|
||||
 |
 |
||||||||
| |||||||||
 |
By Waye Drehs ESPN.com PHILADELPHIA -- Prior to Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, Los Angeles Lakers forward Robert Horry was seen with a black sharpie pen coloring in the Jerry West silhouette in the NBA logo on his socks. Horry said it's a superstition he picked up during his days with the Houston Rockets. "Usually, I get this done before you guys get in here," Horry said to a group of media onlookers. Horry said the habit was of no disrespect to West or to the white logo. "I have nothing but love for Jerry West," Horry said. "And it isn't just black. I color them purple, red, whatever. It just happens the most common color is black." Sights seen Allen Iverson, 45 minutes before tip-off, was joking with teammate Aaron McKie about McKie's selection of music in the Sixers' locker room. See, Iverson's locker is right next to the stereo, but McKie had slid his chair in that spot to commandeer the pregame hip-hop. "Yo, man, your locker's over there," Iverson said, pointing to the opposite end of the dressing room." "Nah, I've got two lockers," McKie replied. "This is one of them." Carnival-like atmosphere The pregame festivities outside the First Union Center included live music from each of the stadium's four corners, a dunk-the-Laker tank, and a toss-a-tomato-at-a-Laker game. There also were a host of food and souvenir booths and an "e-dunk area," where fans could create an image of themselves dunking and e-mail it to friends. Inside the arena, the familiar "Beat LA" chant echoed through the rafters the second the Lakers stepped on the floor. A film clip from the film, "Remember the Titans" was played seconds before tip-off, with Denzel Washington proclaiming: "The season is not over. We did not come this far to just break down and lose now. We are winners and we are going to win." Quick turnaround After Game 1 Sunday, the staff at the First Union Center will have a busy night preparing for a pair of U2 concerts Monday and Tuesday. Workers were scheduled to remove the 225-piece hardwood floor, all the wiring, phone lines and cameras and a section of seating in preparation for the rock band's 100-by-76 foot stage. And it all has to be torn down and returned to the basketball configuration before Game 5 Wednesday night. That's not the ticket The war of words between Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant is nothing compared to the teams' clash over celebrity complimentary tickets. The Sixers' public relations department did not give passes to Los Angeles celebs for Game 3 -- yes, even Jack Nicholson -- and doesn't plan to do so unless they're willing to change allegiances. The feud caught fire when Kevin Eubanks, the band leader of "The Tonight Show" who had been talking up his hometown Sixers to Jay Leno, was denied a credential for the series' first two games in Los Angeles. A few Hollywood figures have jumped on the Sixers' bandwagon. Actors Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider and filmmaker Spike Lee all got tickets to the game Sunday to root for Philly. "The team has a lot of heart and Larry Brown is a great coach. I think they're going to win it," said Lee, a big Knicks fan who came down from New York to watch Game 3. "Those people in La-la land are believing in the hype. I'm going with Philly." Will Smith, Jada Pinkett and Chris Rock also are at the game, along with Bill Clinton. ESPN.com's Joe Lago contributed to this report.  Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
|
 |
 ALSO SEE Bryant, Horry help Lakers silence Philly fans Dr. Jack: Sixers miss golden opportunity Frozen Moment: Horry answers call for Lakers Lakers again show experience needed to win titles No one came to help Iverson and Mutumbo |
 |
 |
|
|
