Sixers Snap Losing Streak
No matter how much Allen Iverson runs, no matter how many mad dashes he makes along the baseline and through a maze of screens, he never seems to run out of energy.
When he beats everyone to the basket in a blur of quickness and still has enough breath to tell them to quit crying to the refs, that's major trouble.
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If someone had called "rematch" on this night, maybe Iverson would have achieved his eighth career 40-point game instead of falling one point short.
"My teammates always tell me that when it comes down to the end of the game ... that's your time," Iverson said. "They keep telling me that, and I just feed off it."
Iverson returned from a spell on the bench with four fouls and ran Reggie Miller ragged in the fourth quarter. He scored 10 of the Sixers' last 22 points despite picking up his fifth foul on Miller's 3-point attempt with 5:25 left.
It was Philadelphia's first victory over the Pacers since 1996, and it was Sixers coach Larry Brown's first win against his former team since leaving Indiana in 1997.
"I really wanted to do it for coach," said Iverson, who has patched up a recent feud with Brown over his unexcused absence from practice last week.
The Sixers also atoned for a demoralizing 74-73 loss at Orlando Monday night in which George Lynch's bad inbounds pass led to Darrell Armstrong's buzzer-beating layup. Lynch, who had a career-high 20 rebounds in that game but ended up being the goat, scored a season-high 21 points against Indiana.
Brown gave the Sixers the day off Tuesday, and it paid off.
"You have to forget about the mistakes," Lynch said.
Miller led Indiana with 27 points, and Rik Smits scored 22. The Paces, playing one night after an 85-79 loss to Atlanta, lost their second straight for the first time this season.
"Iverson is really playing well," said Smits, who fouled out in the final minute. "We've got to work this thing out and overcome this quick."
Iverson seemed determined to take over the game after he was called for his fifth foul. Replays were unclear, but if Iverson's hand touched Miller's elbow on the release, it wasn't by much.
"I did not touch him," Iverson said. "But the ref showed he was first class. He said he just made a bad call."
After Iverson was fouled in the third quarter, Mark Jackson and Smits had complained to the officials about the call. Standing at the foul line after making his first free throw, Iverson barked, "C'mon, give me the ball, man. Stop this crying."
The Sixers were 27-for-38 from the foul line, while Indiana was 16-for-18.
"Obviously, I'm upset with the officiating," Pacers coach Larry Bird said. "When you get outshot by 20 at the line, it's tough to win."
Iverson returned with 9:01 left after sitting out with four fouls and excited the crowd with his breathtaking moves.
Dribbling behind his back and switching hands on the wing, Iverson blew past Miller and Smits and was fouled by Antonio Davis on a high, swooping runner. He made the free throw for a 103-100 Sixers lead with 4:21 left.
He made another high-arcing runner and a driving, off-balance shot to make it 108-104. But Iverson missed two free throws that would have given Philadelphia a five-point lead with 23.3 second remaining.
Lynch then stole the Pacers' inbounds pass and was fouled with 14.5 seconds left. He hit one of two from the line to put the Sixers up 112-107.
With 9.5 seconds left, Miller pump-faked and hit an off-balance 3-pointer to cut it to 112-110. But Eric Snow hit two free throws, and Jalen Rose missed a 3-pointer on the Pacers' last possession. Snow caught the inbounds pass and dribbled out the clock.
Notes: The Sixers shot 58 percent and set a season-high for points. Indiana made 55 percent of its shots in a playoff-type game before a loud crowd of 16,588. ... Iverson had 14 points in the first quarter, making his first five shots. ... Miller's miss from free-throw line in the third period was only his 11th of the season. He's 116-for-127 for 91 percent, second in the league behind Milwaukee's Glenn Robinson. .. Philadelphia's Tyrone Hill had 13 of his season-high 17 points in the first half. ... Pacers backup point guard Travis Best didn't play due to a right ankle sprain.
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