quarter capped a 7-0 run that made it 89-72.
Philadelphia led by double digits the rest of the way.
Game notes
Philadelphia forward Matt Geiger was suspended for two
games by the NBA for violating the league's steroid policy. He issued a statement saying he took the substance last summer when he was being treated with an over-the-counter medication. ... Lakers guard Ron Harper sat out with a sore knee. ... As part of the Sixers' annual Valentine's Day promotion, a couple was married at halftime. ... Both of Mohammed's starts this season have come against the Lakers. ... Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn worked his 3,268th consecutive game. ... Brown earned his 999th career coaching victory.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
LA Lakers Clubhouse
Philadelphia Clubhouse
RECAPS
Milwaukee 102
Atlanta 98
Detroit 105
New Jersey 86
Orlando 114
LA Clippers 101
Philadelphia 112
LA Lakers 97
Phoenix 104
Minnesota 96
Utah 106
New York 90
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Allen Iverson is proud of the way the Sixers' backups performed tonight.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Kobe Bryant credits coach Larry Brown for his gameplan against the Lakers.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
ESPN's Ann Werner talks with center Nazr Mohammed about the Sixers' success against Shaq.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Kobe Bryant Official Site
Rick Fox Official Site
Mark Madsen Official Site
Larry Brown Official Site
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