76ers win first meeting against Iverson

The Philadelphia 76ers responded to Allen Iverson's verbal shots by beating their former superstar on the court. <br/><br/>Iverson scored 30 points in his first game against the 76ers, but Kyle Korver

Wednesday, January 3rd 2007, 6:21 am

By: News On 6

The Philadelphia 76ers responded to Allen Iverson's verbal shots by beating their former superstar on the court.

Iverson scored 30 points in his first game against the 76ers, but Kyle Korver had 26 and former Denver star Andre Miller had 17 to lead Philadelphia to a 108-97 victory over the Nuggets on Tuesday night.

After the morning shootaround, Iverson again ripped the team that traded him to Denver on Dec. 19, repeating his contention that he should have had more say in the Sixers' style.

However, Iverson credited the Sixers after the game for how they defended him.

``I couldn't get a rhythm in the beginning of the game. When I found it and got into a little groove, it was too late,'' he said. ``If anybody knows what I can do, they know, and they ran some people at me. They used the zone, and it was effective.''

In other NBA games Tuesday night, it was: Orlando 91, L.A. Clippers 86; Cleveland 82, San Antonio 78; Golden State 97, New Orleans 89; Phoenix 97, Chicago 96; Dallas 112, Seattle 88; and Sacramento 112, New York 100.

Iverson was slow to get going, hitting just two of nine shots and committing three of his game-high seven turnovers in the first quarter. He finished 10-of-24 from the floor.

``I thought he was a little excited with the turnovers early in the first half and then not being able to make shots, not only he but everybody,'' said Denver coach George Karl, whose Nuggets are without NBA scoring leader Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, the league's top scoring tandem before their suspensions last month for slugging it out with the New York Knicks.

The Sixers had lost 14 of 16 road games and 19 of their last 23 overall, but scored 100 points for the first time in 16 games to improve to 4-4 since the trade that sent Joe Smith and Miller to Philadelphia, along with two first-round draft picks in 2007, for Iverson.

Miller also had 10 assists against his former team and Smith scored 12 points.

``This was all business,'' Smith said.

Ditto for Miller.

``I got a lump in my throat when the crowd reacted'' with applause during introductions, Miller said. ``Other than that, it was all business for me.''

Iverson also had a parting shot for official Steve Javie, who ejected him for his second technical with 1:44 remaining.

``I thought I got fouled ... and I said I thought that he was calling the game personal, and he threw me out,'' Iverson said. ``His fuse is real short anyway, and I should have known that I couldn't say anything anyway. It's been something personal with me and him since I got in the league. This was just the perfect game for him to try and make me look bad.''

Tuesday morning, Iverson had said he felt a player of his stature and tenure should have been listened to when he criticized the Sixers' style of play last month, a condemnation that led to his departure from Philadelphia after 10 tumultuous seasons.

``When you're losing basketball games, 12 of 14, 18 of 20 basketball games, you should listen to somebody because something obviously isn't working,'' he said.

Iverson said he hadn't forgotten the way Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks and team owner Billy King handled the complaints that led to his departure from Philadelphia.

``I wasn't going to try and go out there and create some fake attitude,'' Iverson said of not greeting Cheeks before the game. ``I am not about that. Just acting like everything is all right, because it's not.

``Honestly, I hope it goes away, but every time we play the Sixers, I know it is going to come back. I just want to be a Denver Nugget and not dwell on things that happened in Philadelphia. I owe it to my teammates to just play basketball.''

Cavaliers 82, Spurs 78

LeBron James scored 19 points, Larry Hughes added 13 of his 18 in the fourth quarter to lead host Cleveland.

Damon Jones scored eight points in the final 1:35 to help the Cavaliers improve to 14-3 at home and beat the Spurs for the second time this season. Cleveland also held San Antonio, the NBA's second-most accurate shooting team, to just 38 percent from the field and only 10 points in the third quarter.

Tony Parker led San Antonio with 26 points _ 14 in the fourth _ and Tim Duncan had 18 points and 15 rebounds.

Magic 91, Clippers 86

Jameer Nelson made four free throws in the final 28 seconds and scored a season-high 29 points for host Orlando.

Dwight Howard had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Magic, who gave up only two field goals in the last 5 minutes. Trevor Ariza had 14 points and Hedo Turkoglu added 13.

Corey Maggette led Los Angeles with 20 points.

Warriors 97, Hornets 89

At Oklahoma City, Baron Davis and Matt Barnes each scored 29 points and made big shots down the stretch for Golden State, which won despite shooting under 40 percent from the field.

Barnes added 11 rebounds and five steals.

Rasual Butler scored 30 points for New Orleans. Jannero Pargo had 24 points, and Tyson Chandler grabbed 15 rebounds.

Suns 97, Bulls 96

Leandro Barbosa hit a 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds remaining to rally visiting Phoenix.

It was a bitter ending for the Bulls, who got a career-high 41 points from Gordon and led by as many as 16 in the first half.

Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 24 points and 18 rebounds. Steve Nash had 11 points and 13 assists.

Mavericks 112, SuperSonics 88

Dirk Nowitzki had 31 points and a season-high 15 rebounds, Josh Howard added 21 points and nine rebounds, and host Dallas won its 11th straight.

Nowitzki, back in the lineup after sitting out the previous game due to a sinus infection, had his first 30-point game since scoring 31 in a win over San Antonio on Nov. 24.

Ray Allen scored 19 of his 27 points in the first half for the Sonics, who've lost nine of their last 12.

Kings 112, Knicks 100

Ron Artest scored a career-high 39 points on exceptional outside shooting and Sacramento never trailed in defeating visiting New York.

Artest made 15 of his first 19 shots against his hometown team, and Mike Bibby added 19 points and nine assists for the Kings.

Jamal Crawford scored 28 points and Stephon Marbury had 17 points and eight assists for the Knicks, who committed 20 turnovers and are 0-3 on a five-game West Coast road trip.