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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The first half was Reggie Miller's. The game
belonged to Allen Iverson.
|  | | Allen Iverson, left, and the Sixers couldn't stop Reggie Miller in the first half, when he scored 33 of his 41 points. |
Iverson scored a career playoff-high 45 points, including 19 in the third quarter, as the Philadelphia 76ers overcame Miller's 41 points, beating the Indiana Pacers 116-98 Tuesday night to even their first-round series at 1-1.
Game 3 of the best-of-five Eastern Conference quarterfinals is
Saturday in Indiana.
"I'm going to remember this game for a long time," said
Iverson, who also had nine assists. "I've been playing a lot off
my God-given ability. This game took a lot of thinking. I'm pleased
with my mental aspect coming into the game. ... When guys doubled me,
I found my teammates and they hit the shots. I don't think I forced
too many things."
Aaron McKie had 19 points and George Lynch added 16 for Philadelphia, which finished as the top team in the East for the first time since 1983-84.
Jalen Rose had 18 and Jermaine O'Neal added 11 points and 11
rebounds for the Pacers, who were down just 61-59 at halftime after
getting 33 from Miller.
"I wish it was reversed," Miller said. "The game is four quarters. I hate doing things early. I like doing it late."
Iverson scored 14 of Philadelphia's final 17 points in the third, including the last 10. He drilled a 17-footer, another long jumper and hit a 3-pointer to give the Sixers their biggest lead to that point, 88-76, with 1:11 left.
After Rose hit a jumper, Iverson nailed another 19-footer as the sellout crowd of 20,739 at the First Union Center chanted "MVP, MVP" for the league's scoring champion.
Iverson pumped his fist, raised his arms and cupped his ear, imploring the fans to make more noise before he finished the quarter at the foul line, giving the Sixers a 91-78 lead on a free throw.
Indiana didn't get closer than 10 in the fourth.
"It was a phenomenal performance and it took that," Sixers
coach Larry Brown said of Iverson's play.
Miller, whose 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds left in Game 1 lifted
the Pacers to a 79-78 comeback victory, opened the game with a
3-pointer and proceeded to hit shots from all over the court.
He scored seven straight points three different times – at the start of the game, midway through the first and to begin the second.
Four Sixers – Eric Snow, Kevin Ollie, Iverson and McKie – tried
to guard Miller in the first half and none could stop him.
Even Pacers coach Isiah Thomas was excited after Miller's running jumper gave Indiana a 39-37 lead midway through the second. The normally reserved Thomas clapped his hands and low-fived Miller as he ran down the court.
But Miller missed all three of his shots in the third and scored only two points on free throws in the period as Iverson took over, helping the Sixers break open a tight game.
Miller finished 14-of-22 shooting, including 3-for-5 from 3-point range. Iverson was 15-for-27, including 3-for-7 from beyond the arc.
"They did a good job of recognizing where Reggie was (in the second half)," Thomas said. "They were double-teaming him and we didn't do a good job of finding the open guys inside."
Philadelphia stressed the importance of getting the ball inside
to its big men – Dikembe Mutombo and Tyrone Hill – after the guards
took 57 of 78 shots in the opener. But Mutombo and Hill combined
for just three shots in the first half and neither scored.
Mutombo finally scored on a layup with 6:23 left in the third,
and finished with three points and 11 rebounds, one of his worst
games since joining the Sixers in a deal at the trade deadline.
"We were making so many shots it's tough to get the big guys involved," Brown said.
Miller had 16 points in the first quarter, nearly matching his total of 17 in Game 1. He was just 5-of-21 in the opener, but made his fifth shot with 4:04 left in the first.
Thomas was very critical of the referees, even though Indiana had three fewer fouls. Thomas was most upset that Philadelphia had 17 foul shots in the third.
"I hope they allow our players to move around and run, and not
be physically abused," Thomas said. "
Game notes
Miller fell six points shy of Sleepy Floyd's playoff record
for points in a half. Floyd had 39 for Golden State in a game
against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 10, 1987. ... Iverson's
previous playoff high was 40 points against Charlotte last year.
... Indiana has never lost a playoff series in which it won the
first game, going 11-0 since 1993-94. ... The Pacers are 5-2 in
playoff games at the First Union Center. ... Thomas got a technical
for arguing a foul call early in the third. ... Austin Croshere scored 10 points in a reserve role and fouled out with 5:01 left. ... Philadelphia made seven 3-pointers, a team playoff record.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Indiana Clubhouse
Philadelphia Clubhouse
Pacers-76ers Series Page
Dr. Jack's Playoff Prescription: Sixers
Lawrence: Sixers latest East top seed to struggle
RECAPS
Philadelphia 116
Indiana 98
Utah 109
Dallas 98
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Allen Iverson tallied 45 points, but sees his teammates' ability to score as a key to victory (Courtesy:TBS Sports).
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Reggie Miller felt the Pacers lacked the intensity to steal a second game from the Sixers.
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Coach Larry Brown explains how the Sixers adjusted to Reggie Miller and the Pacers in Game2.
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Allen Iverson was amazed at how coach Larry Brown prepared the Sixers for Game 2.
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