Iverson's 46 Points Not Enough
Allen Iverson's highest-scoring game since his rookie year wasn't enough to keep the Philadelphia 76ers undefeated.
Iverson scored 46 points, tying Grant Hill for the most in an game this season, but it was Spurs reserve Malik Rose who set a career scoring high as San Antonio snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the 76ers 98-94 Friday night.
Rose scored 22 points, shooting 10-for-12 from the field before a sizable contingent of family and friends, to help the Spurs overcome a horrendous foul shooting performance and below-average nights from David Robinson and Tim Duncan.
Aside from his points, Rose's biggest play of the night might have been an offensive rebound with 10 seconds left after Avery Johnson missed two free throws with the Spurs leading 94-92.
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Steve Kerr was fouled on the ensuing inbounds play and made both free throws, making it 96-92 and sending half the building scurrying to the exits.
Eric Snow scored on a rebound with 3.4 seconds left to make it a two-point game, but Sean Elliott then hit two free throws to ice the victory.
Philadelphia was trying for its first 4-0 start since 1984-85, and Iverson broke out of a three-game shooting slump in which he made only 27 percent of his shots.
He shot 14-for-26 from the field and 15-for-17 at the line in scoring 40 or more points for the seventh time in his career. He did it five times his rookie season, including a career-high 50 points, and once last season.
Iverson scored 25 in the first half, eclipsing his previous season-high, and added 16 more in the fourth as Philadelphia came back from a 15-point deficit to tie the game at 91-all.
After Robinson made a free throw to make it 92-91, Rose blocked a shot by rookie Larry Hughes. Avery Johnson followed with two foul shots, making it 94-91.
Robinson blocked Iverson's next shot, Rose tie up Matt Geiger to force a jump ball, and Johnson stripped Iverson of the ball with 14 seconds left when he dribbled into a triple-team.
Johnson, Robinson and Duncan scored 15 points apiece, Elliott had 13 and Jaren Jackson 10. Rose finished with a team-high nine rebounds.
The Spurs shot just 28-for-51 at the line, with Robinson missing nine of 18 attempts and Johnson going 5-for-10.
Hughes had 12 points and George Lynch 11 for the 76ers.
Notes
- Rose's previous career-high was 14.
- The Spurs swept the season series last year, winning by 12 and 25 points.
- San Antonio (34-for-68) had it best shooting night of the season. In the Spurs' first five games, they failed to eclipse 45 percent.
- The Sixers began a stretch of playing seven games in 11 days, six against teams that were in the playoffs last season.
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