Pacers Best Sixers 93-90 In Overtime
PHILADELPHIA -- Travis Best led the Indiana Pacers in scoring Wednesday night, but his contributions weren't limited to one end.
Best scored 17 points and limited Allen Iverson to only six points as the Pacers recovered from a 5-for-18 fourth quarter to beat the 76ers 93-90 in overtime.
"I just tried to stay in front of him," said Best, who added six steals. "There's no real key on how to stop him."
Iverson, who appeared to take a shot to the jaw in the fourth quarter, didn't talk after the game, saying his mouth hurt. He was 2-for-11 from the floor, with six assists and six rebounds.
"Shutting down Iverson was important," said Pacers coach Larry Bird, whose team has won four straight. "Travis Best played great defense."
Best's driving layup started a 5-0 run at the beginning of overtime, and the Pacers went on to win for the ninth time in 10 games.
It was the 30th win of the season for the Pacers, who didn't have 30 wins last season until March 12.
"We have to be happy to get the win on the road but we did not play our best basketball tonight," Bird said. "It's the mark of a good team when you win even if you don't play well."
Jim Jackson scored 21 points for the 76ers, who have lost three straight. The loss also snapped Philadelphia's five-game home winning streak.
Derrick Coleman had 18 points and 14 rebounds for the 76ers. Reggie Miller had 15 points for the Pacers, including a jumper with 14 seconds left in overtime that clinched the win.
Philadelphia trailed by 11 with 5:36 to play, but then went on a 12-0 run to take a 77-76 lead on Coleman's two free throws with 1:59 left.
"In the first half, we played great," said Philadelphia coach Larry Brown, the former Pacer coach. "In the third quarter, we didn't play well, then we showed a lot of guts to come back. That's what we have to build on."
The Pacers were 0-for-10 from the field during a seven-minute stretch while the 76ers made their run.
Mark Jackson's runner in the lane put the Pacers back on top 78-77, but Coleman hit a pull-up jumper with 1:18 left to put the 76ers ahead.
Jalen Rose hit a 3-pointer to give Indiana a 81-79 lead with 56 seconds left, then Philadelphia's Theo Ratliff made one of two free throws to make it 81-80.
Rose was fouled with 11 seconds remaining, but he made only one free throw. The Pacers then fouled Jackson, and he hit both free throws with seven seconds left to tie the game at 82 and send it into overtime.
Philadelphia shot 45 percent in the first half, compared to the Pacers' 39 percent as the 76ers took a 43-38 lead at the break.