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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
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SHOT CHART
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GAME FLOW
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Vince Carter and Allen Iverson were equally
spectacular. The difference was that Carter consistently put on a
show, and Iverson could only do it in spurts.
|  | | Allen Iverson passes around Toronto's Alvin Williams in the final minute of Game 1. He found an open man and the Sixers eventually scored, but it wasn't enough. |
Carter scored 35 points, including Toronto's final four, as the
Raptors stole homecourt advantage from Philadelphia with a 96-93
victory Sunday in Game 1 of their second-round series.
"I can sense this team has grown up," said Carter, whose team
surprised New York in the first round. "In a crucial and intense
situation like that, we're able to run the plays instead of taking
a wild shot. We've learned, I think."
The 76ers trailed for the final 40 minutes but came close to
forcing overtime. Inbounding from midcourt with 5.8 seconds left,
Iverson broke for the backcourt and Philadelphia got the ball to Aaron McKie for an open 3-pointer that missed just before the final buzzer.
Iverson finished with 36 points, including a 3-pointer with 7.8
seconds left that pulled the Sixers within one – the closest they
had been since the first quarter.
Iverson said he was supposed to receive the final inbounds pass,
but did not explain why he ran into the backcourt to receive it.
"We had about six options on that play. Aaron was the second
option. Everyone on the bench was hoping we could get a shot like
that," 76ers coach Larry Brown said.
Carter, who tipped in his own missed shot with 12.8 seconds left
to give the Raptors a four-point lead, made two free throws with
5.8 remaining for the game's final points.
Carter shot 13-for-29 and had seven assists, while Iverson was
11-for-34 with eight rebounds, seven steals and four assists.
Iverson made three of his first four shots, then missed 11 of
his next 13. He was 4-for-8 in the third quarter and 2-for-9 in the
fourth.
"Allen was a little anxious today," Brown said. "Sometimes he
wants to win so bad he doesn't wait for the game to come to him."
Aside from Carter, 14-year veteran Dell Curry made the
difference for Toronto by scoring 20 points and hitting four
3-pointers. Alvin Williams added 15 and Charles Oakley had 13,
including a jumper with 49 seconds left that gave Toronto some
much-needed breathing room.
Philadelphia trailed by as many as 17 and was behind by 12 early
in the fourth before making a comeback.
Iverson dived through the air to deflect an inbounds pass with
90 seconds left, leading to George Lynch's dunk that cut Toronto's
lead to 90-88.
Carter was isolated one-on-one against McKie on Toronto's next
possession, and he went to the hole but missed. Antonio Davis
grabbed the offensive rebound and the Raptors swung the ball to
Oakley for a 17-footer that gave them a four-point lead.
Iverson hit two fouls shots to make it a two-point game before
Carter got the ball in an isolation situation once again at the top
of the key. Again the Sixers refused to send a second defender
until Carter began his move, and Carter drove and shot the ball too
hard off the backboard but outleaped everyone to tip it in for a
94-90 lead. It was just his second rebound of the game.
"The ball was just sitting there in the air, and I quickly went
right back up and tried to get a finger on it before (Dikembe)
Mutombo or anyone else could get to it," Carter said.
Carter ended the third quarter with an incredible off-balance
shot over the outstretched hand of Tyrone Hill to give Toronto a
12-point lead entering the fourth.
Curry hit a short jumper with 9:26 remaining for an 80-68 lead
before Philadelphia made its move, getting five points McKie and
three from Iverson in an 11-2 run that got the deficit down to
three.
Philadelphia had two chances to tie or pull within one. On the
first, Iverson stole the ball from Oakley but threw a pass that Tyrone Hill couldn't handle. On the second, Iverson missed a reverse layup.
Carter answered with a three-point play, and Williams scored
Toronto's next four points to make it 89-84 heading into the final
two minutes.
"As soon as it ended I just looked at the scoreboard and said
'It's over.' Now I'll go home and play with my kids and forget
about it," Iverson said. "We've been here before and we know we
have to execute better."
Game notes
Raptors center Keon Clark was fined $7,500 by the league on Monday for throwing ice at fans
sitting behind the Toronto bench at the First Union Center. Clark scored just three points. ... The Sixers committed 11 turnovers in the first quarter. ...
The 76ers have not won a best-of-seven series since 1984-85, going
0-6 since then. ... Eric Montross, who did not play in the New York
series, grabbed five rebounds in five first-half minutes. ...
Toronto's Chris Childs fouled out with 7:14 remaining and then drew
a technical foul. Childs was scoreless in 24 minutes. ... Oakley
took great pleasure in making fun of the New York Knicks, who lost
to Toronto in the first round. "They have no more tough guys.
Ewing for Luc Longley was a bust," Oakley said. "I hope they get
more guys like him."
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Toronto Clubhouse
Philadelphia Clubhouse
Raptors-76ers Series Page
Timekeeping error irks Sixers
Curry proves to be Raptors' secret weapon
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Vince Carter dunks over the Sixers' Dikembe Mutombo in the first half.
avi: 645 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
 Allen Iverson and the Sixers were expecting Vince Carter to be unstopppable.
wav: 163 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
With Vince Carter back to his old self, coach Lenny Wilkens felt good about the Raptors chances.
wav: 142 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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